Not algae, but some kind of bug??

[JulieS1007]

I'm in the process of getting our "pond" back to a pool. I had noticed those dreaded backswimmers, but taking a real close look at the water, I found these guys. No idea what they are, but they're teeny tiny up to about this size here. Super gross looking and they twist and twirl around real quick like little weird worms. Almost looks like they could be some kind of evasive parasite you don't want to get into the water with! Any ideas what they are and if they'll die once I get the pool clean and clear and algae free again??

 

[BoDarville]

JulieS1007:

I'm no entomologist, but my hunch is that those "worms" may be the larval form of some insect. Proper chlorination almost always eliminates the problem of bugs in the water.

 

[jcowart]

Looks like good ole year round Texas mosquito larva. If you don't add chlorine they should come to the surface soon as pupa then emerge as your friendly coastal mosquito. Just get your FC up and they will be gone soon.

 

[JulieS1007]

No, they're definitely not mosquito larvae. I can spot those guys easy. These are more reddish orange in color and more worm looking than mosquito larvae. If they were larvae of some other bug, would they vary so much in size? I saw several different sized ones.

 

[jcowart]

Ok. Maybe midge larvae, they have an orange look. Just get your FC up and they should be gone.

 

[duraleigh]

I think Julie is right.....them critters ain't skeeters!

Like everyone else, I'll bet chlorine will do the trick.

 

[ComputerGuyInNOLA]

Have you nuked that pool yet?

 

[Safetybob]

Other than the color, they look like the web worms I get on my trees up here in Oklahoma about every other year. Do you have trees close by?

I haven't had an issue with them up here because it has been so dry, but as soon as we get some moisture I am sure they will come out again......I too would like to know......have you bumped the chlorine level up and/or vacuumed them up?

Bob E.

 

[JulieS1007]

Never figured out what they were, but after several days of keeping the chlorine at shock level they were gone! I guess they ended up dying and sinking to the bottom because I think I only saw maybe one floating dead one. I've since netted and vacuumed the floor and haven't seen any since! Thank goodness!

 

[RobbieH]

Something to think about... since I added borates, I have far less issues with bugs and such in the pool.