Tiny black bugs - Springtails? Soap mixture ok?

[werd98]

Hi everyone! Just finished our 20x40 pool (and new sod in the backyard, about 5 feet from the water), and we're loving it! However, we don't seem to be the only ones - looks like we might have Springtails? Here's a video of them in action: https://www.dropbox.com/s/j18bgva7ce4gw7j/PoolBugs.MOV

Is it safe to use the "3 tablespoons of Dawn dish soap to 1 quart of water" mix to kill them? This is a standard chlorine pool, and we're in San Jose, CA.

 

[linen]

Often times just making sure you have a high enough FC level (and getting it there) is enough to discourage/kill pests.

I would not put soap on the water since that will require a lot of your precious chlorine to break it down and leave goop in filters and on walls.

 

[FluffyRAM]

We purchased a house complete with pool in December and have been on a steep learning curve (made much easier thanks to Pool School :-D).

As Spring arrived, so did the Springtails. Not just clumping together in the pool like your video, but around the house on the porch too.
We didn't know what they were so we took a sample to the Farm Extension Office who identified them for us (Springtails are related to Silverfish and do not bite or sting humans nor cause any damage to property - they can actually beneficial in clearing soil of fungal problems).

Once I completed Pool School and got the pool clear and balanced using the BBB method; the Springtails disappeared