Water bugs in a pool can make your swimming experience a terrible one. The most common types of water bugs found in the swimming pool are water boatman as well as the backswimmer.
While the boatman generally feeds on the pool algae, the backswimmer feeds on the boatman. Though they don’t harm the swimmers their bites can really be painful.
As these water bugs can only survive in the water therefore the best thing how to get rid of water bugs in a pool is to cut the supply of the resources that can help them in providing food and habitat.
Chlorine Shock Treatment
One of the most effective treatments that can kill the water bugs in the pool is chlorination. It is the most beneficial method as it can easily kill the pool algae which is the main source of food for the water bugs.
As algae often grow in the parts of the pool where there are comparatively less amount of chlorine. It is very necessary to properly balance the chlorine level in the pool. About 7.2-7.6 should be the pH level of the water once it gets shocked. Another important thing is that one should always keep in mind to have the pool shocked about once or twice a week. Also there should be an improvement in each of the shock treatments of the chlorine which is carried out by the practitioners.
During the chlorine shock treatment, one should keep in mind to put approximately 5 gallons of the chemical as per the size of the pool and should stir it properly to get it mixed with complete accuracy and composition. The mixture should be directly poured to the pool and should always be done late in the evening as it gives out the best results if done after sunlight. Also one should avoid swimming into the pool till the time it is properly chlorinated and the levels of chlorine is reached to about 1.0-3.0 pm.
Lighting Therapy
Another important method through which you can kill the water bugs is through the method of lighting. Since these water bugs are cold bloodied through the introduction of light heat is produced that gives out ultraviolet rays as well as provides warmth to these insects which could lead to problems for their survival. What is noteworthy is the fact that the insects tend to get attracted with the gleam of the lights therefore they should be placed at a distance of about 30 feet from the pool.
The light should be strictly directed toward the pool so that a large number of bugs tend to get attracted to it due to the adequate supply of the lighting produced by the low watt bulbs attached to it. The more the number bugs are attracted the more will be the effect of the treatment as through this these insects will face difficulty to survive and can easily get killed automatically leading to the cleaning of the pool.
Brushing And Vacuuming Process
One can also indulge oneself in a strenuous and hard working activity of using the brushing and the vacuuming process which too plays a very significant role in removing the excess of water bugs from the swimming pool.
You can use a proper brush according to the type of the swimming pool and should scrub the lower surfaces as well as the walls of the pool very tightly. The algae grows at these parts of the pool and the water bugs too will be available to you on these surfaces. Once the brushing activity is over you can very easily start the process of vacuuming the walls and the pool of the swimming pool through a vacuum pool cleaner.
One can easily buy the pool cleaning material from the pool supply store to get the best discounts and deals. It hardly takes an approximate time of 10-15 minutes every day to clean and maintain the pool through the process. With this one is able to get and receive good results and the irritating water bugs can easily be eliminated from the pool water and the cleanliness will be in control.
Get The Most Out Of Cooking Oil
A great innovative method that can be used to get yourself safe from these watery slimy creatures is through the effective use of the cooking oil that can be available in every nook and corner of kitchen across the world. Take a bucket having a lid on its top and take some water from the pool in it. Then take the cooking oil and pour it in the bucket full of water. As per chemistry the oil will not mix in the water and will rather float above the surface. Now with the help of a skimmer you can take out the water bugs from the pool and pour them inside the bucket containing the oil.
Cover the lid so that no fresh air can seep inside the bucket. Due to suffocation caused by the oil which is floating the water bugs will all die. Though this activity might not be appealing for many people as the act looks bare and crude but if looked in a proper way the main things is to kill the bugs in the pool and it appears the same as if someone will do it inside the pool. This is a perfect method to eliminate all the water bugs from the pool.
Using The Chemical Algaecide
By cutting short the main source of food to these water bugs one can easily be relieved from these disturbing creatures and can enjoy swimming with your partner inside the pool. Since algae is the richest source of food supply if it is eliminated the water bugs can die due to lack of nutrition and food. It is observed that the water boat water bug can very rapidly die if no proper food is being supplied to it in well proportion. Ultimately due to lack of food the back swimmer too will eventually die.
The first step is to shock the pool and let the chlorine attain its proper level within 2-3 days as the chlorine will also evaporate and the pool will also receive the level of about 1.0-3.0 which is a suggestive level to even undergo the swimming activity. Then take out the algae in the amount as much as it is required to use depending upon your pool size as well as requirement. Let the algaecide rest for about at least 12 hours before you start the application of brushing as well as vacuuming it out of the pool to prevent any kind of infection or regrowth of the algae particles. After 12 hours follow the same method of brushing as well as vacuuming and remove all the dead algae from the pool.
What is important is to keep in mind the process of skimming your pool once you are treating your pool to discard any kind of algae as well as dead bugs. As observed that the dead bugs acts as a food for other bugs prevalent in the pool therefore they should be eliminated timely to ensure the safety of the pool. As there won’t be any bug in the pool automatically the other bugs too will die. Skimming is also necessary as the leaves, grass etc acts as a shelter where the water bugs can easily lay off their eggs before dying they too shall be removed to ensure that no breeding is going to take place.
Use Of Detergent And Washing Liquid
Those things that are easily available in your laundry services can act as a preventive measure. In order to get the proper air to breathe the water bugs require to come to the surface of the pool but through this method the surface tension of the water will easily be reduced and altered thus not letting the water bugs to breathe in a proper manner and leading to their death.
You can take a measure of about 3 tbsp. of the liquid dish detergent and pour it in a spray bottle that can be easily sprayed over the surface of the water. Mix it with water in the spray bottle. Now check upon the groups of water bugs in the pool. Just spray the mixture on them and wait for about few hours for the action to take place. The bugs will get drowned as well as through the proper measure of filtration these water bugs will easily be flush out from your pool.
So, through following the above mentioned ideas you will be able to remove all the algae and the water bugs causing you trouble in swimming.