How to Recover a Green Pool

A green pool looks like a disaster, but most of them can be brought back without draining. The trick is working out why it went green, and then fixing the water and the equipment at the same time.

Why pools turn green

Chlorine ran out, often after heavy rain, a hot spell or a party
The pump was not running long enough, or the filter was blocked
The salt chlorinator stopped producing, with a scaled cell or low salt
Leaves and debris left in the pool used up the chlorine

How a green pool is recovered

Clean out the leaves and debris first, so the chemicals go to work on the algae
Test the water and balance the pH, so the chlorine can actually work
Shock dose with a large amount of chlorine
Run the filter around the clock and clean it often, because it will clog with dead algae
Brush the walls and floor, then vacuum to waste once the algae has settled
Retest and rebalance on a second visit

When a pool needs draining instead

Some pools have gone too far. Very old water, a pool that has sat for months, or water with stabiliser built up so high that chlorine cannot work, is often cheaper to drain, clean and refill than to keep treating. We will tell you honestly which approach makes sense for your pool.

Get it sorted

Send us a few photos of the pool and the equipment and we can usually tell you what is involved and what it will cost before we come out.