Bubbly mess

[RhondaLinginfelter]

I uncovered the pool from winter, and found some algae growth. Put in some cheap algaecide, then some floc.... big mistake.

Now, for some reason, my pool looks like a bubble bath. I can't get the bubbles to go away. When the filter/pump is running, it just makes more bubbles. If I turn it off, the bubbles go away. So...I need to clean out winter debris, leaves, but I can't "see them" to dip them out when the bubbles are going crazy....

I feel like I'm never going to get this straightened out. ANy advice?

[waterbear]

Sounds like you used a quat based algicide. They will bubble like crazy! Made that mistake once in my spa and had to drain it. I think time will take care of it but someone who knows more about algicides might have a better answer. Ben's advice of only using polyquat is sound. It will not foam and bubble.

[haze_1956]

I know simethicone will break up bubbles. It in the "gas relief drops" they sell for babies. I use it whenever my 84 year old Mother-in-Law decides to use Dishwashing Detergent in the Dishwasher !! ( I'm sure some of you can picture that scene in "Mr Roberts" with Jack Lemmon) Just a couple drops takes care of a foamy dishwasher, a bottle or two in the pool might work.

[lindamom25]

I did the same thing last year. WalMart sells a defoamer for spas, I used it for my pool cause I couldn't find anything else. It's a small blue, plastic bottle. Can't recall the name. I dumped the whole thing into our pool and the bubbles went away. It costs around $5.00. Hth)

[CarlD]

Stop! I suspect you still have algae--foam usually means a problem and de-foamers mask it. Go back to our basics--use bleach to raise your pool to shock level:
If your CYA is 50 or below, raise your Free Chlorine to 15ppm and keep it there--test 3x/day and add bleach to bring it back up. If CYA is 60-90, keep FC at 20. if 100 or more, keep FC at 25.

I have NEVER heard of PolyQuat algaecide foaming--others can, but I never use them.

Keep the FC up until it stays up and doesn't drop, and your water is blue not green. Run the filter 24/7, vacuum every day (to waste).

And Simethicone in your pool must be an April Fool's Day joke!

[waterbear]

I have NEVER heard of PolyQuat algaecide foaming--others can, but I never use them.

Polyquat does not foam but cheap quarternary algacides do! Polyquat and quaternary ammonium compounds are NOT the same thing!

[mwsmith2]

I have NEVER heard of PolyQuat algaecide foaming--others can, but I never use them.

Yeah, it's the 10% stuff in the gallon jug. You don't want to use that.

10% = Foam
30% = No foam, but not a good of a deal per ounce as compared to the 60%
60% = This is what you want!

Michael