Water bugs in your pool
/Water Boatmen & Back Swimmer Bugs in your pool & how to get rid of them
Even though your pool is full of chlorine and other chemicals, there are still a lot of creatures that can make their homes in your pool water.
There are 2 common types of water bugs that can be found in your pool are Water Boatmen and Back Swimmers, they both look similar, though one is harmless and the other has a bite!
Water Boatmen
They may look a little scary, but Water Boatmen, also known as corixids, aren’t the worst water bugs to have in your pool. Water Boatmen are oval-shaped and usually brown or greenish-brown in colour with large eyes. They usually don’t grow more than 3cms long with their 2 back legs big longer than the others... also, they also have wings, and yes, they can and do fly.
The reason they're in your pool is that they eat algae, plant matter, other water microorganisms, and mosquito larvae. They also they lay their eggs in algae (even though you may not have any visible algae, it could be that it just hasn’t bloomed to the point where it’s visible—yet. But algae spores are microscopic, so if you see water boatmen in your pool, it’s because they know the pool algae is there before you do.
Back Swimmers Bugs
Are often mistaken for water boatmen, they're similar in colour, light-brown, with a large pair of back legs. The main difference is they swim upside down or on their back (hence they name Back Swimmers) and they bite! Though not poisonous their bites can feel like a bee sting.
The reason they're in your pool is because, they eat other bugs, including Water Boatmen. The best way to get rid of Back Swimmers is to cut off their food supply, which means getting the Water Boatmen out of the pool. Back Swimmers also lay their eggs in algae as well so getting rid of the algae will help stop them coming back.
How Do You Get Rid of Water Boatmen?
Remove the bugs. The easiest way to do that is with a leaf rake or skimmer. Remember, Water Boatmen fly, so they may just take off as soon as you scoop them out of the water. You don't need to kill them, they eat mosquito larvae and algae so they'll do you a favour by finding another body of water to live in.
Manually vacuum the pool. You want to remove as much organic debris & sediment from the pool as you can.
Brush the pool. Scrub down the surfaces of your pool—including walls, ladders and steps—to loosen any algae clinging there. This will move it into the water so the shock you’re about to add kills it all.
Test the water. Make sure the pH is between 7.4 and 7.6, and the alkalinity is 120 - 150 parts per million (ppm). If they’re not, adjust them until they are. This will ensure the chlorine shock works the way it should.
Shock the pool. Because you’re trying to kill algae, we recommend that for an average size pool (around 45,000 litres), a shock dose of 20 litres of liquid chlorine or 2kgs of stabilised chlorine for a pool without heavy algae growth.
*If there is heavy algae present, you may need to increase this dose, however we suggest for you to come instore and check with one of our team first.
Tip: If you shock your pool in the evening or night, the chlorine will work longer without being broken down by the suns rays.
Run the pump. By running the system overnight or a 24 hour filtration cycle, this will circulate the shock dose around the pool and filter out the dead algae. Before you swim again, test the water to make sure chlorine levels have returned to back to the usual 2-3ppm range.
How to keep them from coming back.
Clean and balance your pool on a regular basis, keeping your chlorine (or other sanitiser) level at 2-3pm will keep algae out of your pool, which, in turn, will keep the Water Boatmen out, which will keep the Back Swimmers out as well.
Using a preventative algaecide on a regular basis is a good way to keep algae at bay all year round.
Changing over to a Mineral Swim or Naked Pool System using Ozone technology to oxidise the organic matter (like algae) that is up to 3,000 times more effective than chlorine. If algae can’t grow in your pool, there’s nothing for the water boatmen to eat, and they’ll go somewhere else!
Did this article help? Share it with your friends, family or community groups to help keep Water Boatmen and Back Swimmers out of their pools!
