Are you looking for a tangible solution to the question, of how to clean a green above-ground pool fast?
This comprehensive guide will teach you the nuts and bolts of cleaning a green above-ground pool fast, and of course, without spending a fortune.
You might be wondering, who am I, right?
I’m a consultant who helps both individuals and corporates to achieve their dreams without spending a fortune.
Well, the credit goes to my not-so-good-looking white hair and the years of experience that I possess as a consultant.
In fact, you don’t have to worry at all if you’re pool has turned green, I would be penning down all the experiences that I possess regarding this idiosyncratic problem.
And, of course, would be sharing with you some effective and hassle-free solutions that would be beneficial for both beginners as well as seasoned professionals.
So, without any further ado, let’s begin…
How To Clean A Green Above Ground Pool Fast | Beginner’s Guide
To be honest, I and my core team have tried to the best of our capabilities to bundle the information in such a way that both beginners and seasoned professionals can reap the benefits of it.
Why my pool turned green?
To be honest, I can’t blame a single reason for your pool turning green.
Frankly speaking, there can be a single reason or a combination of reasons contributing to the greenness of your pool.
However, as per my knowledge and experience, predominantly, alarming and uncontrolled growth of algae has been the reason for my client’s pool greenness in most of the cases.
Let’s have a quick look at some of the reasons that are known to create problems such as the greenness of the pool.
pH Imbalance
For the healthy being of your pool, a good balance pH is of utter importance.
An imbalance will not only give rise to algae growth but also would pave the way for many serious problems.
A low pH level would initiate pool materials eroding and can also be found responsible for eye irritation.
On the other hand, a higher pH level will not kill the bacteria/algae effectively and can also cause skin irritation.
So, an imbalance in pH level, either way, would pave the path for water discoloration.
Filter Clogging
It goes without saying that filter plays a crucial role in keeping algae, debris, and bacteria at bay.
And, in the absence of proper functioning of the filter, the probability is very high that algae/bacteria would keep on growing and debris would keep on accumulating.
And, as a result, discoloration of your pool water will start.
Weather Change
Often pool owners ignore the preventative measures that need to be taken when there is a drastic change in weather.
For your information, algae are known to flourish in hot and humid environments and so if you’ve recently experienced a shift in the temperature towards the higher side, then tie your shoelaces and get ready for the action.
Best Ways to Clean Your Green Pool Fast
Moving further, I would be discussing some of the best ways to bring back your pool on track, and even though your pool has turned green overnight we’ve got feasible and cost-efficient solutions in place.
So, stay tuned, until you find your way of getting the pool back on track.
Is draining the only effective solution?
Well, draining is one of the best solutions to get rid of a green pool but definitely, it’s not the ONLY solution.
I know you’re inquisitive to know when should one opt for draining, right?
In simple words, if you can see a couple of inches below the surface of the water then most likely the pool can be treated chemically for an optimum result.
However, if nothing is visible below the surface of the pool water or the visibility is very less then it’s totally your call whether you want to try a chemical treatment or go with draining.
Lowering Pool’s pH Level
Well, another effective way to clean your pool effectively is by lowering the pH level.
But, before that, you should be well informed about the level at which the pH needs to be lowered.
In order to find the current pH level of your pool’s water, you can try a testing kit.
Well, for testing purposes, I’ve been using AquaChek quite a few times now and it has given me satisfactory results on multiple occasions.
Once you’ve expedited the testing process, you would be able to know about the existing pH of your pool, so it would be easy for you to find out the exact pH that your pool needs to be lowered, right?
Moreover, the greenness of your pool depicts that the concentration of chlorine has drastically reduced in your pool water.
If you own a pool for quite a few years then definitely you would be aware of the healthy pH level, right?
However, if you don’t know then allow me to share the information with you.
A healthy pH level for a pool is somewhere around 7.5 but since your pool water has turned green so you should consider a pH level of 7.2 exclusives for this rare scenario.
I’m assuming that you’ve tested your pool water and found the pH level.
So, in the next step, what you need to do is to use a sodium bisulfate product to reduce the pH level.
All you need to do is to follow the instruction mentioned in the sodium bisulfate product that you’ve planned to add to your pool.
And, expedite the testing process after a few hours, and most importantly, repeat this process until you’ve reached the desired pH level.
The amount of sodium bisulfate that needs to be added totally depends upon how acidic your pool is.
As a beginner, you might overdo sodium bisulfate addition so it is highly recommended that you use about 3/4 as much as it calls for, to begin with.
Shock Your Pool
I’m assuming that we both are on the same page and now it’s your turn to shock your pool with granular chlorine, that is, calcium hypochlorite.
In case, you’re hearing the word “shock your pool” for the first time and not familiar with what it means then allow me to help you understand the process.
Well, shocking your pool is a phenomenon/method that involves the addition of super shock liquid chlorine-like Aqua-Chem to the water in order to kill off the bacteria and algae instantly.
Frankly speaking, the market is flooded with pool shock products so buy a branded product with good reviews.
In fact, most shock products come with great instructions that tell about the ways and the quantity that you should use in various situations.
However, some researchers have claimed that to de-structure the DNA of algae, you need to chlorinate the water to 30 ppm.
In order to reach and maintain the right balance, I highly recommend you should use a testing kit.
Pump and Filter
So, here comes an important step that will help you in regaining the balance.
It can be done in different ways and the way you can do it totally depends on the type of filter that you own.
The entire process is simple and as a beginner also you can expedite it without any professional help.
All you need to do is to pump the water and then filter it to regain balance.
Moreover, if you have a DE or a sand filter, then before expediting the filtration process, you must backwash the filter to remove dirt and sediment.
As a beginner, please follow the below-mentioned basic steps in order for the best result.
- First and foremost, you need to shut off the pump, then roll out the backwash hose
- Don’t forget to check the waste line for any closed valves
- Moving further, turn the multiport valve handle to backwash, or slide a push-pull valve
- Once you’ve expedited the aforementioned steps, in the next step, you need to turn on the pump so that water doesn’t flow out the backwash pipe or hose
- Furthermore, you need to backwash at least for a couple of minutes so that the water starts running clear
- Once you’ve confirmed that the water has started running clearly, the next thing that you need to do is to shut off the pump, turn the valve back to the filter, and then turn the filter back on
- Lastly, note the lower pressure on the filter tank, and increased flow rate
Floc Your Pool
Well, whether you need to floc your pool or NOT totally depends upon the outcome of the aforementioned steps.
If debris, dead algae, large particles, etc are still present in your pool then definitely you need to expedite this step.
But, before that, it is really important for us to understand the expected outcome of floc your pool process.
In this process, you use chemicals like Cloroxx to sink debris, dead algae, large particles, and other matter to the pool floor.
Moreover, with the help of Flocculent, the debris can be clumped together in order to vacuum them from the bottom of your pool easily.
The final outcome would be crystal clear water, happy?
Kill the Algae
Well, to be honest, this is not a COMPULSORY step and you may skip it.
But, expediting this process would help you to keep a check on algae and other contaminants and so your work for the upcoming week will reduce drastically.
Needless to say, the algae is known to grow at an alarming rate and unfortunately, it is capable of taking over your pool from just tiny spores.
Moreover, killing the algae would drop it to the bottom of your pool and so might have to clean the base of your pool properly to prevent any discoloration of the water.
So, here comes in the picture, one of the best algaecides that I’ve known so far, and it is none other than KEM-TEK. (Check Current Price On Amazon)
When it comes to killing those microscopic pores, you can trust KEM-TEK, and continued treatment can prevent the recurrence of the algae ecosystem.
Quick Hacks For Maintaining Your Pool
The best thing that you can do to your pool for a healthy swimming ambiance is to keep a check on algae and debris on a regular basis.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional, expediting the below process would definitely help you in keeping your pool water healthy, hygienic, and crystal clear.
You should always give priority to checking pumps and filters on a regular basis.
Algae thrive in stagnant water so it is your sole responsibility to ensure that the filter and pump are in healthy working conditions in order to keep the pool water filtering and circulating efficiently.
Another important thing that you need to do is to expedite the brushing and vacuuming process on a regular basis.
All you need to do is to scrub the surface and vacuum the bottom of the pool on a weekly basis to keep any dead algae and bacteria from growing.
Of course, you can’t ignore the importance of maintaining a healthy pH level, and the best way to do it is by testing at least a couple of times a week.
You need to follow the same thing for chlorine as well.
Always try to maintain the pH level in the range of 7.4 and 7.6.
Anything above this range will pave the way for algae growth.
Lastly, use a pool cover to prevent the sun from playing a devil’s role by supercharging algae spores that are already lingering.
How To Clean A Green Above-Ground Pool With Bleach?
In this section, we would be discussing the step-by-step process to clean your above-ground pool with bleach only.
Rest assured, you don’t need to use any expensive chemicals for this process.
- First and foremost, you need to balance the chemicals by ensuring that the pH and alkalinity levels fall in the range of 7.2-7.8 and 80-120 ppm respectively
- In the next step, you need to brush the pool in order to get rid of existing algae, debris, and sediments
- Moving further, you need to test Cyanuric acid concentration with the help of a testing kit and ensure that the concentration level falls in the range of 20 and 50 ppm, and if it’s below this range then you need to add a stabilizer to adjust the level
- In order to decide the amount of bleach that you may be needing, it is really important for you to know the volume of your pool
- Well, once you’re done with the aforementioned steps, all you need to do is to shock the pool
Best Way to Shock the Pool
For getting the maximum benefit from shocking your pool, you need to follow certain guidelines and steps that we would be discussing in a while.
The best time for shocking a pool is in the absence of sunlight, that is, either late evening or early morning whichever you’re comfortable with.
Unfortunately, the bleach gets degraded in the presence of sunlight and thus loses its effectiveness.
Adding the bleach to the pool isn’t a tedious task, all you need to do is add it to the pool water by simply walking around the perimeter of the pool.
And, most importantly, don’t forget to circulate the water for 4-5 hours so that the bleach gets fully mixed with the water.
After a time duration of 24 hours or slightly more, you’ll start seeing cloudy water in your pool.
It should be discharged from the pool on an immediate basis.
Below are some points that you need to consider as a beginner to see some awesome results.
- You should clean all the filters including DE filters, sand filters, and cartridge filters properly during the treatment
- Don’t forget to wear a pair of high-quality hand gloves, eye goggles, and face mask before you start expediting the aforementioned process
- Never allow anyone to swim including yourself until and unless the chlorine level falls to normal
- Don’t allow kids, pets, and other family members to come into the vicinity of the pool while the treatment is going on
- If you’ve got a scarcity of time, then you can hire a professional for this job
How much bleach for a 10,000-gallon pool?
Well, the below chart would help you with the amount of 6% bleach needed for 5,000 gallons to 25,000 gallons.
| Pool Water Volume | Amount Of 6% Bleach Needed To Raise 1 PPM |
|---|---|
| 5,000 Gallons | 10 Ounces |
| 7,500 Gallons | 16 Ounces |
| 10,000 Gallons | 21 Ounces |
| 15,000 Gallons | 31 Ounces |
| 20,000 Gallons | 41 Ounces |
| 25,000 Gallons | 52 Ounces |
How Can I Clean My Green Pool Without Using Any Chemicals?
In the last section, we saw the use of bleach in cleaning the pool effectively.
Needless to say, chlorine is a very effective and inexpensive disinfectant.
But, on the downside, it might not be your skin’s best friend and foul smell might turn you off.
Just for your information, a compound named Chloramines is formed as a result of a reaction between chlorine and ammonia.
So, is it possible to clean your swimming pool without using chlorine or other chemicals?
ABSOLUTELY, YES…
Moving further, we’ll discuss some of the important methods that would fetch you the result in an epigrammatic span of time.
Replace Chlorine with Bromine or PHBM
You can use Bromine or PHBM to disinfect a chlorine-free pool.
In fact, bromine is more reactive than chlorine and is also gentle to the skin.
Similarly, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHBM) is also a good disinfectant but is a bit expensive.
Unlike chlorine which is sensitive to temperature change and loses its effectiveness in the presence of sunlight, PHBM and Bromine are NOT SENSITIVE to changes in temperature or pH.
Both of them are stable and effective in most circumstances.
Try Ionization Capsules
Yes, you heard it RIGHT…
You can try ionization capsules.
The best thing that comes to my mind is using ChlorFree-AquaSmart.
It uses ionization capsules to keep the water of the pool clean and pure.
You don’t have to pay any electricity bill in order to expedite this idiosyncratic process.
The fact is that you don’t require any electricity or plumbing to expedite this process which is definitely something to brag about, isn’t it?
The process involves ionization of water resulting in algae and bacteria-free pools.
However, for the optimum outcome, you need to ensure that the pH of your pool falls in the range of 7.2 and 7.6, and if needed you can add a pH modifier to adjust the chemical balance.
Use a Robotic Pool Cleaner
It goes without saying that robotic pool cleaners are the talk of the town and have become quite popular in an epigrammatic span of time.
Frankly speaking, robotic cleaners are one of the fastest and easiest ways to remove dust and debris from your swimming pool.
The reason why this method has been so successful is the way it approaches dust and debris.
Most of these cleaners feature one or more brushes that can scrub the dirt from the surface of your pool, including the walls, floors, and corners.
Honestly speaking, with a high-quality pool cleaner such as this one, (Check Current Price On Amazon) you can expedite both the cleaning and filtering process at one go, thus achieving crystal clear pool water in an epigrammatic span of time.
How to Clean a Green Pool After Winter?
It is a known fact that after long, cold winter, spring welcomes not only a change in temperature but also brings us closer to hot summer days.
As we all know, our pools have remained in a dormant stage throughout the winter, and to make it ready for summer, proper planning, and some hard work are needed.
It is important for you to know that when the temperature rises above 51 degrees Fahrenheit algae spores come into action and start growing at an alarming rate, and that is definitely one of the reasons why pool owners complain about their pools becoming green overnight.
Definitely, chemical imbalances, sunlight, and organic matter will further worsen the condition as all of them, support and act as a catalyst in algae and bacteria growth.
However, you don’t have to worry at all, you need to follow the steps that we’re gonna discuss in a while.
All these steps have been tried and tested by not only our team but also our clientele.
We’ve received very great results with these steps.
Prep Time
- First and foremost, you need to set a date for opening your pool, and I suggest you should have a weekend free for this task
- Before that, get ready with all the testing kits, chemicals, and robot cleaner
- Moreover, check all your pool cleaning tools, and if anything needs to be replaced such as the pool vacuum or skimmer net then purchase them before the scheduled date of opening your pool
- Furthermore, prune shrubs, overhanging tree limbs, flowers, and other plants so they’re not hanging over the pool. This will minimize algae spores and debris from falling into the pool
Remove the Cover
At least, a week before the planned opening remove your pool cover.
Afterward, clean the debris and any standing water.
Lastly, hang it up for drying, and once it has completely dried, you need to fold and store it in a cool dry place.
Inspect the Parts
Well, whether you own an inground pool or above ground pool, you need to clearly examine the construction.
In fact, you need to pay special attention to any cracks, loose tiles, stains, splits, tears, etc if present, and don’t forget to get them fixed as well.
Refrain Yourself from Emptying the Pool
Always refrain from emptying your pool until and unless the situation is an unprecedented or emergency one.
For example, the presence of a thick layer of algae or any major structural work definitely calls for a need to empty the pool.
Check the Pump and Filter
Before you even think of using a pump and filter for filtration and circulation purpose.
It is very important to confirm that they are in good working conditions to prevent any last-hour mishap.
Check Water Level
It is normal for pools to lose some water so you need to cross-verify the water level and if needed add some fresh water.
Remember, you need a proper volume of water for the chemicals to be balanced out and thus, help you achieve an optimum result.
Clean Your Pool
I’m assuming that you haven’t skipped any of the aforementioned steps and you’re ready with all the ingredients needed for cleaning your pool in an efficient way.
Well, with the pump running, the first thing you need to do is to vacuum your pool.
If you’ve used a pool cover like this for your above-ground pool then the probability is very high that the accumulation of debris would be minimal.
I own an inground pool and have been using this pool cover for a couple of years, and the best part is, it has never put me down.
In fact, the cover has always exceeded my expectation.
Moving further, you need to brush down the sides, steps, and ladders.
In fact, you need to ensure that the nook and corner of your pool are well taken care of where the vacuum wouldn’t be able to reach easily.
Allow the pool pump to circulate water for at least 24 hours in order to filter out the loose dirt.
Moreover, don’t forget to clean out your basket cartridges and also the basket a few times during this step.
Testing
If you have run your pool pump for around 24 hours then definitely you would’ve got an accurate reading to test the chemistry, right?
Either you can take a water sample to the local pool store or you can use a test kit on your own to measure minerals, pH, and chlorine.
Balance Pool Chemicals
| Testing Parameters | Solution |
| pH level | 7.2 to 7.4; use soda ash to increase, and decrease the use of muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate. |
| Total alkalinity | 80 to 120; To increase, use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), and to decrease, use muriatic acid |
| Calcium | 150 to 250 ppm; If the water is too “soft” (not enough calcium), use calcium chloride to increase it. |
| Chlorine | 1 to 3 ppm; add liquid or granules to bring it up to normal levels. You may need to add more chlorine over the next several days to keep it at optimal levels. |
Now You Can Start Swimming…
Well, once the water is clear and free from debris, you can start swimming.
It might take a week or more for the pool to become ready for swimming.
But, at the same time, it is equally important that you expedite the filtration and circulation process on a regular basis to maintain a healthy and clean ambiance for swimming.
Don’t skip daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly maintenance procedures.
It’s A Wrap
First of all, I would like to show my gratitude to all the pool owners who have trusted us and believed in our content.
Moreover, I along with my team had worked really hard to bring to you the best possible solution to a problem.
Our solution is backed by logic and data.
So, did you find the answer to your query?
How would you rate our post on how to clean an above-ground green pool on a scale of 1 to 5 with the latter being the best?
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