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Green Pool Recovery Cost Calculator

Estimate chemical costs, labor hours, and what to charge your customer for a green pool cleanup.

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Green Pool Recovery Calculator

Pool Details

Typical residential pool: 10,000-25,000 gallons

Algae Severity

Higher CYA requires more chlorine. Over 100 may require partial drain.

Your Rates

What you charge per hour for labor

Recovery Estimate

Suggested Customer Price

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Chemical Cost

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Labor Hours

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Number of Visits

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Recovery Timeline

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Recovery Plan

Enter pool details above.

Pricing Green Pool Cleanups

Green pool recovery is one of the most profitable one-time services for pool companies. Most homeowners are desperate and willing to pay a premium for fast results. The key is pricing accurately so you don't lose money on chemical costs or underestimate the number of visits.

What Causes Green Pools

  • No chlorine: Equipment failure, missed service, or vacant property
  • Heavy rain: Dilutes chemicals and introduces phosphates
  • Filter failure: Broken cartridge, torn DE grid, channeled sand
  • High CYA: Chlorine becomes ineffective above 100 ppm
  • Phosphates: Feed algae even with adequate chlorine

The Recovery Process

  1. Shock heavily: 3-10x normal dose depending on severity
  2. Brush everything: Walls, floor, steps, behind ladders
  3. Run filter 24/7: Clean or backwash every 4-8 hours
  4. Add algaecide: After initial shock has dissipated
  5. Vacuum to waste: For black/swamp pools with heavy debris
  6. Retest and balance: pH, alkalinity, then add stabilizer last

Why Filter Type Matters

  • Cartridge: Clogs fastest. Plan to clean 2-4 times during recovery. Consider a spare cartridge.
  • DE: Best filtration (catches smallest particles). Backwash and recharge DE each visit.
  • Sand: Slowest to clear the pool. May need to add DE to sand filter for finer filtration.

When to Drain Instead of Treat

  • CYA over 100-150 ppm (chlorine won't work effectively)
  • TDS extremely high
  • Black algae with structural root system
  • Cost of chemicals approaches cost of fresh water
  • Pool has been stagnant 6+ months with heavy organic load

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I charge for a green pool cleanup?

Most pool pros charge $350-$800 for light to moderate green pools, and $800-$1,500+ for black/swamp pools. Price should cover chemicals (at 2.5-3x markup), labor, and multiple visits. Never quote flat rate until you've seen the pool.

How long does it take to clear a green pool?

Light green: 1-3 days. Dark green: 3-7 days. Black/swamp: 7-14 days. The biggest variable is filter efficiency. DE filters clear pools fastest, cartridge filters slowest.

Should I charge per visit or flat rate?

Most pros recommend quoting a range ("$400-$600 depending on how it responds to treatment"). Charge more for worse-than-expected cases. Some pros charge a flat diagnostic/first-treatment fee, then per-visit after that.

What chemicals do I need for a green pool?

Calcium hypochlorite (cal-hypo) for shocking, algaecide (poly 60 or copper-based), flocculant for heavy debris, and pH adjusters. For a 15,000 gallon dark green pool, expect to use 10-15 lbs of cal-hypo over the recovery period.

Can I use liquid chlorine instead of cal-hypo?

Yes, but you'll need a lot more volume. Liquid chlorine (12.5% sodium hypochlorite) requires about 1 gallon per 10,000 gallons to raise FC by 10 ppm. For a dark green pool needing 30+ ppm, that's 3+ gallons per treatment. Cal-hypo is more concentrated and easier to transport.

Manage Multi-Visit Jobs Easily

PoolDial's work orders track green pool recoveries across multiple visits, log chemical usage, and let you invoice when the job is done.

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