white foam on pool surface

Algae problems in swimming pool water.
Green (cloudy) water or slimy pool walls.
Black algae. Mustard algae. Pink or white pool mold.
ray b

white foam on pool surface

Postby ray b » Mon 20 Sep, 2010 15:33

Just got off the phone Pool Brand service Dept. and am still fuming on their response. Found this topic online and it cleared things up for me.
Pool Brand Algaeside 40 which is sold by Sam's Club has my pool looking like a bubble bath. I first read the box the bottle came in and then the read the bottle.
There is not a word about foam, type of pool to put it in, etc. So i used it. Just the initial dosing and weekly update dose.
This Algaeside 40 contains dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride. If you look online at Pool Brands info on Algaeside 40, online Pool brand tells you not to use it in a pool that the water will be agitated. I've never seen a pump that doesn't agitate water in the pumpimg process. Once you put it in the pool its too late.
I asked how to stop it with a chemical anti foam agent and they suggested draining down a significant portion of the water in the pool. It is a 22,000 Gallon pool. I guess they only wanted me to drain of 10,000 Gallons.
Can someone suggest an algiside by manufacturer name that doesn't create foam?


lbridges
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My Pool: Geometric 16K gal shotcrete w/exposed aggregate; Pentair EasyTouch w/wireless, 2 Intellibrites, VS-3050 pump, C&C 200 Filter, IC-40 SWG; Heliocol solar. Rocky's reel
Location: Space Coast, Florida

white foam on pool surface

Postby lbridges » Mon 20 Sep, 2010 16:52

try searching on "polyquat 60" - there are multiple brands, but I think only one manufacturer is producing it.

and make sure you don't overdose the pool - that is a prime reason for foam on some types of algaecide.
Chemist Man

White foam on pool surface

Postby Chemist Man » Sat 25 Sep, 2010 13:08

Folks, don't be mislead by the thought that white foam is caused by an air leak. That is simply nuts. Yes, if air gets in the circulating system, it will make the problem more visible, and correcting the air leak might make you think that was the problem, but it isn't. The problem is still there. If you have an air leak, you probably should be concerned about a problem bigger than foam.

Think about this for a second. You can turn on the air blower in a spa and not see any foam at all if your pool chemicals are correct. The real problem is likely as mentioned by a couple of other posters. TOO MUCH ALGAECIDE. More correctly is too much of the wrong kind of algaecide.

A couple of years ago I had this problem. I was out of town on business and we ran out of algaecide. My wife went to Leslie's Pool store and got some of theirs. That was the cause. I bug our chemicals at Home Depot because they are cheaper and I can actually see what chemicals are in the products. Many of Leslie's product want even list what is in them! Now I wonder if they do this do they can sell you some "Foam Down" that won't work and puts more garbage chemicals in your pool.

Bottom line: Just because you do something to a pool to make the problem disappear, it doesn't mean you got rid of the problem.



disney_goof wrote:We just solved 2 weeks of foam on our newly opened pool. We eliminated all of the typical culprits - algea, cracked seals, cracked lid on the basket etc. Finally, we noticed a significantly lower pressure on one of the return jets so we checked all of the return lines - one of the valves had broken internally and also tore the seal around the valve. It wasn't leaking but must have been causing enough turbulance within the line to generate a lot of air in the line. Once we replaced the valve - no more foam.
swimfit
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Joined: Tue 19 Oct, 2010 03:34
Location: Austin

white foam on pool surface

Postby swimfit » Thu 25 Nov, 2010 02:40

Try adding chlorine tablets and see the results. It most probably might clear up the water as the chemical compositions are find as told by you.
galbach

white foam on pool surface

Postby galbach » Fri 01 Apr, 2011 18:37

I too had this problem for weeks and weeks!!! Tried everything!!! then i ordered Bioguard Remedy Antifoam.. 2 oz per 5k gallons and poof 20 min later..Foam gone :thumbup:
ejs1396

white foam on pool surface

Postby ejs1396 » Sun 26 Jun, 2011 16:15

The foam on your pools surface is the result of the pH eating up the chlorine in your pool. The foam is a byproduct of reaction between pH and chlorine. Once you stabilize those two factors your pool should be foam free!
Erndog

white foam on pool surface

Postby Erndog » Sat 12 May, 2012 18:15

hi, was wondering if its ok to swim in pool with the white foam while waiting for it to clear..?
Barrs

white foam on pool surface

Postby Barrs » Fri 18 May, 2012 08:29

Our 13,000 gallon Baquacil above-ground pool was fine until my local pool supply retailer checked our water and told us the ph was fine, but to add two bottles of Baquacilshock, a half bottle of Baquacil and 8-ounces of Baquacil Algicide, which coast us 80-something dollars. After running the pump to mix the chemicals I found solid white foam on the top of the water. The water was crystal clear below the foam. Is there any way I can get rid of or reduce the white foam so we can swim? Thanks...
Deborah

white foam on pool surface

Postby Deborah » Tue 20 Aug, 2013 13:56

I just did the same thing, didn't read the label and added way too much algaecide! I ended up having to drain half the pool as result as I just couldn't get rid of the foam even after 4 days. I will ensure I look for the non foaming type next time. My HUGE mistake! The smll was horrible as well!
Tom28

white foam on pool surface

Postby Tom28 » Sat 14 Sep, 2013 21:14

Here's one more person that just put in algaecide and ended up with a foamy pool. I didn't notice it until a few days later so I might not have linked the two if it wasn't for this forum.

T.
Toniangel96

white foam on pool surface

Postby Toniangel96 » Thu 10 Jul, 2014 11:53

My only question is: Why don't I read these forums before I make purchases. First when my pool turned thick green I purchased HTH Green to Blue. NEVER purchase this stuff!! You can never get it out of your pool!!! As if I hadn't learned enough lessons, the next time it turned Green I returned to a big box store and bought more HTH products this time I purchased an algaecide. The pool cleared overnight and for the first time in weeks I have a crystal clear pool, until this morning when I awoke to a pool full of foam!! UGH!! I never learn! Thanks for this information!
jimnbecky1

white foam on pool surface

Postby jimnbecky1 » Sat 23 Aug, 2014 19:38

i have been fighting a green pool all summer, we have a couple of leaks in the pipes due some the moron that had the house before us moved the filter and ran longer pvc pipes, 3 to be exact, 2 jets and 1 drain, hubby isn't home long enough to fix so we make do, i have kept it clear so far, i love HTH when used correctly, read the bottle and guess how many gallons, so far so good, finally got a little extra $$ and got more chemicals (ran completely out) i used the super concentrated clarifier and chlorine tabs, so far so good, put in liquid chlorine, algaecide and clarifier, now i have foamy pool, i scooped and scooped, and finally after reading all these comments i shut off the pump for a few hours, foam disappeared, just turned pump back on and will see how it goes(crossing fingers).
jimnbecky1

white foam on pool surface

Postby jimnbecky1 » Sat 23 Aug, 2014 19:41

Erndog wrote:hi, was wondering if its ok to swim in pool with the white foam while waiting for it to clear..?


i was in my pool scooping foamy white stuff, it wont burn or hurt anything. so i think it is ok. to each their own judgement
South Florida

white foam on pool surface

Postby South Florida » Tue 04 Nov, 2014 15:45

I am in the same boat. I triedskimming it out with the vacumn hose but just made matters worse. I'm sure it's the Aligicide I purchased from Home Depot. Never again... Looks like polar ice caps are melting from antiartica.
Watersifu

Re: white foam on pool surface

Postby Watersifu » Tue 21 Mar, 2017 14:01

If you have a saltwater chlorine generator and a high bather load this problem can happen. If you don't add enough enzymes to the pool to breakdown oils on the pool surface, the gasses that the generator releases will react with the oils on the pool surface and create foam. Contact the enzyme company to see what dosage you need, and if the problem persists you may have to up the dosage. It worked for me after first contacting chlorking and then they referred me to orenda our enzyme company.

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