Cloudy water without a green tint is almost never a chlorine shortage: it's suspended particles the filter isn't catching. In Tulum the most frequent causes are lime precipitated by high pH, construction dust, exhausted filter media, badly applied flocculant, and phosphate with algae in an early stage.
| Cause | Distinctive sign | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Precipitated lime | Milky, whitish water; high pH and alkalinity | Lower pH and alkalinity, adjust saturation |
| Construction dust | Fine grey sediment on the floor | Flocculant and vacuum to waste |
| Exhausted filter | Pressure that won't drop after backwashing | Replace the filter media |
| Badly dosed flocculant | Cloudy right after treating | 24 h continuous filtering and vacuuming |
| Early-stage algae | Cloudy with a greenish cast in sunlight | Shock before it goes fully green |
Take a glass of pool water and let it stand for an hour. If the sediment settles at the bottom and the water above turns clear, it's solid particles — dust, sand or precipitate — and the problem is filtration. If the water stays milky throughout without settling, it's lime in suspension and the problem is chemical.
They're the areas with the most active construction in Tulum. Cement dust does two things at once: it adds fine particles that saturate a cartridge filter ahead of schedule, and it raises the water's pH because it's alkaline. It's the one case where we recommend covering the pool when it isn't in use. See pools in La Veleta and pools in Región 12.
We provide weekly maintenance across the 25 areas of Tulum and the Riviera Maya from $1,500 MXN/month, chemicals included and crystal-clear water guaranteed. Message us on WhatsApp with a photo of your pool.
Because cloudiness is almost never a chlorine problem: it's suspended particles. In Tulum the most common causes are lime precipitated by high pH, or construction dust the filter no longer catches. First adjust pH, then check the filter, and only then use flocculant.
It works, but only if the filter is in good condition. Flocculant clumps the fine particles so the filter can catch them or so you can vacuum them off the floor. With a clogged filter or exhausted media, flocculant leaves the water worse than it was.
With the cause correctly identified, between 24 and 48 hours of continuous filtering plus vacuuming the floor. If the cause is exhausted filter media, it won't clear until you replace it.
The three real causes, how to tell them apart and how long the rescue takes.
Read →The exact ranges, and why the local well water changes the rules.
Read →Reading the gauge, when to backwash and when to replace the media.
Read →If your pool isn't crystal clear when we finish, that visit is on us. No fine print.
Send us a photo on WhatsApp and we'll tell you what's going on, at no cost.
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