Everytime it rains, my inground pool gets loaded with worms. Hundreds of them. It's happenning consistently this year, but hasn't happened to this degree in the past.
Anything I can do about it? It's a big mess to vacuum up.
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Everytime it rains, my inground pool gets loaded with worms. Hundreds of them. It's happenning consistently this year, but hasn't happened to this degree in the past.
Anything I can do about it? It's a big mess to vacuum up.
That's a terrible problem to have. How big are they?
I had a pool full of mosquito larvae and I just ran the filter until they went away. It took a couple of days.
(It was icky cleaning out the cartridges, that's for sure)
Not sure if this helps, but you do have my sympathy.
When it rains a lot worms start to drown and move. They aren't the smartest things on the planet. Right into a pool. Just vacuum them up. If anyone has any ideas I'm open to suggestions too. They don't hurt anything and are just yucky. I deal with it.
Al
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sigrid
All size worms. Little ones up to giant mini-snake sized ones.
It has been raining a lot here, so maybe that's it. Cleaning out the pump basket after vacuuming in a real treat. If I was a bird, that is....
I have the same problem. I use my net on the bottom to scoop them up...carefully not to scrape the vinyl too hard. You can nudge them a bit to get them off the bottom, then go a little faster to scoop. You can get most of them up that way.
It beats the heck out of cleaning ALL of them out of the basket when you're done.
Hope this helps, Tony
I have the same issue with a type of centipede...thousands of them.
I have considered buying a cheap 3/8" rope and keeping it in a bucket filled with something quite objectionable like insecticide, oil, etc.
Then if you expect an "attack", lay the rope around the perimeter of the pool about 4-6" from the water.
I can't complete the task, however, because I can't come up with a fluid that doesn't have side effects (staining, cost, safety, etc)
The method that tonyl describes works very well. Just make sure that your net doesn't have any sharp or jagged edges if you have a vinyl liner.
You can protect plants from slugs with a diatomaceous earth (DE) barrier; it irritates their soft underbellies, so they won't cross it. The same thing might work with worms.
There are, however, some potential serious health risks with breathing in DE powder. Pets are especially susceptible to it when it's spread on the ground dry.
I wonder if just the rope alone might be enough to stop them, without soaking it in anything....
1). Buy a good raincoat.
2). Fill an empty coffe can 1/2 full with dirt
3). Collect the worms before they get into the pool.
4). Place worms into coffee can.
5). Go fishin' :)
Instead of DE around the pool deck, a salt barrier may work. Just won't last long in the rain......
With regard to cleaning the pump filter basket, I've found that CarlD's advice concerning his Dolphin filter bag is just the thing. His quote:
"I take a five-gallon bucket of pool water, dip the bag in, turn it inside out and squish it a few times until the water is opaque. Then I dump the water (NOT back into the pool..) and repeat."
I used to spend ages using the hose to clean out all the itsy bitsy bits (and horrid worms) from the pump basket, but just a few dunks in the bucket and it's all done.
So thanks, Carl!
I have the same problem with beetles and winged fireant queens. After every rain hundreds end up in the pool. I installed a PoolSkim this week and it seems to be removing them before they sink to the bottom. It also picks up leaves, sticks and pollen. I've noted the link for reference. I have no affiliation with this site.
http://www.thepoolskimmer.com
I guess I know why we spend 10K + installing screen enclosures down here. :D
Worms do not like alkaline soil (high pH) I spread ground limestone around my pool with a drop type spreader and have not had a worm problem since. The ground limestone will not hurt your lawn and is available at any farm and garden supply ----- and it is cheap!!!:)
FCFrey,
That is a very interesting post. Thanks for putting that info up....I'm gonna' give it a try.
We need to add lime to the soil here in the South anyway.....I can't lose!
I'm not getting worms in my pool. Could be that these are taking care of the worms. Reckon?
poolboy -
I'd rather have the worms:eek: