Unusual amount of foam in the pool

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This is a totally different type of foam then what the algaecide generates. It's very greasy and scumy. I tightened the grids really good so IF that was the issue it should resolve itself. You raise a good point about the filter somehow allowing excessive aeration except that if such is the case, with the grids now tight, the foaming should have stopped.

You also raise a valid point about sticking with Baq. As stubborn as I am, I do have to agree. Guess that's why I still use a 1972 Cub Cadet to mow my lawn that needs a pan under it to catch leaking transmission fluid, and also probably why I drive a '95 Buick Riviera that is on its third engine! I don't give up easily.
 
Re: Is it bad for the grids to run the filter with no DE in it?

So why would my pool store people tell me it's ok to do it? I even asked her about it - she said it doesn't hurt anything. I'm going to open the filter tomorrow and if nothing has collected on the grids, I don't see the point of continuing without DE. The thinking here was that if the foaming problem I'm having is indeed caused by DE leaking back into the pool, running the filter without any DE would give the filter a chance to collect some of the DE that is in the pool without placing undue stress on it that would occur by having the grids coated. I don't know...the more I'm thinking about all this the more it doesn't make sense. IF there was DE getting back in the pool, wouldn't it simply fall to the bottom - out of suspension - rather than creating foam? At the time it was explained to me it seemed to make some sense, but less so as I'm continuing to think about it.
 
Re: Is it bad for the grids to run the filter with no DE in it?

Pool store folks ain't exactly known to be the most up to date folks. They often do lousy water testing and suggest a variety of cures that rarely help.

In an area where pools are closed down for most of the year and they have to make their budgets during those few open months, well, perhaps they know you'll be back for new grids down the line??

Maddie :flower:

Addendum: Have you considered that the Bacqucil may itself be the cause of your problems? They sold you that too. Check out the Bacqucil forum here for stories about Bacquacil.

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What collects schmutz in the DE Filter is the DE! The grids act as a manifold for the DE, which is this cool prehistoric teeny tiny shell like particle. The grids just hold it so the water will go thru the DE.

Maddie :flower:
 
Re: Is it bad for the grids to run the filter with no DE in it?

A,

The whole idea is ridicules... The grids do nothing but hold the DE material. The DE is what filters out the stuff in the water.

Running the grids without DE will not clean anything out of your pool water except larger items like chunks of leaves and bugs, etc.

The problem with running without DE is that these larger items can become imbedded into the grid material which makes it harder for the grids to be cleaned.

This is just another example as to why we tell people to avoid any pool store advice without checking things out first.

I doubt doing this will permanently damage your grids, but it might take a few extra minutes to get the grids cleaned up. I would definitely disassemble and clean the grids before adding any new DE...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
A few quick things......................
First, seeing your last major water exchange was in 2014 you're hitting the magic "pink slime" years. Don't ask me why, but it seems years 4-5 of water with Baqua the slime comes. Pay extra attention to keep ample amount of Sanitizer and Oxidizer in the water! Next off, test your Sanitizer levels and let me know what they are. When the Sanitizer and Algastat levels are high that can cause foaming when using the Baqua system. Additionally I would suggest ONLY using the Baquacil Performance Algicide. MSDS show this is simply the same stuff as a PolyQuat 60 we recommend on the forum due to it not foaming as other algicide's have the tendency to do.
 
anthonypool89 said:
Yeah...me too. I opened my inground and it was basically a worm-infested swamp. Still can barely see the drain after almost a week of filtering. Hmmm..maybe I should fill it in with dirt and put an above-ground pool on it?
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What did you use to get from a "worm-infested swamp" to where you are now? I can only think that the combination of chemicals is what is causing the foam.

As to running the filter without DE, it is my understanding that without the DE powder to protect the grids, stuff can plug the grids up.
 
To get from the swamp to partially clear and (at least) good color, I used 3 charges of DE - comparable to what it usually takes to clear up the pool upon opening. If the loose DE grids were indeed a significant enough issue to cause DE leakage back into the pool and also be of great enough consequence to prevent adequate filtration, then I don't understand why the pool still wouldn't look basically the way it did when I opened, or at least with little improvement. The advice I was given about the DE having gone into the pool sounded better yesterday then it does today upon consideration of all factors. The interesting element in all of this though is that there was very little DE on the grids when I took them out the last two times. Where did it go?

I'm thinking that instead of pursuing too much more of the recommended course of action I received yesterday however, I'd say to put in a load of DE and see what happens. The BioGuard Anti-Foam and Polysheen Blue that I ordered a few days ago should arrive soon, so I'm hopeful that it will correct the foaming problem or at least significantly reduce it. As to the leaky grids theory - I have no idea at this point and frankly don't care as long as I can get the pool cleared up. As to the "someone dumped soap in my pool" theory proposed along the way during this thread - I truly wonder about that now since upon close inspection (as in the old right-up-to-the-nose sniff test without actually inhaling the stuff) the foam sort of smelled a bit like detergent - hard to tell though. My gate fences are generally kept locked although we were away one day and I had forgotten to lock them. As I said earlier, there is noone that even lives close to us other than my one neighbor - a really nice guy my age who would surely not do anything like that. No kids that would do it as a prank, etc. Mystery as yet unsolved...and may never be. Don't really care as long as I get the pool looking the way it did last season.
 

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anthonypool89 said:
Water was drained and refilled in 2014 following major renovation. The algaecide is simply called "Baquacil Algaecide" Step #3 in the CDX treatment process.
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Have you already converted to the Baquacil CDX treatment process? If yes, the Step#3 is Baquacil CDX that is added directly to the skimmer after adding the Oxidizer (Step#2) around the pool. If you are still adding the older Baquacil Algicide as Step#3, I wonder if that would cause the foaming issue?

As Leebo mentioned, if you feel the need to add a separate Algicide, the Baquacil Performance Algicide is designed to avoid foaming.
 
I really appreciate the suggestion to use the performance algicide. That is going into my notes so I don't forget about it. In answer to the question - yes - I've been using CDX for the past few years in the manner you mentioned - going right in the skimmer following a dose of oxidizer.
 
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