Spiders in Pool

[Reto]

Hey guys
Don't know if I post it on the correct forum.
Having a pool in Bali. Size is 22 galloons, around 85000 liter.
On the surface are Spiders swimming. Not too bad, cause it means the pool is natural.
I found the problem, that the surface tension is too high, making the Spiders being able to walk like on concrete.

I saw I need a Sulfactant to reduce the tension. I read that SOAP or DETERGENT can help, but it's not good if Kids are swimming
But what product I can use for the pool to be safe even for kids? I did not find anything yet. Until now I always catch the spiders with the net, everyday...
I will also start with Borate treatment from now on. Does Borate eventually help with that too?

best regards guys
And many thanks in advance for any help!

 

[mgtfp]

Hi Reto, welcome to the forum!

I frankly think it's a good thing that spiders stay on the surface. Like that the skimmer can deal with them, and they are easy to scoop out with the net.

And once they sink, they still survive surprisingly long on the bottom of the pool - at least the buggers down here.

I have salt and borates in my pool, but there is still enough surface tension for critters to be walking on water.

I think duck repellents work by reducing the water's surface tension, but I don't have any experience with them. I'm not too keen on adding something like that to my pool.

 

[kellyfair]

So, I do not have spiders (knock on wood) but I do have wasps. And I hate them. With a passion. I see no purpose for them to exist except to freak me out.

Somewhere on this forum someone recommended a product called Skill It. It’s a non-metals algaecide, but it is also a miracle worker. It changes the surface tension of the water so wasps drown. I throw in a couple of ounces every two weeks or so.

The first time I tried it, there were dead wasps all over my skimmer. And you know the only good wasp is a dead one.

So, I highly recommend this product!

 

[Reto]

Hi Reto, welcome to the forum!

I frankly think it's a good thing that spiders stay on the surface. Like that the skimmer can deal with them, and they are easy to scoop out with the net.

And once they sink, they still survive surprisingly long on the bottom of the pool - at least the buggers down here.

I have salt and borates in my pool, but there is still enough surface tension for critters to be walking on water.

I think duck repellents work by reducing the water's surface tension, but I don't have any experience with them. I'm not too keen on adding something like that to my pool.

Hey, thanks for your reply.
Well, my Spiders are not easy to catch, they are kinda fast and very difficult to catch. And cause we do Vacuum the Pool floor, it would be fine and good for me if they drown. Anyway, I am not sure where they are coming from and how they can be more and more so quickly. One day I killed 12 in a row.
Ya, I would also want that my pool keeps natural and not too much poison in it...
I am still sure there is a 'good' way if reducing the tension....

 

[Reto]

So, I do not have spiders (knock on wood) but I do have wasps. And I hate them. With a passion. I see no purpose for them to exist except to freak me out.

Somewhere on this forum someone recommended a product called Skill It. It’s a non-metals algaecide, but it is also a miracle worker. It changes the surface tension of the water so wasps drown. I throw in a couple of ounces every two weeks or so.

The first time I tried it, there were dead wasps all over my skimmer. And you know the only good wasp is a dead one.

So, I highly recommend this product!

Hi thank you for your reply
I think that product could work, but most of the products from America we cannot import to Indonesia...:-(
I already wanted to import the Recive (product to really remove metal), but cannot.
:-(

 

[markayash]

Just need a few pet snakes swimming around, they love spiders
On a more serious note have you tried treating the area around the pool?

 

[Reto]

Just need a few pet snakes swimming around, they love spiders
On a more serious note have you tried treating the area around the pool?

Well, you mean with Poison ya? We have some green plants and we have a wooden bridge, where the Spiders can hide themself I think...I probably need to speak with our Insect-Specialist.
I read just before that I could use some peppermint plants around the pool or essential lemon oil...I think I will try that and see what happens. I rather prefer the natural way

 

[kellyfair]

Well, you’ve basically built a spider habitat. So, it’s either catch them or kill them. Or swim with them, I guess.

 

[Reto]

Well, you’ve basically built a spider habitat. So, it’s either catch them or kill them. Or swim with them, I guess.

I know there are chemicals which can lower the tension. They call them Surfactant. Because I cannot get them here and also not from Amazon. Thats why I was asking maybe someone knows a way to do it.
It's not just catch or kill.
Catching does not work anyway, cause once I catch 10 today, there will be 5 more tomorrow

 

[Harry cuz]

Send us a picture, how big are they? Totally curious about your spider pool. x

 

[kellyfair]

I know there are chemicals which can lower the tension. They call them Surfactant. Because I cannot get them here and also not from Amazon. Thats why I was asking maybe someone knows a way to do it.
It's not just catch or kill.
Catching does not work anyway, cause once I catch 10 today, there will be 5 more tomorrow

But lowering the tension of the water will drown them. So yeah, that fits into kill.

The product I mentioned is the only thing I’ve used to lower the surface tension, that is safe to use in a pool. Sorry, I don’t know of anything else that will do same.

However, I’ve read somewhere that people have had luck keeping bees out of their pool by providing them with another source of water, like a bird bath or some other container, some distance away from pool.

 

[Snoobug]

So, I do not have spiders (knock on wood) but I do have wasps. And I hate them. With a passion. I see no purpose for them to exist except to freak me out.

Somewhere on this forum someone recommended a product called Skill It. It’s a non-metals algaecide, but it is also a miracle worker. It changes the surface tension of the water so wasps drown. I throw in a couple of ounces every two weeks or so.

The first time I tried it, there were dead wasps all over my skimmer. And you know the only good wasp is a dead one.

So, I highly recommend this product!

Is this in pool school somewhere? Just want to be able to find it again when I need it.

 

[kellyfair]

Is this in pool school somewhere? Just want to be able to find it again when I need it.

No, I don’t think so. I was ranting and raving in an old post about wasp invasion and someone mentioned it. But you can bookmark post so you can find again. Upper right corner of the post gives you the little bookmark symbol.

 

[Harry cuz]

But lowering the tension of the water will drown them. So yeah, that fits into kill.

The product I mentioned is the only thing I’ve used to lower the surface tension, that is safe to use in a pool. Sorry, I don’t know of anything else that will do same.

However, I’ve read somewhere that people have had luck keeping bees out of their pool by providing them with another source of water, like a bird bath or some other container, some distance away from pool.

That's so useful, thank you. I get the odd Bee in mine and it's hateful to kill them. Now it's heated i'm a bit more religious about keeping the darn thing covered tho. x

 

[Bperry]

I know there are chemicals which can lower the tension. They call them Surfactant. Because I cannot get them here and also not from Amazon. Thats why I was asking maybe someone knows a way to do it.
It's not just catch or kill.
Catching does not work anyway, cause once I catch 10 today, there will be 5 more tomorrow

Are they actually spiders or water striders? We used to get these all the time in my parents pool. They’re harmless and provided a fun kids competition to see how many we could swat dead.

 

[Reto]

Are they actually spiders or water striders? We used to get these all the time in my parents pool. They’re harmless and provided a fun kids competition to see how many we could swat dead.
View attachment 328943

It is water striders, same as the picture you posted.
Harmless yes maybe, but if you rent your Villa with Water Striders, maybe it is not the desired way for the customers....
Now we started with Borate, and it looks like they don't like the Borate. But I must check daily how it is.

 

[Reto]

Send us a picture, how big are they? Totally curious about your spider pool. x

They are called anggang anggang
You can find it in wikipedia, google search.
Now I can't make a picture anymore, cause there is none. Probably the Borate made the pool so clean. and took the food away from them. Since some day I use Borate

 

[mgtfp]

Glad that the borates helped. Let us know how things develop and if they decide to return. Always good to get some field experience.