How to Fix a Green Swimming Pool in Malta in 48 Hours (Or Less)
- Pools and More
- Nov 19
- 3 min read
Free PDF guide on how to fix your green pool in Malta in 48 hours or less.
If you've just uncovered your pool in Malta and it's turned a nasty shade of green — sometimes literally overnight — you're not alone. Malta's intense sun, high temperatures, dusty winds, and extremely hard tap water (thanks to our limestone island) create the perfect storm for algae blooms. Low chlorine, high pH from limescale, phosphates from dust or fertiliser runoff, and poor circulation can turn crystal-clear water into a swamp in days.
The good news? In most cases, you can clear a green pool in 24–48 hours without draining it. We've done this hundreds of times for private homes, villas, and Airbnb properties across Malta and Gozo.
Important Safety Warning: Clearing a severe green pool usually requires strong algaecides, high-dose chlorine shock, and often muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) to lower pH and dissolve limescale. These are dangerous chemicals that can cause severe burns, lung irritation, or blindness if mishandled. If you're not 100% confident, skip the DIY and call a professional (more on that at the end).
Why Pools Turn Green So Fast in Malta?
Algae + Heat: Malta's summer temperatures (and even spring/autumn) give algae explosive growth.
Hard Water & Limescale: Our tap water is loaded with calcium. High pH (>7.8) makes chlorine ineffective and lets algae thrive.
Salt Chlorinators: Common in Malta — limescale clogs the plates, stopping chlorine production.
Dust & Phosphates: Scirocco winds bring Sahara dust rich in nutrients that feed algae.
Rain or Neglect: Even a few days without proper chlorine levels is enough.
Step-by-Step Guide: Clear Your Green Pool in 48 Hours
Tools & Chemicals You'll Need
Test kit (strips or liquid — we recommend a proper photometer for accuracy)
Pool brush + telescopic pole
Chlorine shock (calcium hypochlorite or liquid chlorine)
Strong quaternary algaecide (copper-free if possible)
Muriatic acid (to lower pH — wear full PPE)
pH minus / acid if needed
Flocculant/clarifier (optional but speeds things up)
Step 1: Test the Water (Day 1 – Morning)
Test for:
Free chlorine (should be 3–5 ppm normally, probably 0 now)
pH (often 8.0+ in Malta)
Total alkalinity
Calcium hardness (usually sky-high here)
Phosphates (if >500 ppb, algae will keep coming back)
Step 2: Lower pH to 7.2–7.4 (Critical in Malta!)
Malta's hard water pushes pH up fast. Chlorine works 80% less effectively at pH 8.0.
Add muriatic acid slowly around the pool edges with pump running.
Wait 4–6 hours and re-test. Aim for 7.2–7.4.
Step 3: Brush Every Surface
Brush walls, floor, steps, and behind ladders aggressively. This breaks algae loose so chemicals can kill it.
Step 4: Super-Shock the Pool
Use triple shock dose for green pools (e.g., 3–4 kg cal-hypo per 50,000 litres).
Broadcast evenly in the evening (less UV burn-off).
Expect the water to turn cloudy/blue-grey — that's dead algae!
Step 5: Add a Strong Algaecide
Follow up with a long-life quaternary or polymer algaecide. This kills any surviving spores.
Step 6: Run the Pump 24/7 & Clean the Filter
Run filtration non-stop for 48 hours.
Backwash/clean the filter every 4–8 hours at first — it will clog with dead algae.
If you have a salt chlorinator, clean the cell with acid (limescale is probably the root cause).
Step 7: Vacuum & Add Clarifier (Day 2)
Once water turns cloudy-blue (usually 12–24 hours), vacuum to waste if possible.
Add clarifier/flocculant to drop dead algae to the floor for easier vacuuming.
Step 8: Re-Balance & Stabilise
Retest everything.
Bring chlorine to 3–5 ppm.
Add stabiliser if low (protects chlorine from Malta's strong sun).
By hour 48, most pools are swim-ready and sparkling again.
When DIY Isn't Worth the Risk
While the steps above work great for light-to-moderate green pools, many Maltese pools need acid washing of the salt cell, precise phosphate removal, or handling large volumes of strong acid — things that can go badly wrong fast.
Handling muriatic acid without proper training and equipment is genuinely dangerous. One splash in the eyes or on the skin can cause permanent damage.
That's why most of our customers call us the moment they see green — we clear it safely in 1–3 visits, guarantee the result, and prevent it from happening again with regular maintenance.
Don't risk your health or waste money on chemicals that don't work. Contact Pools and More today for same-day or next-day green pool recovery anywhere in Malta & Gozo.
Call/WhatsApp: +356 99500547 Email: poolsandmore.mt@gmai.com Or book online: www.poolsandmore.net/book-online
We'll have your pool blue and ready for swimming faster (and safer) than DIY.
See our 5.0★ Google reviews from happy customers who went from swamp to sparkling in under 48 hours!
Published by Pools and More – Malta's trusted family-run pool maintenance experts with over 10 years keeping Maltese pools crystal clear year-round.
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