Pool foam! Help!

[Legato1983]

So I've always had an issue with Yellow Algae and decided this year (2nd summer having a pool since I purchased this home in June of 2022) and decided to change the sand and used these white balls that work as an alternative to it. Sand is super heavy and I've heard good things about the balls.

Anyway, it was working great for a little bit but still saw the Algae coming back, so I went nuts and put a lot of Algaecide in it. Probably double or more the amount I was supposed to. So now for about a week straight I've had this foaming issue. I've noticed that the return hose is vibrating though but I don't know if that's a contributing problem or maybe even the problem entirely?

I took a couple of videos that I will link here. Hopefully someone can give me a clue as to what is going on.

New video by Tim Leuty

photos.app.goo.gl

New video by Tim Leuty

photos.app.goo.gl

Thanks everyone!

 

[Legato1983]

I seriously don't know what is going on. If anyone can help or has any idea whatsoever I'm open to it. I've tried to drain some water backwash, tightened the hoses, and put two bags of shock in this thing. Can an air leak cause foaming like this?

This is what water being drained.

New item by Tim Leuty

photos.app.goo.gl

Picture is too big to attach to the post so I have to leak Google photo links.

 

[duraleigh]

legato 1893

Someone has put something in your pool that doesn't belong there.

Elevate your chlorine to twice it's normal level until it is cleared.......couple of days usually.

I responded this time but start your own new thread if you need more info.

 

[mknauss]

Someone has put something in your pool that doesn't belong there.

so I went nuts and put a lot of Algaecide in it.

Chlorine will eventually remove the algaecide.

What product did you put in the pool?

 

[Legato1983]

This is what I put in the pool after having the water tested from our local pool place. I have pictures of everything but the water stabilizer I put in, which was the entire bag of, I want to say, 4 lbs.

After the stabilizer I waited an hour, then I put this in. Half the bag. My PH was a little elevated.

New item by Tim Leuty

photos.app.goo.gl

After that I put in some Algaecide. I think 12 oz total it looks like.

New item by Tim Leuty

photos.app.goo.gl

The foam then got out of control and I used 8oz of defoamer.

New item by Tim Leuty

photos.app.goo.gl

I haven't done anything else other than throwing in two bags of shock that didn't seem to do much of anything. I do notice algae at the bottom of the pool that looks dead though, which always happens when I shock it but then it just comes back.

Here is a picture of current water level chemistry. Hopefully it's easy enough to see.

New item by Tim Leuty

photos.app.goo.gl

Thank you in advance. I will shock the heck out of it if that's what I need to do, but all opinions are very appreciated. I'm so tired of never getting anywhere with this pool.

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum

The methods we teach at TFP are precise and involve precise testing and those methods will clear your pool and keep it that way.

You will need patience and a willingness to learn. Everyone hear will help if you decide.

Start hear. Pool Care Basics Archives

 

[mknauss]

The algaecide was Polyquat. So no real harm. Chlorine will remove it.
Please post your pictures directly to the forum. Many of us are not keen on opening third party sites.

As Dave said, review what the Forum is about. Get a proper test kit.

 

[Mdragger88]

Normal doses of Algeacide will make foam, as you said you added double. Thus lots of foam.
You will need to keep cleaning your filter media/backwashing when pressure rises 25% over clean pressure.
The best media for a sand filter is sand.
That said, Algaecides & filtering aren’t how you overcome an algae problem contrary to popular belief.
Adequate amounts of free chlorine, using the
SLAM Process is how to eliminate algae. You need a proper test kit to do this.
You don’t list your pool volume so not sure the exact impact the 4# of stabilizer had but adding stabilizer/cya increases your necessary corresponding fc level
FC/CYA Levels
My advice to you is to stop putting things in the pool, get a test kit on order (Taylor k2006c or tf100/pro) & only add 5ppm worth of liquid chlorine to the pool each day until it comes to keep things from getting worse. Nothing else besides filtering/vacuuming.
Your return hose looks normal.
Test Kits Compared

Algaecide - Further Reading

www.google.com

 

[Legato1983]

Thank you guys for the all advice. I will look into buying a proper test kit and adding chlorine into the pool to get rid of the foam. I will do my best to keep y'all updated on how this goes over the next week.

 

[Legato1983]

I haven't got my test kit yet, but I did order the K2006-C and should be here tomorrow. After using more shock than usual, the foam has finally gone. Now, however, my pump is extraordinarily loud. The PSI is at 10, which should be a little higher, I believe. PSI before I remember being 15-20. There is still a lot of water coming out of the return hose into the pool from the filter. I don't know if my pump is going bad or if there is air trapped somewhere or both. I'm still new to all of this.

Here is a youtube video of the pump. It's a little loud, so don't have your speakers all the way up.

Thank you, everyone, for your help. It's been incredible.

Edit: If I should buy a new pump, are there any suggestions? The one I have currently is a 1 1/2 HP pump.

 

[duraleigh]

That sloshing and frothing in the pump basket lid is a classic symptom of a suction side air leak. Fix that leak and your pump will quiet way down and operate efficiently. There is an article in Pool School on suction side leaks that will help.

 

[Legato1983]

Finding a new lid for this pump is not proving to be an easy task. I think I've found an o-ring that is compatible and will work, but I'd like to replace the lid as well in case there is a crack that I didn't see. Is this something I'd have to order directly from the manufacturer or are a lot of these lids kinda universal?

For reference, I have a Carvin S15SHJ-6-S1 pump.

 

[Mdragger88]

I have this exact pump
Here’s how it should look without an air leak while running- those aren’t bubbles they are water spots because i just sprayed my yard

Here’s the oring - i just ordered one & it fit perfectly

Jacuzzi/Carvin O-Ring, Cygnet, LR, Trap Lid, O-459 #47-0352-41-R - Pool Parts and Accessories - PartsWarehouse

Jacuzzi/Carvin O-Ring, Cygnet, LR, Trap Lid, O-459 #47-0352-41-R - Pool Parts and Accessories. Largest Selection, Best Prices, Free Shipping Available at PartsWarehouse.com

www.partswarehouse.com

You may be able to try cleaning it off good & using lubricant first to see if it solves the problem.
You also want to be certain your water level is high enough in the pool. Usually somewhere between 1/2 way & 3/4 of the way up the skimmer opening is sufficient enough to prevent a vortex which causes air to be sucked into the pump.
After correcting everything, with the pump off, you want crack the lid so the pump basket fills completely with water then close it back before turning the pump back on.

Pool Lube - Further Reading

www.google.com

Here’s the parts diagram if you no longer have the manual

 

[Legato1983]

Thank you so much for the response. I just ordered that o-ring from the link you provided and some lubricant from Amazon! I'll post again once I have everything in place.

 

[Mdragger88]

Btw- My pool came from Family Leisure- I don’t know of anyone else (brick & mortar) who sells these carvin products in the USA so if you have one near you they are the place to call/go if you need something in a hurry.
Carvin/Jacuzzi itself is in Canada & they don’t deal with the public, you must use a dealer to aquire parts. Inyopools also has several parts for them online.

 

[Legato1983]

Your pump is so clear it doesn't even look like there is water at all. That's with it running? From the time I've moved into this house the water was always tumbling around inside of the pump basket. I just thought that was normal. Is the transparent cap just to let you know if water is passing through?

 

[Mdragger88]

Yes it was running. That is how it should look.
I assume the lid is clear so you can see when you need to clean the pump basket.
There’s only a few places there can be a suction side leak on a pool with 1 skimmer/intake so confirm that all connections are tight & the water level is good along with the pump lid oring being lubricated as well as any orings in unions.
If you’re using hoses with clamps I prefer to double them up - one clamp right next to the other. Some of my hoses have required that I wrap a little teflon on the barbed fitting before putting the hose on to get a better fit.

 

[Legato1983]

I ordered some Teflon tape as well and will do as you have done with your hoses since I don't have any PVC with my setup.

Last night I vacuumed and brushed again, as well as used two bags of shock. My pool is notorious for what I think is yellow algae, but that might be a water chemistry issue, which I should be able to monitor accurately on Friday when my test kit comes in. The algae literally came back overnight and when I woke up in the morning it looked like this. Seems to want to come back in the same areas of my pool each and every time. In this picture, I think it's dead because of the shock treatment. Otherwise it looks kinda yellowish. If anyone has seen anything like this before and it wasn't algae, please let me know.

Edit: That white circle towards the top I believe used to be a leak that was sealed. It was there before I moved into this home.

 

[Mdragger88]

If you have an algae problem the
SLAM Process is needed.
Only use liquid chlorine until your kit comes in.
“Bags of shock” are either trichlor/dichlor (which add cya) or calhypo(which adds calcium)
Too much cya or calcium can cause problems.
The higher your cya is the higher your fc needs to be for maintenance & slam
FC/CYA Levels

 

[Legato1983]

Sorry for the delay in getting back with ya'll. I wasn't able to use my new 2006-C kit until just today. I was told my pool might be 21,000 gallons, but I can't be certain. I believe it's an 18x33 oval.

As for the levels I just took, they are as follows.
Free Chlorine = 5.2
Combined Chlorine = .8
Total Chlorine = 6
PH = 7.7
TA = 120
Calcium Hardness = 180
CYA = 40

I'm a newbie with this, but I think the numbers are good? Please let me know. I shocked the pool last night and ran the pump for 20 hours, so the chlorine levels may be elevated. Or are they? I do have patches of dead mustard algae in the bottom of my pool that I have to vacuum out today.

Thanks you guys