Green pool recovery.

Most green pools return to swimmable condition within 3-7 days, depending on severity. Mild cases (light green) can be resolved in 3-4 days, while severe cases with black algae may take up to 10 days with daily monitoring.

Cost depends on severity and how long the pool has been neglected—a light-green pool needing a few days of shock treatment costs less than a pool with black algae that requires multiple visits, steel-brush scrubbing, and extended filtration over a week or more. Because of the extra chemicals, labor, and daily monitoring involved, recovery is priced above routine weekly cleaning, and we'll always assess your pool first and quote the recovery before starting work.

You can try, but over-the-counter shock and algaecide often aren't strong enough for a fully green pool, and getting the sequence wrong—like shocking before balancing pH—wastes chemicals without fixing the water. There's also a health risk: green water can harbor bacteria like E. coli, so every day spent on trial-and-error is another day the pool isn't safe to use. Professional recovery uses commercial-grade treatment and daily monitoring to get it swimmable in days rather than weeks.

Yes. Green pool water harbors harmful bacteria including E. coli, Legionella, and parasites. The algae itself isn't toxic, but the bacteria thriving in unbalanced water can cause skin infections, respiratory issues, and gastrointestinal illness. Never swim in a green pool.

Pools rarely turn green overnight—it usually develops over 2-3 days. Common causes in Miami include pump failure (stopping circulation), running out of chlorine, heavy rain diluting chemicals, or returning from vacation without a maintenance plan.

Usually not. Our multi-stage treatment protocol recovers most green pools without draining, which saves water and prevents structural damage from hydrostatic pressure. Draining is only needed in extreme cases with heavy debris or when resurfacing is required.