Come back from a holiday, or skip a few weeks of maintenance in summer, and you can find your pool has turned an alarming shade of green. The good news: in most cases a green pool can be brought back to clear, swimmable water without draining it.
Why pools turn green
Green water is algae. Algae blooms when there is not enough chlorine to keep it in check, usually after a stretch of hot weather, heavy rain, or a break in regular servicing. The warmer it is, the faster it takes hold, which is why Gauteng pools can go from clear to green in just a few days over summer.
How a green-to-clean recovery works
Recovering a green pool is a process, not a single dose of chemicals:
- Balance and shock. We test the water, correct the pH, and shock the pool with chlorine to kill the algae.
- Filter, filter, filter. Dead algae has to be filtered out. This is where the pump and filter earn their keep, running long hours and being backwashed as they clog.
- Brush and vacuum. Algae clings to surfaces, so brushing the walls and floor and vacuuming out the debris is essential.
- Re-test and stabilise. Once the water clears, we re-balance everything so it stays clear.
When draining is the right call
Occasionally the water is too far gone, extreme staining, very high stabiliser levels, or a damaged surface, and a drain-and-clean is genuinely the better option. We only recommend it when treating the existing water would cost more effort than it is worth, and we will always tell you honestly which route makes sense.
Keeping it clear
The best cure for a green pool is not letting it get there. Regular servicing keeps the chlorine where it needs to be and catches problems early.
Dealing with a green pool right now? Our green-to-clean recovery can help, send us a message and we'll get it sorted.