Pool care articles
How long does a green pool take to clear?
There is no fixed number of days: the time a green pool needs comes down to what the water tests show, how the filter and equipment are doing, and how much work the pool needs. Sullivan's Pool Service assesses the pool before quoting, agrees the plan and the price with you before work starts, and keeps retesting until the water holds. Swimming waits for the test results, whatever the water looks like.
Why there is no single answer
Green water tells you something is wrong, but not what. It is a reason to check the disinfectant, the pH, the debris and whether the equipment is running, and on its own it does not prove the cause or what chlorine reading the pool reached. Color alone cannot settle the treatment, the cost or the time before the pool reopens. That is why the estimate comes after an assessment, not before it: it rests on the test results, the equipment and the work involved. Sullivan's will not promise a day count, and will not treat a shift in color as a sign the pool is safe.
What happens first
Recovery starts with testing, including stabilizer, before any treatment plan is set. The water readings, the condition of the filter and the debris you can see help define the job. From there the work follows a fixed sequence. Testing comes first, then the debris is cleared and the chemistry corrected, the filter is brought back into working order, and the tests are repeated until the readings stay steady. Brushing the pool and removing the debris are part of that work. Chemical correction follows the instructions for the products used, and the filter and circulation are assessed during the recovery rather than taken for granted.
How progress is judged
Follow-up water tests show whether the recovery is working, and they are what decides the next step. Clear-looking water is not by itself permission to swim, and whether swimmers can go back in is judged on its own, apart from how the water looks. Until then, keep everyone out of the water.
Your part while it clears
The CDC recommends testing chlorine and pH at least twice a day, and more often when a pool is in heavy use. For a home pool it recommends a pH of 7.0 to 7.8 and at least 1 ppm free chlorine, or at least 2 ppm where cyanuric acid or stabilized chlorine products are used. If the pool has an attached hot tub, the CDC recommends at least 3 ppm chlorine there, with no cyanuric acid or stabilized chlorine products. Sunlight and what swimmers bring into the water can reduce chlorine. Follow the directions on your test kit, and keep one limit in mind: a sample above 10 ppm chlorine may bleach the test and give a false low or zero reading, which matters while chlorine is being raised.
Drain it or treat it?
That is a comparison for the actual pool: the proposed treatment against the cost and risks of replacing the water. A high stabilizer reading or dark water does not settle the question by itself; each is one reading to weigh with the rest. Sullivan's does not give a blanket recommendation to drain based on a neighborhood or a photograph, and any water replacement needs its own safety assessment before draining work starts.
What the estimate is built from
The water readings, together with the state of the filter and the equipment, are what the estimate is built from. Because the quote follows the assessment, you see and approve the plan and its price before any of the work starts. Until then, keep swimmers out while the condition is assessed, and follow the treatment and reopening instructions for the situation.
After the water holds
Once the pool is back, weekly care afterward is what keeps it clear. Between visits, the CDC's twice-daily checks of chlorine and pH still apply, and the directions that come with your test kit are the ones to follow when you take them.
Sources
In Austin
Fill water matters here. Austin Water reported finished water leaving its three plants in the second quarter of 2026 at pH 9.65 to 9.74, total hardness of 76 to 77 mg/L as CaCO3, total alkalinity of 51 to 60 mg/L, and 2.52 to 2.69 mg/L of chloramines. Those are averages for tap water, not readings of your pool, so test the pool itself after a top-up.
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Sullivan’s Pool Service maintains pools in and around Austin, including Northwest Hills, South Austin, West Lake Hills, Tarrytown, Great Hills, River Place, Crestview, East Austin, North Austin, West Campus, Hyde Park, Downtown Austin and St. Johns, and in Bee Cave, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Leander, Pflugerville and Round Rock. See every service area.
Weekly residential service has one fixed monthly price, set by pool size: see pool service pricing for what each size tier covers.
Tell us about your pool
Tell us your service location and whether you need weekly care, help with equipment, or a one-time service. Call or send the quote form. We’ll confirm availability and the next step for your pool. Repairs and other separately quoted work are discussed before approval.