Bugs and Frogs!

[deekayfry]

Not talking about the usual floating drowning, struggling and skimming variety.

Its the submerged and living, swimming beetles. What can I do about them? Does having them in the water indicate a chemical issue?

When I can, I try to catch them in a hand skimmer and throw them out. I suspect that this doesn't do much of anything.

Any suggestions? I would like to avoid insecticides.

While I am at it, anyone have any suggestions with frogs. One morning I pulled about a half a dozen of dead ones out of the pump skimmer while filtering over night. I haven't had another genocide like this afterwards except for another dead one yesterday.

I know that water does attract them during mating season. Why else does it got so loud with croaking and skreeing all night long? but I wonder if there is a way to ward them away from the pool.

 

[NWCanuck]

Proper Chlorine levels should make the water uninhabitable for the insects. As for the frogs all you can do is scoop and toss!

I think you are talking about "Water Boatmen" as far as the insects are concerned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corixidae

 

[deekayfry]

Proper Chlorine levels should make the water uninhabitable for the insects. As for the frogs all you can do is scoop and toss!

I think you are talking about "Water Boatmen" as far as the insects are concerned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corixidae

Thanks, NWCanuck.

You absolutely right about the "Water Boatmen." That is exactly what they look like.

Now that I think about it, since you mentioned proper chlorine levels, I do remember when chlorinating one night, with bleach, pretty heavily that there were no boatmen in the water the next day.

Let me say this much, I don't have a TF-100 or any other extensive test kit because... well frankly I am proudly broke Hopefully, this will be remedied next week when I start working again. So, in the meantime, I am doing my chemistry with an OTO/pH test kit, and I am using bleach for chlorination. I know I need stabilizers, but again It is the best I can do under the current circumstances.

However, knowing about the presence or not of the bugs is another method of gauging my haphazard chemistry control

Thanks again!