A pool filter needs backwashing when pressure rises 3 to 5 psi above its clean start-up reading. If pressure doesn't drop after backwashing, the filter media is exhausted or channeling and has to be replaced — something that in Tulum happens every 12 to 36 months depending on the area.
| Situation | Diagnosis | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Clean start-up pressure | Normal | Write it down: it's your baseline |
| +3 to 5 psi | Dirty filter | Backwash |
| High and won't drop after backwashing | Media compacted or channeling | Replace the filter media |
| Low with the pump running | Insufficient flow: obstruction or air | Check basket, trap and suction |
| Needle oscillating | Air in the system | Check lid, o-ring and water level |
Manuals say 3 to 5 years. In Tulum that almost never applies, and it varies a lot by area:
| Area | Local factor | Media life |
|---|---|---|
| Soliman Bay, Tankah | Fine beach sand that compacts | 12 – 18 months |
| La Veleta, Región 12 | Construction dust | 18 – 24 months |
| Holistika, Macario Gómez | Jungle organic matter | 24 – 30 months |
| Town colonias | Lime from the well water | 24 – 36 months |
The general rule is that the full volume of the pool should pass through the filter at least twice a day. In Tulum, with high water temperature and a constant organic load, we work with 8 to 10 hours a day in the hot season, concentrated during sunlight, which is when algae have the best opportunity. Turning the pump off to save electricity costs more than the bill it saves.
Does any of this sound like your equipment? See pump and filter repair.
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.
When the gauge rises 3 to 5 psi above the start-up pressure with a clean filter. In Tulum that's usually every one or two weeks in the hot season, and more often if there's construction nearby or the pool sits under trees.
Between 12 and 36 months depending on the area, quite a bit less than the manual's 3 to 5 years. On the coast, fine beach sand compacts the media in 12 to 18 months; in town, lime from the well water exhausts it in 24 to 36.
Between 8 and 10 hours in the hot season, enough for the full volume to pass through the filter at least twice. It's worth concentrating them during sunlight hours, which is when algae have the greatest opportunity to grow.
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.
Quote on WhatsApp