Green pool? It's fixable, and faster than you think.
A pool goes green in Pensacola in about ten days of summer neglect. Getting it back is a process, not a miracle chemical: kill the algae, get the dead algae out, clean the filter, rebuild the chemistry. We quote it after a photo, do the work over several visits, and then keep it clear on weekly service.
How a green pool gets clear.
Every step matters, and skipping one is why the bottle of "green-to-clean" from the big-box store didn't work.
1. Look, test, quote
Photo first, then a visit if needed. We test the water, check that the pump and filter run, and give you a price and a timeline.
2. Balance, then shock
pH and alkalinity get corrected first; shock added to unbalanced water wastes half its strength. Then a heavy chlorine dose, sized to the pool, brushed in.
3. Brush and filter, daily if needed
Dead algae has to be brushed off surfaces and pulled out through the filter. Filters get cleaned or backwashed as they load up, sometimes twice a day early on.
4. Vacuum the fallout
Once the water turns from green to cloudy grey, the dead algae settles. Floor vacuum to waste where the filter allows, or a fine-filter pass where it doesn't.
5. Rebuild the chemistry
Stabilizer, calcium and salt, if you have a salt system, brought back to range. Then the first weekly visit is scheduled.
Clear again, and then kept that way.
Recovery is the one-time part. The reason it doesn't come back is weekly service: brushed walls, balanced chemistry, baskets emptied before they choke the pump.
About green pools.
How long does it take to clear a green pool?
Light green with a working filter: three to five days. Dark green or black after a summer of neglect: one to two weeks, with several visits. We tell you which one you have before we quote.
Do I need to drain it?
Usually not. Most green pools clear with shock, brushing, filtering and patience. If the water is so far gone that draining is cheaper, or cyanuric acid is off the chart, we will say so, and a drain and refill is a licensed contractor's job in Florida.
What does it cost?
It depends on how green, how big and what filter you have, so it is quoted per pool, not from a menu. Send a photo with your quote request and you will have a number the same day.
Will you fix the pump if that is why it turned green?
No. If the pump or filter failed, that repair goes to a licensed pool contractor first. Once water is moving again, we clear the pool.
Will it stay clear?
On weekly service, yes. A green pool is almost always a pool that went unbalanced for two or three weeks in the heat. Weekly cleaning and chemistry is what prevents the repeat.
Green pool cleanup by area.
After the cleanup, weekly pool cleaning is what keeps it from happening again.