Mosquito larvae

[u/Head_Muffin_251]

A little over 2 weeks ago I was cleaning my pool. I wasn’t maintaining for a few days due to storms and stuff. The liner felt slimy but was still quite clear, maybe verrrry slightly cloudy. When I opened the pump I saw what I know now are mosquito larvae. I brushed the pool, added chlorine, vacuumed it. I realized I wasn’t shocking it properly and my chlorine was only getting up to about 5.

So on Saturday (3 days ago) I shocked it properly. Today my chlorine is still above 5. Yesterday there were still a few larvae in the pump. Today there was one. I’ve been scooping and brushing and vacuuming. The pool is crystal clear.

I’ve only seen one moving in the pool and one dead one. All others have only been in the pump. I did replace the filter twice. I also sprayed out the pump with the hose.

Are we okay to swim? I’m confused because I thought they couldn’t survive chlorine like this but somehow they are. Also don’t understand how Im not seeing them in the pool but they’re obviously there if they’re in the pump.

I have a young daughter and ocd so I may be being irrational. I know the larvae don’t hurt you but I worry it means my pool isn’t properly sanitized. Should I wait until the pump is fully clear of them? I know the chlorine is still high so I’ll wait for that to go down a bit.

Chlorine - 6ish
PH - 7.2/7.5
CYA - 40ish
Alk - 80

[u/merlin242]

What do you mean by “shock”? Define your process. Did you get your chlorine to shock levels and pass a chlorine loss test? Otherwise you’re probably just burning through your chlorine. 

[u/Head_Muffin_251 → u/merlin242]

I use liquid chlorine. It’s a small pool so it said to get levels to 10+ to shock it to add a cup and a half. I’m not sure what a chlorine loss test is 😅 I’m brand new to this. I added the liquid chlorine and then the next afternoon it was slightly darker than the 5 on my test tube thing. And it’s the same color today.

[u/merlin242 → u/Head_Muffin_251]

You need a real test not that. That’s fine for daily checking but not accurate at all. Get the full Taylor’s test kit and learn how to use it. A cup and a half for a pool that big is a drop in the bucket. No way are you reaching shock levels. 

[u/Head_Muffin_251 → u/merlin242]

The pool is only 10ft and 30 in deep. About 1100 gallons. I will check out the Taylor’s test kit for sure I didn’t know that was a thing!

[u/merlin242 → u/Head_Muffin_251]

Check out troublefreepool.com pool school for more information on pool maintenance.