Black Bugs In Pool

[Robert3688]

I am a new salt pool owner. I live in Southeast TX and have little, fast black bugs in pool, is ther anything I can do?

[txpoolguy]

Often, proper chlorine levels in the pool will kill many types of bugs. I'm not a pest control specialist, but veriify correct water balance, including pH, chlorine, TA, etc. You might try superchlorinating... I don't know of any effective way of keeping critters out of the pool. I get live bugs in my pool when the chemistry is off, but only dead ones with proper chemical levels.

[jkusmier]

Assuming they're really small, they're probably springtails, and while they're harmless they are a nuisance, especially in great numbers. Public (state) university agriculture, horticulture and extension sites are great resources for insect management. Here are two examples:

Ohio State

U.C. Davis

Note that OSU recommends pesticides while U.C. Davis states they're not really effective in springtail management. Unchecked, they can live for up to a year, subsisting on decayed vegetation.

I've treated the landscaping in the pool area as well as the expansion joints in the pool deck (stopping about a foot shy of the pool's edge) w/ some success in the past. Once you've effectively reduced the source population outside the pool you can expect the springtails that ended up in the pool itself will die or end up in the filter within a matter of days (try closing the valve on your main drains to increase the flow rate in your skimmers).

[Dustin Golden]

You may utilize very chlorine levels for your pools safety and do remember from next time you may use sap covers to prevent all this undesired fragments!~!