crickets in the autofill bin

[yzf600]

I have an autofill built into my pool. Unfortunately, the crickets love to get in though the finger holes of the lid. I have tried the flood them out and suck all the water out (remove any eggs/etc), but they just keep coming back. I've tought about gluing some plastic scrubbers into the holes to prevent the adults getting in, but those scrubbers are not dense enough to keep out the small ones. In addition, the scrubbers would decay fast in this Arizona sun and make a further mess in the filler. I guess I could glue window screen patches on the back sides of the holes that allow enough of a finger in to lift the lid, but keep the varmints out.

I have thought about dropping a chlorine tablet in there to keep them out, but I run a liquid chlorine setup in my pool and I'd rather not get the runaway CYA. I have also thought about adding chlorine directly to the filler bucket, but I;m sure over time the levels would equal out in my pool at the crickets would be back. I'm really looking for a once and done prevention method.

Has anyone else faced this issue? Any tried and true methods before I go experiment?


Michael

 

[Casey]

yzf600, I can not help you with your dilemma. However, I strongly urge you not to put a puck into the autofill as it is very acidic!!! Maybe someone will have other suggestions for you.

 

[yzf600]

I ended up JB welding some aluminum strips on the bottom side of the skimmer lid to close all the openings where the buggers could get in. It makes the lid harder to open since the flex tab is now more rigid, but I have no more crickets!

 

[happyheathen]

You know those stainless drain "hair blockers"?

putting those on the backside will provide window-screen level of filtration, and have a bulge large enough for a finger.

Do look until you find real STAINLESS - the cheapies look good for a week before rusting out.

Plastics are out - UV rot will take them out real fast.

How important are the holes? If a vent is needed, a tube stuck in one or two holes might be enough (let's see a cricket jump into a 1/2" hole a foot above ground. Plug the rest. Pull tube to insert finger.