- So you probably see bugs around your pool all the time,
bees, mosquitoes (insects buzz)
and dragonflies, oh my!
These types of bugs can be a bit of a nuisance.
But they're not nearly as bad as water bugs.
And they're not as gross.
So how do you get rid of water bugs
and prevent them from invading your pool in the first place?
Well, the key is to make your pool
totally inhospitable to these bugs,
and I'm gonna explain exactly how to do that, right now.
(upbeat band music)
Okay, quick disclaimer, everyone has their own way
to maintain a pool.
But in the end, our goal is to just help ya.
The information in this video is based
on my personal experience in the pool industry
and the research we've done here at swimuniversity.com.
If I missed anything, don't let that bug you.
Please leave a comment and let me know.
And it will also help your fellow pool owners.
You see what I did there?
Pun definitely intended.
There are two main types of water bugs
you can get in your pool, water boatman and backswimmers.
They look a lotta alike,
but they have a few important differences.
And getting rid of one will actually help you
get rid of the other.
Okay first, let's talk about water boatman.
Nope, that's not what I mean.
That's The Skipper from "Gilligan's Island."
Nope, that's Gilligan from "Gilligan's Island."
No, water boatman are oval-shaped bugs
that are about a half of an inch long
and are usually brown or greenish-brown.
Their back legs are longer than their other legs
with fringed hairs that help them float
and paddle around which is how they get their name.
They also have wings, and they fly
as if you weren't freaked out enough
by some big, scary bug floating around in your pool.
They also fly.
But water boatman actually have a few good qualities.
They eat mosquito larvae, and they don't bite.
They also eat algae which is probably why
they're in your pool.
Even if you can't actually see the algae yet,
water boatman would not be hanging around your pool
if it weren't for algae for them to eat.
And by the way, they do lay their eggs in algae too.
So if you swim in your pool while water boatmen are in it,
you're also swimming in algae and bug eggs.
(chokes)
So to get rid of any boatmen you have in your pool
and any baby water bugs that might hatch,
you have to get rid of algae.
So first, get the water bugs out of your pool.
You can do this with a simple leaf skimmer.
Just remember, when you do this, they may fly away.
They have wings.
I say that because it might freak you out
when you see it for the first time.
The question is, should you kill them?
You might see some advice out there
about dunking them in a bucket full of water and oil
which suffocates them.
But that is kinda harsh.
And now, you have a bucket of water and oil
and dead bugs to get rid of.
No, thank ya.
Remember, they eat mosquito larvae,
so they can actually be good for your backyard environment.
And you might wanna just relocate them
to another part of your yard.
Now once the bugs are out, you need to vacuum the pool.
You actually need to manually vacuum the pool
and not use your automatic pool cleaner
to make sure that you pick up as much sediment and debris
as possible from the water and the pool surfaces.
Now remember, to vacuum to waste,
to keep the dirty water from going (clicks tongue)
right back into your pool.
You can watch our video on how to vacuum a pool
for more details.
Next, you need to brush the pool.
For this, I highly recommend you get a stainless steel
algae brush instead of the nylon bristles
unless, of course, you have a vinyl liner pool.
Which in that case, you're just gonna have to use
nylon bristles and some elbow grease.
Now before you start killing algae,
you need to test the water to make sure that the pH
and the alkalinity levels are where they're supposed to be
which is between 7.4 and 7.6 for pH
and 100 and 150 parts per million for alkalinity.
The only thing that's gonna kill algae is chlorine shock
and lots of it.
Normally, you use about one pound of shock
per 10,000 gallons of water.
Now for a light algae problem though,
you may need to double the dose.
In fact, I would absolutely double the dose.
If your water is even darker green, like not teal,
you wanna triple the dose.
And if you have yellow algae or black algae,
or your pool just looks like
the Creature from the Black Lagoon,
you may wanna quadruple shock your pool.
We have an article and a video on our channel
all about how to shock a pool properly.
I recommend that you check that out
before shocking your pool
if you don't already know how to do it.
Now to keep water boatman from comin' back,
you just need to keep your pool clean
and shock it on a regular basis,
and you need to make sure that your sanitizer level
stays consistent.
If you prevent algae, you also prevent water boatman.
They won't stay there if there's nothing to eat
which is algae.
Now real quick, before we talk about
another type of pool bug, if you wanna learn more
about taking care of your pool with in-depth tutorials
and guides, you should check out "The Pool Care Handbook"
and video course.
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It is packed with money-saving tips,
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This is the ultimate manual for every type of pool.
And we always keep it up-to-date.
Now because you watched this entire video,
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Just go to swimuniversity.com/pool-care-handbook
or click the link below.
Okay, so what about the second type
of water bug I mentioned?
They are called backswimmers.
And here's where things get a little hairy.
So backswimmers are often mistaken for water boatman
because they look alike.
But there are two key differences.
One, backswimmers swim on their back
which is why they're called backswimmers.
Yeah.
But the other thing is, they bite.
And the bite is nasty.
It kinda feels like a bee sting.
So you definitely want these friggin' jerks
out of your pool.
So why do you have backswimmers in your pool
in the first place?
Well, it's because you have water boatman in your pool.
Backswimmers are predators, and they eat other bugs,
especially water boatman.
You see, they don't eat algae,
although they do lay their eggs in it
just like water boatman, so gross.
So in order to get rid of backswimmers,
you need to get rid of water boatman.
And to get rid of water boatman,
you need to get rid of algae.
So it all comes down to keeping your pool clean
and keeping your algae under control.
Do those things, and you shouldn't have to worry
about any water bug invasions.
That said, if I missed anything
or you have any more questions
about water bugs in your pool, please leave a comment.
And if you wanna learn more
about all kinds of pool maintenance and troubleshooting
and even taking care of a hot tub,
subscribe to our channel or visit swimuniversity.com.
That's it, and as always, happy swimming.