Back swimmers or boatmen help...algae? Slam?

[astrong]

Pool is 1 week old tomorrow but wasn't full til Sunday.
I've watched and tested regularly. Just got my levels right shut pump down last night. Woke up to swimming bugs. So far I've seen 3. Caught 2 and pitched out.
Do I need to slam? Buy algaecide? Or what.
We have graduation party here Sunday. I don't want swimming bugs or algae!
Here's my current test results. Pump was off from 12 am-7:45 am
9:44am 5/20/15
FC 5.5 was 2.4 at 8:54 am added 52 oz bleach according to pool math
pH 7.8 was 7.6 at 8:54 so it went up.
TA 125 same
CH 60 same
CYA maybe between 15-20 cloudy when I test but I can still see the dot when sample vial is full. Still waiting to see if I need to add more. I think I might.

I need advice.....these swimming bugs are right where the ladder is. I'm too short to scope the rest of the pool and I'm not getting in. Lol. Help please.





24 ft round 52 in deep Evolution CLX 13,000 gal, hayward S180T sand filter & 1 hp Power-flo Matrix single spd, TFP method BBB, taylor K-2006 kit

 

[JasonLion]

Bugs are not related to algae, and SLAMing won't really help. Adding borates in the 30-50 range usually gets rid of them.

 

[cowboycasey]

hate to tell you this but water bugs like water and because they ride on top of the water ( I think thats what your saying ), chlorine is not really going to do anything... maybe try scooping them out with a leaf rake?

 

[astrong]

I read in another forum they feed on algae and other organisms. Incorrect???


24 ft round 52 in deep Evolution CLX 13,000 gal, hayward S180T sand filter & 1 hp Power-flo Matrix single spd, TFP method BBB, taylor K-2006 kit

 

[astrong]

I got out what I could, found a few of both kinds of bugs in the skimmer basket and filter basket.


24 ft round 52 in deep Evolution CLX 13,000 gal, hayward S180T sand filter & 1 hp Power-flo Matrix single spd, TFP method BBB, taylor K-2006 kit

 

[PoolESQ]

I've had problems with those bugs in the past and they do go away when the pool is completely rid of algae. I believe you are correct that they are attracted to algae and when there is none to feed on, they leave. The ones I've had do not stay on top of the water. They are little divers and can stay under water a long time.

 

[astrong]

The ones I see are diving and staying and coming up for air. There's 1 or 2 more that are fast and don't want caught. I just need to know slam or add borates???? What to do???


24 ft round 52 in deep Evolution CLX 13,000 gal, hayward S180T sand filter & 1 hp Power-flo Matrix single spd, TFP method BBB, taylor K-2006 kit

 

[Azgirl71]

I would SLAM. If it were me.

 

[astrong]

Ok where do I find how to slam??


24 ft round 52 in deep Evolution CLX 13,000 gal, hayward S180T sand filter & 1 hp Power-flo Matrix single spd, TFP method BBB, taylor K-2006 kit

 

[PoolESQ]

Under pool school. Here's the direct link:

http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/125-slam-shock-level-and-maintain-shockingl

 

[poolboy10001]

I have had problems with the backswimmers, or whatever they are called. High CL2 levels will not affect them so SLAMing will have not help. I have tried many times. Best way that I have found is to use the leaf skimmer and catch them, then squash them. I haven't tried the Borates as I had dogs that drank out of the pool in the past. May try it now though. I have a small pond back behind my house and believe that is where they come from.

Oh and they will put a nasty little bite on you as well.

 

[Patrick_B]

How high of a FC level have you exposed them too, and for how long?

 

[astrong]

FC level has been between 2.6 and 5.5 right now it's 4.6. I've tried to maintain between 3-4 due to unknown CYA level.


24 ft round 52 in deep Evolution CLX 13,000 gal, hayward S180T sand filter & 1 hp Power-flo Matrix single spd, TFP method BBB, taylor K-2006 kit

 

[borjis]

ya high chlorine will not keep them away.

I had left my pool open all last winter with a maintained FC of 27 and I saw a boatman or 2 when the water was 45 degrees.

 

[pooldv]

Slamming is not going to help. You only need to SLAM if you have something organic in your pool consuming chlorine and cannot pss the OCLT. My chlorine usually stays in the teens and 20s all winter also.

I have some bugs in my pool and skimmer baskets pretty much all the time. I have some weird little bugs sometimes that hang out just below the water line on the walls. i don't know what a backswimmer is. I googled it but a lot of different bugs popped up in the search. It is just part of the deal. Along with frogs, snakes, snails, worms, caterpillars, roly polys (pillbugs), crickets, june bugs, dogs, dragon flies, kids, horse flies can't think of what else I find in my pool.

I also have borates in my pool. I would recommend adding borates for more reasons than just bugs.

The best thing that we have done to reduce bugs around our pool is not to use the pool light and turn on area lights away from the pool and deck. Keeps the bugs over by the lights.