MOLES

[new2pools]

Okay, anyone else have trouble with moles? We have had several around our pool and they have burrowed under the edge of our pool liner!!!! We now have these wonderful little valleys along the edge of our pool liner. Seriously, we have about 3 sets of burrows that are at least several inches deep. The liner has of course sunk into them and they look (and feel) awful.

 

[MeSue]

I think that might be what has caused most of the craters in the bottom of my pool. It's like all of a sudden your foot will hit a soft spot and it will cave in there. I figure it is either from moles, or places where old tree roots have rotten under the ground. We have had other evidence of moles in our yard. I try to smooth out the craters by pounding the area surrounding them with the heel of my foot... sometimes it smoothes them out a little so they are not as extreme.

 

[gonefishin]

Oh no!

I've never used it...but you could try talpirid http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/moles.htm

I once had voles...but as soon as the snakes moved in the vole problem vanished.


good luck...and give us an update.
dan

 

[BIC]

Okay, anyone else have trouble with moles? We have had several around our pool and they have burrowed under the edge of our pool liner!!!! We now have these wonderful little valleys along the edge of our pool liner. Seriously, we have about 3 sets of burrows that are at least several inches deep. The liner has of course sunk into them and they look (and feel) awful.

Do you have pictures of the bottom of your pool? I would be curious to see them.

I have a great bottom pool canyon too:

http://www.troublefreepool.com/viewtopic.php?t=2390

Mine are not created by moles, bu maybe by worms or something like that.

BIC

 

[new2pools]

I'll try to take some pics....


I do have wrinkles on the bottom of my pool liner but not sure if I have the same as yours. Your's do look like cracks??? maybe it's the color of the liner that makes them look that way. I don't know though.

The craters I'm speaking above in the post is definitely from some critter bigger than a worm,lol. I'm talking maybe 5-7 inches long and about 1-1/2 to 2 inches deep! Perfectly rounded little craters. I've got several places around the edge of the pool with them. One set of craters is especially deep. And my pool is only 2-1/2 months old!

I'll post pics soon!

 

[matt4x4]

dilluted Tobasco sauce, pour it in their tunnels - watch them run!

 

[new2pools]

dilluted Tobasco sauce, pour it in their tunnels - watch them run!

haha, that's a first, I'll have to try that!! :lol:


here is a pic of the worst of the craters. I have to say it doesn't show it well at all. Much clearer when looking in the pool than the pic here. But maybe you'll get an idea.....

Excuse the yellow junk, still trying to figure oout if that's algae or pollen. :x

 

[gonefishin]

Hmmmm...

It's hard to grasp an idea of scale from the pictures. But just looking at it it looks too small to be moles. Voles dig path about 2" wide but you primarily see the holes they dig in late winter fall in early spring. Usually you won't see them digging until next winter/spring again. Do you notice these underground path anywhere else in the yard that you could take a picture of? maybe with something in the picture for scale.

That said...I'm not sure what's causing the paths. Do you have any snakes? Do you notice any other animals in abundance on your property that might attract a predator?

dan

 

[new2pools]

Well, we have noticed in the last few months mole (or what we thought were mole) tunnels around our yard, front and back. You know, where the dirt is raised in rows in areas, etc. (will snakes do that too??) The ones in the dirt/yard look like they are about 3-4 inches wide.
Those pictured ones above in the pool are along the edge and are about 2-3 inches wide, I'd say. And were not there before.

I actually noticed a tunnel or two around the pool outside where the craters were inside. We have mulch around the pool (for now until we build the deck) so it's kind of hard to see them.

About other predators....well, we do have small rabbits in our yard occasionally and deer directly behind us. We have woods that backs our property. I'd say the woods are only about 20 feet, if that from the back of the pool.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

New2pools - that yellowish junk - I wouldn't take it too lightly - it looks like mustard algae - I've researched the heck out of this stuff since I've had it before, it's probably the worst algae to try and get rid of, it can live in relatively high chlorine concentrations and the only way I have found to get rid of it is to shock to 20+ ppm (25 preferrably), anything else and you'll find it shows it's ugly face every 2 days, gradually increasing in mass, once it gets beyond a certain point, it's a very long process to eliminate - get it early!

Shocking to 25ppm seemed to have cleared it for everyone at the other pool forum the last couple of years, so I'm relatively sure this will work for you.

As for mole tunnels - seriously - the tabasco sauce works like a charm, other alternatives are spraying castor oil over the inhabited area - it is also a deterrent - this method may be cheaper than wasting all your nice hot sauce. There are commercial spays available - all contain castor oil, so castor oil is your cheap alternative to expensive repackaged/relabeled products - just put it into one of those hose attachment mixers, set to a high concentration and water the lawn.
Lastly, the solution that seemed to work best for me can be made available to you (just pay shipping)

see this thread

I guarantee he won't sleep until the last mole is dead at your doorstep - oh, he may also deliver you the odd cat, squirrel, rat, bunny, deer and bird.
Disclaimer - I am not responsible for repairing your torn up property.

moved the dog portion of this thread to the family and pets section of the coffee bar... meant to label it Dogs, but I mis-typed and it came out Dogd. oops!
Fixed to "Dogs" in family and pets area. JasonLion