Water boatmen - at my wits end

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lilcajun

New member
May 27, 2020
4
Louisiana
I need help. I've tried everything and I cannot keep water bugs out of my pool. I keep my FC at 4-6, pH is currently 7.8 I believe, TA is way high and I'm working on bringing it down (last test was at 250) and have also added borates to no avail. I have to add algaecide to actually kill the little suckers, then its a chore to have to vacuum or skim them out of the pool. I've gone as far as turning off all lights around the pool at night to hopefully keep them away but no joy. Every morning I wake up to hundreds of new water boatmen in the pool, and yesterday I literally spent 2 hours inside vacuuming and cleaning the dead bugs out of it.

Any help would be appreciated!
 
Good morning! You seem to be struggling with an unusually large amount of bugs. Any chance you can post a picture of your pool in the backyard so we can see everything from a distance? Are you using a skimmer sock, and does the water circulate all night long, or do you turn off the pump? What brand/type of algaecide did you use?

Also, please update your signature with all of your pool and equipment info so we know what you have to work with, and make sure to include which test kit you are using.
 
Welcome to the forum!
Some members use a small amount, say 1/8 to 1/4 cup of Dawn dishwashing detergent in the pool water to keep the bugs away. Might try that. What size pool do you have?
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
 
I suspect it puts a layer on the water surface that repels the bugs.
I have never used it. Normally, if FC is sufficient and the pool algae free, bugs are not an issue.
 
mknauss said:
I suspect it puts a layer on the water surface that repels the bugs.
I have never used it. Normally, if FC is sufficient and the pool algae free, bugs are not an issue.
Click to expand...

My FC is normally good and I don’t have any algae or abnormal FC usage, but I get a ton of bugs in my pool - Japanese beetles, bees, flying ants, etc.

I’ve been assuming that the insects are coming for a drink and meeting their demise. I just get tired of emptying carcasses out of the skimmers and skimming them off the top of the pool. I also don’t enjoy encountering a stinging insect that’s not dead yet and ending up with a painful interaction like I did yesterday. Not sure if the dawn may help me or not but I’m willing to try.
Any special instructions to add or further reading you’re aware of?

going to go do a search now
 

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JimMarshall said:
My FC is normally good and I don’t have any algae or abnormal FC usage, but I get a ton of bugs in my pool - Japanese beetles, bees, flying ants, etc.

I’ve been assuming that the insects are coming for a drink and meeting their demise. I just get tired of emptying carcasses out of the skimmers and skimming them off the top of the pool. I also don’t enjoy encountering a stinging insect that’s not dead yet and ending up with a painful interaction like I did yesterday. Not sure if the dawn may help me or not but I’m willing to try.
Any special instructions to add or further reading you’re aware of?

going to go do a search now
Click to expand...

How high are your
lilcajun said:
I need help. I've tried everything and I cannot keep water bugs out of my pool. I keep my FC at 4-6, pH is currently 7.8 I believe, TA is way high and I'm working on bringing it down (last test was at 250) and have also added borates to no avail. I have to add algaecide to actually kill the little suckers, then its a chore to have to vacuum or skim them out of the pool. I've gone as far as turning off all lights around the pool at night to hopefully keep them away but no joy. Every morning I wake up to hundreds of new water boatmen in the pool, and yesterday I literally spent 2 hours inside vacuuming and cleaning the dead bugs out of it.

Any help would be appreciated!
Click to expand...

Here's an article:

bonsallpool.com

15 Tips for Keeping Bugs Away From Your Pool - Bonsall

bonsallpool.com bonsallpool.com
 
I get 1-3 of them once in awhile. Can't imagine the frustration of trying to fish out many more.

Had one the other day. Thought I got it out, then put the solar cover on. Putting the flap in by the ladder and the bug swims up to surface to say "missed me!"
Argh
 
Jeff J. said:
Something went wrong with my last post. How high are your borates? I took mine to 50 and salt to 2000, and I get very few bugs now.
Click to expand...

Borates are essentially zero, I’d have a few PPM from using some borax to put my pH up earlier in the season, but not an appreciable amount. I have been considering adding both salt and borates to the pool.

I don’t get any “water bugs” that swim, mine are all flying insects that meet their demise in the pool.
 
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