Green to clean in 3-5 days. All chemicals included. We don't stop until it's clear.
We'll come out, look at your pool system, and write you a clear quote. Free assessment, no diagnostic fee, no obligation.
Green pools get harder and more expensive the longer they sit. We recover most pools in 3-5 days with all chemicals included.
DIY green pool cleaning almost always costs more than it should. The shock you buy at the big-box store is usually cal-hypo at 65-75% strength: same active ingredient we use, but you need a lot of it for a real recovery, and most homeowners under-dose, run the pump too little, and skip the multiple filter cleans that actually pull the dead algae out of the water. Three days in, the water is "kind of clear-ish" and stays that way for weeks. Then it comes back. We use commercial-grade product, the right sequence (oxidize, circulate, vacuum, repeat), and as many filter pulls as it takes.
The best prevention is consistent weekly pool service. Most of our recovery customers sign up afterward, and very few ever see a green pool again.
MAKO Exclusive has been doing green pool recovery in Arizona since 1998. We handle it the same way every time: come out, look at the pool, run a water test, write a flat quote, and don't leave until the water is clear. Most recoveries take 3 to 5 days. Severe cases (long vacancies, heavy algae mats, dead-pool sludge layers) can stretch to 7 days. We don't bill more for taking longer; the price is set up front based on pool size, severity, and chemical load.
A pool turns green for one reason: algae bloomed because free chlorine dropped below 1 ppm long enough for spores to take hold. From there, it's exponential. Green algae in 90°F+ water can double its population every few hours. By the time you notice the color shift, you're already a day or two behind it. Mustard algae and black algae are slower to establish but harder to kill once they have a foothold (especially black algae, which roots into plaster). All three require a different treatment plan, and we identify which one we're dealing with before we start dumping chemicals in.
Day 1 starts with a full water test (pH, free and combined chlorine, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, total dissolved solids, phosphates, copper, iron). We adjust pH down to roughly 7.2 because chlorine kills algae much faster in slightly acidic water. Then we shock heavily with calcium hypochlorite (usually 5-10x normal dose for a true green-to-clear recovery), brush every surface, and set the pump to run 24/7. If your filter is so clogged that flow is compromised, we pull and chemically clean cartridges or backwash the sand/DE filter before adding chemicals; otherwise the shock just sits in dead water.
Days 2 and 3 are the heavy lifting. We come back, vacuum the dead algae and sediment off the floor (this is where most DIY recoveries fail: people leave the dead organic matter in the pool, and it just re-feeds the next bloom). We re-clean the filter, re-test water, and adjust chlorine and pH again. Water typically turns from green to cloudy gray to cloudy blue over this period. By Day 4 or 5 the water is clear enough to see the main drain. We finish by rebalancing total alkalinity, calcium hardness, and stabilizer to long-term targets, and we verify chlorine is holding at 2-4 ppm before we hand it back to you.
Most green pools have an underlying equipment cause: a failed pump, a clogged filter, a dead salt cell, an overheated motor. Recovery without fixing the equipment is fixing the same problem twice. Every recovery includes a full equipment-pad inspection at no extra cost. If something needs pump repair, filter service, or salt-cell replacement, we'll quote it separately so you know exactly what's needed and what each piece costs. As a Pentair Certified Dealer, we can install replacement equipment with a 3-year warranty on qualifying products.
Recovery pricing for a standard residential pool typically runs $300-$600, with all chemicals included in the quoted price. Larger pools, severe contamination, or pools requiring multiple filter rebuilds may cost more, and we'll give you the exact number after a brief site visit. There's no diagnostic fee. We service the entire greater Phoenix metro, including Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Carefree, Fountain Hills, and Phoenix proper. If you call us today, we can usually be on-site within 24-48 hours to start.