Foam Foam Go Away, PLEASE

[Goody]

We've had a Down East Exeter SE for 3 weeks and love it. BUT when my wife turns on all three pumps and the air jets for the Master Blaster foot jets the foaming about runs me out of the spa.
OK, I know about not washing bathing suits or better yet no suits at all (my preferrence). I used so much deformer that I had a problem with cloudy water. My water is now perfectly balanced but still foams when we start the aeration.
Help! I am stubborn and don't believe in draining every time there is a chemical problem unless it is the only solution. What can we do?  

[Tman122]

Try shocking it. Do you pay attention to deoderant, hair spray, hair gel, body lotions, foot creams, body oils? There's alot of things that can cause foam, minimize them and you minimize foam. If you can't get a handle on it drain some water (1/3) and put your foam down in a spray bottle and spray it directly on the foam.

[wmccall]

In addition to the shocking, which is good advice,  clean your filters, then take your defoamer and pour it into a spray bottle.  When you turn your jets on high, spray the defoamer directly on the foam and watch it dissapear.  The defoamer catches the particles that cause the foam, and clings to them allowing them to be filtered out.   After a couple of days of this, clean the filters again.  You will use a lot less defoamer this way which will help the water.

[brian_tr]

When I was using Bromine I had a lots of trouble with foam.  I am now using Dichloro and have not had any foam.  My brother and a friend where also having problems with foam and since switching to Dichloro  their foam problems went away also.  I have a Sundance Cameo and add 2 teaspoons Dichloro after each use and shock once a week with MPS.  No ordors, clouldy water or foam.  

[Goody]

Thanks, sounds like some good advice.

[Gary]

I have a saying: "Foaming water is nasty water"

Clean, balanced, soap free water will not foam.

Gary

[Chas]

I have told our customers to do a water change after the first month. They all seem to be full of foam by then, and there are frequently other issues. After that initial water change, they generally can go three or four months between changes.

[tony]

I agree.  The worst foam stories tend to be from new tub owners.  Drain and start over.

[wmccall]

I have a saying: "Foaming water is nasty water"

Clean, balanced, soap free water will not foam.

Gary

I agree, but so far my daughter seems to invite her friends with thier soapy suits right after I change the water.  If I had to dump right away, I might be more likely to show my temper toward her, and since she is 20, the only thing that achieves is raising my blood pressure.  Using the defoamer in a spray and rinsing filters at least lets me control the problem.  I don't mind draining, just not two days in a row.

[drewstar]

Another vote for the "new owner 1 month change" out.

Clean the filters.

Balance the water.  I've found foam is less likely to occur when Ph and Alk are in line.

The foam down products do cause cloudiness. When I have foam,  I usually hit the water with a claifier first, this initialy causes some additionaly foaming, which I scoop out, but also seems to clear up the agents in the water that are causing the foam.  

Then I hit it with Foam down in a spray bottle . Just a few small spritzs on the foam knocks it down without causing cloudiness.

The foam, is it a soapy detergent  foam or an effervescent foam? You mention you see it when you turn the air jets on which may indicate it's not foam caused by a deterget? (low CA?)

[windsurfdog]

I have a saying: "Foaming water is nasty water"

Obviously, someone who doesn't have teenager(s) around the house.....

Clean, balanced, soap free water will not foam.

Now there's some rocket science for ya......

[Vinny]

It's becase it's a Master spa .... Just kidding, that's for windsurfdog

I have had foam pretty much from day 2. I even swore that people were going into my tub either during the day while we were gone or at night while we were sleeping ... Hey, I'm a New Yorker - we don't trust anybody!

Anyway, foam comes from body oils and such but mostly clothes. Spray and Wash is a REALLY BAD FOAMER. I have had my kids along with their friends go in the tub and I have had 8" of foam. Also some spa chemicals foam, I have found that some clarifiers and enzymes foam up too.

What I've found out recently - I've stopped using enzmes and I use Sea Klear clarifier. I also really recently found that MPS really kills the foam, I guess it oxidizes all the garbage in the water and makes the foam more manageable. I have had foam and hit the tub with high levels of chlorine (7 PPM) and  MPS.

I also use a defoamer (again Sea Klear brand - but it probably doesn't matter) 1 oz to 4 oz of water and spray it onto the foam. I'll turn on the air and after 5 minutes or so turn them off - anything that doesn't disappear quickly gets spritzed. This all seems to be working - usually I only get 6 weeks of water before changing, I'm approaching 2 months.