Your pool went green. Here's what getting it back costs.

It happens fast here — a skipped week or two in summer, an afternoon of rain, and the pool goes from "a little cloudy" to pond. The rescue is routine for local pros; here's what to expect.

The typical price

A green-to-clean rescue in South Florida usually lands between $250 and $650, priced by how far gone the water is, pool size, and how much debris is on the floor. Light-green with a working pump sits at the low end; black-green with visible growth at the high end.

Why it takes multiple visits

The process is chemistry plus filtration, and neither is instant:

1. Shock. Heavy chlorination kills the algae — the pool often turns from green to cloudy gray-white in a day.
2. Filter and vacuum. Dead algae has to physically leave the water. Expect multiple filter cleanings; DE and cartridge filters clog fast during a rescue.
3. Balance. Stabilizer, pH, and alkalinity get rebalanced so the clear water stays clear.

A proper rescue is usually two to four visits over a week. Anyone promising "swimmable this afternoon" is selling you the shock without the cleanup.

When draining wins

Very high stabilizer (common in pools maintained on trichlor pucks for years) or true swamp status can make a drain-and-clean more economical than fighting the chemistry. That's an on-site call — and in high-water-table areas, draining needs a pro who knows what they're doing; empty pools can float.

The boring economics

Weekly service runs about $90–$160/month here. One green rescue plus one algae-stained filter cartridge costs roughly a quarter-year of service — which is why most people who go green once don't go green twice. Find pool pros near you.