Question on using old pool as water storage

[unionguy]

We are looking at purchasing a home that has an in-ground swimming pool with a deck built over it entirely. It still fills with water. It looks like previous owner siphoned the water out to water their garden. I like the idea of built-in water supply on hand. Does anyone know how you'd keep it from becoming a mosquito haven though? Can you buy those fish that eat mosquito eggs and dump those in? Chlorine? I've never owned a pool...so cost estimates would be good for any method of mosquito prevention.

It looks to be about a 25 foot by 15 foot sized pool

thanks.

Read More

 

[billinvancouver]

Well what is your use going to be water storage or as a swimming pool? It may be possable to store water in it. The city of portland stores water at bull run open like that.

 

[unionguy]

It has a nice deck built over it, so we wouldn't be re-converting it to a swimming pool again...so just as water storage for emergencies or for watering.

 

[OneManWolfpack78]

ELECTRONIC BUG ZAPPER

 

[PaulZ]

I believe Mosquitos need still water to survive and small puddles. I would check the county extension agent for solutions

 

[plasticfood]

Two caps fulls of 10w-30 should keep the skeeters away.

 

[Gunner69]

I believe Mosquitos need still water to survive and small puddles. I would check the county extension agent for solutions

Don't contact the extension agency unless you want the county coming onto your propert anytime they want.. They are not bound by tresspass laws or anything else when it comes to standing bodies of water... They can and will treat that water with any number of chemicals to ensure that nothing grows in it. There was a homeowner I believe in OC or near there that had spent a ton of money on building a nice pond and stocking it with Koi and live plants... the county came in and litterally turned that pond into a chemical cesspool to avoid mosquitos. I'm searching for the link now will post it when I can find it.

 

[Barefoot343]

I agree with Gunner, I have heard the same thing.

Don't contact the extension agency unless you want the county coming onto your propert anytime they want.. They are not bound by tresspass laws or anything else when it comes to standing bodies of water... They can and will treat that water with any number of chemicals to ensure that nothing grows in it. There was a homeowner I believe in OC or near there that had spent a ton of money on building a nice pond and stocking it with Koi and live plants... the county came in and litterally turned that pond into a chemical cesspool to avoid mosquitos. I'm searching for the link now will post it when I can find it.

 

[Gunner69]

Found the article, wasn't as bad as I remember hearing and reading about but essentially, if you have a body of water that could potentially breed mosquitos Vector Control with walk onto your property and do whatever they want.

Pond owner challenges unannounced mosquito control | OregonLive.com


In the comments section the landowner posted the following...

For the record, since clearly people can neither read nor understand that all of the story is rarely published. The story makes it look like I did something stupid, but inferring I tasted them is quite a stretch.
I picked up a cube, having zero idea or suspicion that someone may have put poison well inside my posted private property. The cube crumbled in my hand, I washed my hand and went about my business, it was some time later, more than 15 minutes, when I used my index finder to wipe at an itch at the base of my nose. Much like everyone would do with an itch. It's then that it burned, and then I suspected that the cube I had found were much more than the clay I thought they were. It was a very hot day in the 90's and I was working hard, I suspect that sweat is what got it on my lips. The numbness came much later.

In the article Betsy also states "that the cubes themselves contain only "safe" bacterial agents." Not true, the published ingredients show 93% of the cubes are "trade secrets" and there is no way Betsy knows what is in the cubes. the other 7% are two types of non native bacteria that act on insects digestive tracks causing death. They not only target mosquito's but according to the EPA are poisonousness to bees, moths and beetles as well.

According to the The Encyclopedia of Entomology, page 348: BT is "lethal to lepidopterans, dipterans, coleopterans, and/or nematodes". In layman's terms, is lethal to butterflies, flies, beetles, weevil's, and nematodes/roundworms.
That accounts for more than 25% of all known species on the planet.

And this is just the stuff we know is in the cubes, 93% is kept a secret.

To those that think I and others are "cry babies", I can only say, buy yourself some land, and then tell me when the government, without your permission or knowledge, comes and spreads anything on it, and how you feel about that. If you don't care, I suspect that many of your freedoms are not valued. My kids love playing in this pond, what if my 3 year old had picked one up? To me, private property rights are a very basic right, and to infringe on those rights so that when you mow your lawn you get fewer bug bites is not a valid reason.

 

[Decker]

Maybe something like the Mosquito Magnet?

Mosquito Magnet® Traps - Built on Science, Service & Support! | MosquitoMagnet.com

-d

 

[deadeye]

Just put a small pump in it with a small fountain or waterfall to only keep it moving like this with filter <broken link removed> .
If you want to filter it, a good cheap filter could be made with a half whisky barrel and some sheet filter material and pump it through that. You could also add a small amount of chlorine bleach to keep algea from growing. You can use this latering method in a whiskey barrel pumping (submersable pump)into the bottom and letting it run out one side at the top back into the pool using a pipe or ? <broken link removed>

 

[lowly monk]

I will pm you, I am a certified pool operator. But what you probably need to do is 1/4 cup of dish washing liquid. It breaks the surface tension they cant float they die!

 

[Decker]

I will pm you, I am a certified pool operator. But what you probably need to do is 1/4 cup of dish washing liquid. It breaks the surface tension they cant float they die!

Seriously??? How big of a pool will that work on and how long will the dish washing soap be effective?

-d

 

[lowly monk]

Seriously??? How big of a pool will that work on and how long will the dish washing soap be effective?

Thats why I sent a pm. I need to know the gallons for a propper amount. Yes! it totally works. I tryed to burn them off as a kid with a quart af gas on my dads pond. Do not try that!!! Ever never! Thats when I learned about liquid dish soap. Also a little bleach to keep algea out. How long depends on amount of water surface, Wind etc. You can see the soap go across the pond and do its job. Still fun.

 

[unionguy]

I don't know yet how many gallons it is...we are just looking at purchasing it. It looks about 20 feet long by 10 feet with 'normal' depth. It is covered by a deck right now, so rainwater just goes through the wood cracks into the water. there is a small piece of the deck you can lift up to get "inside" the pool. In fact, there is a ladder down into the pool from there (made of wood). We also saw at least one wood beam that is in the middle of the pool to help hold up the deck! It's a little crazy design, really. Lowly Monk...if we buy the house, I will get back to you with a real number on how big the pool is.

thanks everyone for the ideas on how to deal with the skeeters.

 

[skywag]

I have maintained several swimming pools. If you want to drink that water some day you will have to maintain the pool in a similar fashion to a swimming pool.

You'll need a pump and filter with a vacuum hose and pole.
You'll need chlorine and other chemicals.

Plan on spending every saturday morning cleaning the pool, probably 2 hours all year round.
Also, have a big checkbook.....that helps!

 

[billdeserthills]

I would be so fukin pissed off if I find the gov't had been on my property without my permission. I posted No Trespassing signs all over & I had better never find anyone on my land.

 

[PaulZ]

I never thought of that; I was thinking about asking questions or picking up a pamphlet. Hopefully they are not well funded enough to hassle everybody!

 

[saxon]

have to keep the water moving
and its about 3 drops of bleach per gallon for drinking water

 

[lowly monk]

I looked up "Cisterns". Thats the ticket.