Unusual amount of foam in the pool

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anthonypool89

anthonypool89

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Aug 26, 2016
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Berks County, PA
Something just doesn't seem right. I know that after adding the initial dose of algaecide when I start up in spring there is usually some foaming, but this is ridiculous. Huge, thick patches of it that trap insects, bugs, etc. As great as my pool looked last season, so far it looks like a blue chemical dump. I'm really wondering if I have an air leak somewhere? Every time the filter starts there is this huge jet of bubbles that come from both return lines - goes on about a minute and then you don't notice it after that. Another thing that seems weird is that when the filter starts it blows all sorts of debris into the pool from the lines. I can't recall that ever happening before. Any suggestions?
 
Why no algaecide? I mean...isn't that part and parcel of pool maintenance regardless of the sanitizing system employed? If no algaecide, what prevents algae growth? Sorry but I'm gobsmacked over the suggestion.

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No bleach....this is biguanide after all...

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Baquacil algaecide is what I use. Soon...lemme guess....the TFP method does not use algaecide, at all?
 
anthonypool89 said:
Why no algaecide? I mean...isn't that part and parcel of pool maintenance regardless of the sanitizing system employed? If no algaecide, what prevents algae growth? Sorry but I'm gobsmacked over the suggestion.

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No bleach....this is biguanide after all...

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Baquacil algaecide is what I use. Soon...lemme guess....the TFP method does not use algaecide, at all?
Click to expand...

There is no need for algaecide if pool chemistry is correct (i.e. FC is in range for CYA level). Speaking from personal experience, haven't used a drop of it In any of the pools I've maintained for the past 20 years and never had algae issues.
 
What type of filter do you have? I don't see it listed in your signature. If your returns are pointing up and breaking the surface of the water that could contribute to the foaming. I can try and help you troubleshoot the filter, but I don't know enough about bacquacil to know how it reacts to products like algaecide.
 

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DE filter. Returns point straight in but on an angle. Both returns are about 15 or so inches below tile line. They've been there since the pool was built in '89 and I never had this problem before. This just does not look like the usual foam generated by algaecide. It's thick right around the return lines - so much so that it traps bugs and other stuff. If I wouldn't know better, I'd swear there is no DE in the filter and that it's just circulating water. What seems odd is that when I did the 3 backwashes so far since starting (due to filter pressure increase), hardly any DE was left on the filter grids. That is unusual. I always run the water a minute or so but even after doing that generally the filter is still pretty caked with DE and the trapped gunk that the filter removed. I'm thinking I should take the filter about again just to see what's going on, if anything. Even though there has been no pressure increase since the last change, it's probably worth it. I'm not making any further progress anyway so what's to lose?
 
Part of the Baqua program is regular use of an algicide, and it's one you cannot skip. Baquacil has a few different ones however they market for use in their system however. Which one are you using?? Additionally, how many years since your last major water exchange?
 
What to do about charges of DE that got through the filter and into the pool water?

This is a corollary to my recent thread about cloudy water. From talking to several pool professionals, the theory behind my unusual foaming is that the DE actually got through the grids, so that now I have a pool full of suspended DE particles. Let me explain why this may well be the case since otherwise it sounds implausible. Last year I had new grids put on my Apollo VA-52 vertical filter. (Not being able to get them off myself I had a local pool repairer do it). When I soaked them in filter cleaner prior to opening the pool this season, I noticed that, when I took the grids out of the cleaning solution, some of the grids seemed to move around and were a bit loose. Not thinking anything of this, I opened the pool - which cleared up to a point but then seemed to stop at a very cloudy point and then the foam started (described in more detail in a different part of the forum). What also seemed odd to me is that every time I backwashed, took apart the filter and cleaned the grids, there never seemed to be very much DE on them. They hosed off way too easily for how dirty the pool water was. So, the thinking behind all of this is that if the grids were loose (there is a threaded shaft and nut on the one end that holds the whole filter mechanism - including the 10 grids - together), the DE and other stuff could get through the grids, into the center piping and back into the pool. Also supporting this theory is that every time the filter starts I've seen a whole bunch of debris and bugs enter the pool at the return jets. Have never seen that before.

Anyway, the recommendation given to me is to put the grids back in (after tightening them up good), but not add any DE. Hopefully some of the DE will fall out of solution and get trapped on the grids. Not sure if that will happen or not. Next step would be to shut the filter off for a day and see if more DE settles to the bottom, and then can be vacuumed to waste. Then, finally, add new DE and start filtering. So far I'm only at the first step. I have the grids in and running the filter but there is no DE in it. Thus far, the foaming has increased instead of being less.

Any suggestions about this situation would be greatly appreciated since I have a swimming event coming up next weekend at my place and really need to get the pool in good shape. Nobody would want to swim in it (including me) the way it looks right now.
 
Re: What to do about charges of DE that got through the filter and into the pool wate

DE in the water will not cause foaming.
I would suspect some part of your Baq chemicals as your problem.

I am going to merge your threads, since there is really no reason for this to stand alone.
 
Because DE is just a fine powder. It will not breakdown to cause foaming. At worst it would make your pool cloudy until it settles on the bottom.

I also can not imagine how some odd chemical you are using in your Baq pool would "react" with the DE to foam.

I would more suspect that someone dumped some soap in your pool.
 
OK...you're right...you get a slurry and whitish-colored water, but no foam. I just tried it with a bucket of water and some DE. Still, couldn't the loose DE grids create some sort of issue? As to the soap idea, I highly doubt it since the pool fence is always locked, unless someone heaved a bunch of detergent or something from 10+ feet away. Noone lives close to us either - just seems really unlikely. It all started after adding the algaecide last week, but still, I've done this for so long and I know what the algaecide foam looks like and how long it usually lasts - that is not the case here.

What do you suggest? Start filtering again with more DE and see what happens? Or follow the plan that was given to me earlier today? I would think that IF there is nothing on the grids by tomorrow then it's pointless to continue running the filter without DE (?)
 
As many people have also said ... in my opinion, the algeacide is 99% likely to be the cause of the foaming.

If your filter is allowing the DE to pass, you need to fix the filter. No point in trying to filter anything with it broken.

Perhaps there is some perfect storm where the issues in the filter are somehow allowing the water to get "aerated" and making the foaming worse/different than you have seen in the past from the algaecide.

With all the issues you have posted to this forum, why you stick with Baq is a mystery to me :D
 

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