New pool owner solves severe backswimmer bug problem with quat algaecide

I have a question about those little swimming bugs, i think they are called back swimmers. After i had my pool up for about 2 days (in the yard, no cement), these things showed up. I called leslie's and they advised me to shock, lower ph with muriatic acid, and use black algae killer. I did this (except I used hth algae guard 3x concentrate) and every bugs in the pool was dead. I vacuumed them up yesterday, and when I went check on the pool this morning. Surprise, they are back by the hundreds. Well, I have a formula for killing them, but how can i keep them out? I use hth chlorintating tablets. Have to keep chlorine at almost shock levels to kill em. My readings this morning are:


Chlorine: around 4 to 5
PH: around 7.6 to 7.8

Pool info:
Intex 22' x 52" Ultra Frame AGP.
~10,000 gallons
Vinyl pool with metal frame.
Krystal Clear Cartridge filter pump, 2,500 gph.
Installed 6-4-14 filled with city water.

Here are some pics of the bugs that keep coming back.

http://i62.tinypic.com/11id9b5.jpg
http://i57.tinypic.com/30jjyif.jpg


Thanks for the help!

YUCK! I don't think you can prevent them from coming back since they are a flying insect. There are a few threads on the forum about them. Use this link http://pool9.net/search/ to search with. It will search all of the forum and is better than the search feature that is part of the forum software. But, you will need to copy the link and paste it in a browser window after you log out since until your registration is completed, you won't be able to see the rest of the forum while you are logged in.

Welcome to the Pool Forum and good luck!

oh kool thanks. I know gross right? I am so frustrated with it. i am going to a local pool store tomorrow to get the water tested. Any help would be appreciated!

Buy a good kit so you can do your own testing. Many times pool store testing is inaccurate. The kit we recommend is the Taylor K2006 or 2006C (better buy). You can't get it locally but you can get it through this link that will take you to Amazon. http://pool9.net/tk/

I read that these - nasty - critters eat algae. Is your pool a bit greenish? We can help with that. To reinforce what Watermom said, you'll need a good (k-2006) testkit to start.

BTW -I had a few of these in my pool last year - a year I didn't close because of a big autumn storm (Sandy) followed immediately by snow - by spring I had a swamp (with fauna) to clean. The bugs were gone after a week at shock level FC. Kill the food - kill the bugs.

Good Luck

If I understand you, you're not having any trouble killing them. Rather, your problem is that new ones keep arriving? Right?

I assume you are near open water?

The only thing I know of that's likely to help is to keep lights from reflecting off your pool at night. Its my understanding that many night-flying insects like backswimmers recognize water by the reflections. Eliminating those will help, I believe.

Hey everyone. It;s been awhile. Yes I am having success killing these things. I use a local pool shop. The pool chemicals are balanced and they gave me some algaecide 50. The bugs die overnight. and every morning theres thousands of dead ones all over the bottom of the pool. I have to use the scoop/vacuum method. It's a ton of work. My pool is out in the yard so there's grass all around. No lights nearby tho. I broadcast some triazicide but that didnt help either. Also, I dont have a skimmer on the intex, its just an intake. Not sure if a skimmer would help or not. Any other ideas?

:-(

Screened in enclosure.

Make sure your pool light is not on overnight. They might be attracted to it.

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Originally Posted by theblet

I use a local pool shop. . . . . they gave me some algaecide 50. The bugs die overnight. and every morning there are thousands of dead ones all over the bottom of the pool. I have to use the scoop/vacuum method. It's a ton of work. My pool is out in the yard so there's grass all around. No lights nearby tho.

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I believe that may be the strongest confirmation I've seen of a linear (foamy) quat helping with bugs. Can you post the exact product name, and company, of the algaecide you used? (Unlike polyquat, formulations vary in the linear quats.)

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I broadcast some triazicide but that didnt help either.

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What is "triazide"? Please tell me you are not adding pesticides to a pool you're swimming in?

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Also, I dont have a skimmer on the intex, its just an intake. Not sure if a skimmer would help or not.

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Skimmers seem to help Intex pools with surface debris (including bugs) quite a bit:

Intex deluxe skimmer parts and info
Intex Deluxe Wall-Mounted Skimmer