white foam on pool surface

ejs1396 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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.

davette59 · Postby **davette59** » Mon 22 May, 2017 11:49

I was having a problem with foam on top of my pool too.
Upon opening it was certainly the algaecide causing the billowing foam. However, since that has dissipated, there is still foam, but to a much lesser degree, and it seems to disappear as new foam replaces it. This is now more like bunches of bubbles grouped together. I noticed what looked like some air bubbles coming from the water jets below the surface. I then ordered a new O-ring (gasket) for the top cap of the automatic chlorinator. I cleaned all of the old built up grease on the cap and threads and installed the new ring with just a little new grease to allow lid to slip on the rubber. At last, the bubbles/foam was immediately gone.
So, air can cause a type of foam.
P.S. My pool guy had absolutely no idea what was causing the problem and told me to go buy some foam remover. Guess it's time for a new pool guy.