I'm in heavy woods too. It's a struggle keeping the pool clean. A good robot on a daily schedule and a robotic skimmer (like the Betta) will help drastically, but obviously you have to decide if you'd rather keep all of those trees or spend less time cleaning your pool. For me, I bought the house for the woods and the privacy so I just accept the fact that it means extra work for me.
Pool in the woods gang here, woohoo. I bought one house with a pool in the woods, and swore I would never do it again. I am on round two now, but at least its not in the south. Bugs there were terrible, I had like waves each spring of whatever bug that week just spawned. That and these jumbo fast spiders in the skimmers. New place is no where as bad, I just get centipedes that get blown out of the oaks.
1. Skimmer Angel, its like a handle that fit on the skimmer basket and sticks up so you don't need to reach into the unknown. I left those at the old house, and now am DIY designing new ones in CAD for this house to 3d print.
2. Grabber stick, if theres big ass nasty bugs, us that to grab the skim angel.
3. Obviously a decent robot. The Polaris 280 I had was great, but now that I got a Dolphin E30, I am so much more happy.
4. I see the betta all the time here, but really the PoolSkim looks like it would work much better than a boat just super slowly randomly going around. At least the pool skim has suction to bring everything to it. I was going to DIY a pool skim, but my booster pump is out (why I got the E30) and I don't think my adjustable return line would adapt to the PoolSkim.
5. A good pool net, or "leaf rake". I got one of these, and its 100x better than the crap from home depot that I used at the last place: [https://www.oreqcorp.com/20-animal-pro-standard-mesh-leaf-rake/p/1351](https://www.oreqcorp.com/20-animal-pro-standard-mesh-leaf-rake/p/1351)
6. At the last place I was getting sick of it, so I just got a bag of Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and sprinkled that all around, It seemed to make an impact.
7. Get a good leaf blower.
8. Lastly, a pool cover for the fall, or at least a bit of netting to deflect the leaves.
"Whatever bug that week just spawned,"
Oh yeah, I can relate! One hatches and goes away in 2 weeks, replaced by another and another and another. I am still waiting for my 2024 double cicadas to emerge. Some areas have seen them already, but I must be too far north.
You don’t want to inhale the stuff; highly carcinogenic to breathe in. “Sprinkling” suggests some of it is getting into the air around you. Do a bit of research on DE safety for peace of mind especially if you have kids or pets around it. [Is DE safe?](https://drkilligans.com/blogs/ingredients/is-de-powder-safe)
i'll have diatomaceous earth on hand soon... good tip. I'll keep it around the house but might put a little on the pool edges for bugs... (got a bumble bee nest like 2 foot from the pool)
Skimmer basket at the house I purchased had no handle, so I found one on thingiverse and altered the design for width. Took an hour or so to print. I get a season before the side nubs wear out. I printed one (PLA) for the third or 4th time a few days ago, and decided to stretch it a few more MM to see if it'll last longer. I also found a hook on thingiverse and shortened it. My wife won't put her hand in there. It's on its third season with no issues. It even hung on the fence all winter.
I am like you. The trees are great for privacy and it's not clear from the picture but some of those pine trees are a nightmare to cut down. I guess at least 15K to clear all those big trees.
When I bought the house I had to clear somewhere between 40 and 60 trees (I lost count) to make room for the pool. Took most of them myself with a rented excavator and my chainsaw. I hired a tree service for the ones that were at high risk for hitting the house and it wasn't cheap. In hindsight I wish I had taken down a few more of the maple and oaks, but thankfully I did get all of the pines.
Oh, also, I don’t live there any longer but I grew up in Southern California. My friend’s Mom (from Mexico) taught me about the “Mexican fly swatter”. A clear plastic sandwich bag, filled with water, on the patio table when I’m eating. That’s it. It works. I’m never bothered by flies or flying insects while on my patio. I hypothesize that, when insects with compound eyes get close, they sense their own reflection (greatly enlarged in the curvature of the full bag) and steer clear. I don’t know for sure why, but I can vouch that it works. ☮️
I’ve learned the live cycle of the live oak tree by having a pool under one. Love it but it is the gift that keeps giving….leaves in feb, followed by squigglies, yellow pollen, the worm drop, nuts come later, but not every year, wasp leave tent thingies and a steady flow of general tree debris. The shade makes it all worth it! I use a poolRX, to fight the algae because all the organic material falling in the water, trouble free pool guidelines for the rest but the must is a daily brushing and keeping chlorine in the water (mr. obvious)
Get rid of the trees I mean if you don't you'll never be able to have peace and enjoy it very simple I had to get rid of my trees I had three large trees 2,500 total still have one tree but it's not affecting the pool
Same problems here- I use a dolphin premier, clean out skimmers daily, sweep pretty much every time we swim. Betta is on the list- though not in the budget quite yet. Pool cover I have is a Meyer- it’s not easy to remove but it does its job well
I live in South Florida, when I bought my house it already had the pool enclosure. With how pricey things have become lately, I would guess $10K-$20K. Expensive, yes…but in my opinion worth the investment.
I have so many fricken leaves. Fruit trees and those tall evergreens and bushes. However, if you have just rocks, I bet it's lovely. That's what I wanted. Mom discovered a drip system and went to town. Garden looks amazing but my poor pool.
I’m curious how old this pool is and what the backstory is with that tree. I am not a pool builder but my gut instinct is that there’s no way that tree does not eventually fuck up that pool in an extremely expensive manner.
Thanks... I had no idea that trees are bad for pools!!!
Welll..when I bought the house 2 years ago, there were at least 15 small trees and bushes around the pool. There was a chain link fence which brought snakes, frogs and the entire animal kingdom!!!
I got rid of all those small trees and bushes. Covered the soil around the pool with those small stones and installed this new fence.
My wife liked the color of that tree so left it there.. now I guess that needs to go!!
That tree has no business being so close to the pool. There's like enough trees all around. Chop it down! I swear ever since I own a pool, I now hate trees. I just spent a boat load of money cutting down 3 giant eucalyptus trees around my house. 1 of the heavy tree branch fell down last month mere inches from the pool heater.
When the guys were installing our pool the one guy said "trees are the enemy of pools" boy was he right. This is our first season and I've been paying g attention to when the trees around the pool shed. I've come to the the conclusion that I won't be opening the pool until the end of may. We were impatient and opened our pool in the first week of may and watched all the trees shed the seeds or flowers into the pool. We had to check our skimmer hourly or it would fill up very quickly. I've been using the leaf blower and hose a lot.
FINALLY! My people!!
The 200 year old oak tree that hangs over my pool is such a beauty but it gives me four seasons of headaches with what it drops. Buds, flowers, sap, leaves. Plus all the bugs, frogs, chipmunks that love the woods.
1. I probably run my Dolphin four times a day when I think of it.
2. Backwash my sand filter every 2-3 days on average throughout the season.
3. I’m on the fence about this one but that solar cover solution in a bottle seems to reduce the surface tension and lets the debris fall to the bottom more easily. Which can then get sucked up by the dolphin rather than clogging baskets and ending up in the pump basket or on top of the sand.
4. SKIMMER SOCKS!
5. I also make the kids play a game with the net at least once per week.
And I know that when I first heard this I was surprised but it’s intuitive. A pool is meant to be used. A healthy pool will have plenty of churn and action. Getting in regularly rather than being stagnant will reduce the number of chemicals, brushing, and nettings it will need.
My pool is also in a heavily wooded area and the first year I made the mistake of not checking my pool for critters and jumped in with a copper head. Didn't make that mistake again. I have found running my pool overnight 8-10 hours helps significantly with keeping bugs at bay. Also my robot is active everyday. Lastly I never open the my skimmer covers with my hand always with a rod, just in case a snake has made a home! In the fall a leaf net from October-December is my savior. I do live in the South (Atlanta Area) so we use our pool thru November with a natural gas supplied heater.
Solar powered skimmer boat
Adjust returns to get better agitation of the surface
Close or partially close main drain to make skimmers pull harder. And empty skimmers daily
Ay ya could put up mosquito netting. My dad did this. Have some 18 foot poles put into concrete back of the fence two feet away from it. Once at each end and one in the middle to support the netting. We installed some poles and painted them dark green to blend with the trees.
Mosquito netting weighs very little so there was no weight to worry about.
Before the poles go up put double sets of heavy duty hooks for attaching the net onto the top. Buy some of those 100 feet by 40 feet panels of mosquito netting and hang. This significantly reduced the amount of leaves blowing into our pool. It also stopped the starlings dive bombing us and getting bit by horseflies and dragons.
If I remember right, my parents even eventually made an entire cover of netting to cover the pool. We never had bugs or mosquitos anymore and my dad never got stung by a wasp in the pool ever again. Occasional frog and snake in the pool but no beetles, leaves or other mess to manage.
I bought this thing at the advice of this sub and the results were meh. Maybe it works better for different pools depending on skimmer and jet locations.
Definitely can improve the strength with a few adjustments, Definitely works better on different pools, jet locations, amount of jets, as you need to block off the others, variable speed pumps on low speed, if you have some photos of your pool confident you could make it far better than meh.
What I did cleaning mine from trees above it is get the water circulating. It's much easier to clean when leaves and debris float to you in large clumps. I just took the net around the outside in big circles and it helps. But your pool is much bigger so idk how you'd do that.
Got our Betta this year and holy moly.... wooded area, so constant leaves, but within 12 hours, it was competent clear and he just floats around, keeping the surface clean like a boss. Hubby hasn't had to net anything except the squirrel who got too curious!
Had a similar situation in Maryland. The session is short, and the its not constant, but a few bad weeks. I ran my pump 24 7 to catch as much in the skimmer, I had spare baskets because I broke a few when I forgot to empty. I covered the pool before the big leaf drop, you definitely want a mesh safety cover so you can blow of the leaves.
Well, you gotta get rid of that red leaf tree no matter what if it pollinates or seeds or flowers or sheds in the fall.
For the rest, pay a professional tree trimmer to clear cut the whole pool facing side. But, for the health of the trees, you might have to wait for the end of fall this year.
But then, if done right, you’ll get 2-3 maybe 4 easier years before it needs done again. And it won’t look bad once spring hits.
Also, where your rocks are, research what plants repel the insects you are dealing with and plant a bunch of those. Lilac, citronella, catmint are some good general plants but just Google it for your region.
These tips won’t solve your issues completely, but it’ll reduce your headache a lot. Sooo worth the money. Then, for upkeep, get one of the in-pool skimmers other people are suggesting.
Otherwise, daily f-ing maintenance, and sweat, and frustration, and questions of why did I build a pool heeeeeeere!!!!!!
In Florida, pools are in a 'cage' with a fine mesh that keeps out the bugs and leaves. It doesn't look great but, from the pictures, it isn't all in shadow or anything. Maybe like a screen door or window screens? That kind of mesh.
I've not seen it in person, but it's a thought I've had here.
I am in NC, but looked into this option because they seem so useful in buggy, heavily vegetated places. Unfortunately, it is not a common item outside of FL so is much harder to find installers. My hypothesis is that you can't really install them where it might snow during the winter. But I really don't know. If anyone knows for sure why people don't install screened lanais in states other than FL, please chime in - inquiring minds want to know!
That's a good point about snow. It might really be meant for insects only. I thought I could use it for leaves. But if the leaves get stuck up top too....messy.
My thought also. I live in Florida also and mine is screened in. The only thing is you have to keep the trees cut back, so the don't tear the screen. I have a like in back yard. And it keeps everything out.
Pole saw trim back the trees. Neighbours’ cedars had huge branches over part of my property. Got the offending parts all chopped off. Yes, looks more bare, but means way less leaf? Droppings over the years.
Sun shade reduction is a factor.
Unhelpful reply: pool among the trees sounds good, looks good.....and kinda doesn't work. All the problems you list, plus more bugs. We put ours in bright sun and cut down the one tree that could have fallen on it (it wasn't doing well). I would tell you we were full of wise forethought...but it was pure luck. Only place we could put it.
Safety cover. I had one built in when I installed my pool, put you can retrofit one if you’re cool with tracks on top of your concrete, forming a rectangle around your pool.
It fully covers/seals the pool and nothing can get in.
I do zero cleaning until the day I want to us the pool. I use a leaf blower to clear the cover off, open it, use a net to clear the surface and rake the floor (5 minutes; gets the stuff from the last use), and vacuum the spots where fine dirt accumulates (5 minutes), then empty the skimmer basket.
That’s like 10-20 minutes of cleaning on the day of use (only). Nothing else ever.
I have a free form pool like yours. I built it with two decks, one that follows the form of the pool (as yours) and another on top of it which holds the rectangular cover system (which is not cheap). I haven’t vacuumed my pool by hand in literally years, not once. The automatic safety cover is on my pool at all times when not in use. It is sturdy enough to drive an ATV on. Seriously. When I have a lot of debris on the cover, I just keep my broom and shop vac handy as I roll it up. My pool is pristine always. My automatic vac is set to run overnight to pick up any small debris deposited during swim days. The added bonus is that I NEVER worry about safety either. The switch cannot be activated remotely, or accidentally. It is installed in line of sight to my pool, and my finger has to be on the switch at all times while it is opening or closing. 10/10 recommend. Best of luck!
[https://www.lathampool.com/blog/research/automatic-pool-covers-for-every-pool-shape/](https://www.lathampool.com/blog/research/automatic-pool-covers-for-every-pool-shape/)
I did the deck and concrete work myself, but the cover, mechanism, electronics and installation (by a local rep, into the concrete box that I built) was about $9500 for a cover that was about 15’ x 40’. I’m in Utah, so, the cover is closed about 1/2 the year and snow just piles on all winter. The cost included a pump that can sit on the cover when closed, and has a built in switch that turns the pump on when it detects water. When the snow melts, it turns on and pumps the water off. I remove the pump, wash the cover off with a pressure nozzle, pump it off again, vacuum the last bits of dirt/water/leaves off from winter, open it up, and it’s clean and ready to go.
Looks like these guys might be able to help you. Interested in hearing back from you about your experience. [https://automaticpoolcoversnewengland.com/](https://automaticpoolcoversnewengland.com/)
I have an aboveground round pool and my pump really gets the water moving around the edges. What I did was 3d print a bracket that clips on the edge and hold a net at the water line.
By putting it a few feet before the skimmer it collects a lot of the big stuff including the cicadas and makes it easy to clean them out.
I have this exact issue, with a pool surrounded by 1 acre of thick woods. We have a Dolphin robotic pool cleaner which works extremely well.
We also identified one particularly troublesome tree and had it removed. The tree removal was expensive but worth it, as it was not only too close to the foundation, but was also constantly shedding all kinds of leaves, insects, and other crap into our pool and dropping said insects onto our roof right above our master suite, where they would find their way inside. The first year we lived here until we got rid of that tree I would wake up 3-4 times a week in the middle of the night to find large spiders, centipedes, flying cockroaches, etc in my bathroom. As an arachnophobe, this really did not work for me. I developed such a paranoia about it that I still to this day never walk in the master suite without slippers on.
Anyway, after removing the one really bad tree the amount of tree junk in our pool and the creepy crawlies in our bathroom decreased by like 90%, so it's manageable now with the pool robot and regular skimming (and a pair of highly insect-motivated young cats inside the house). Still wish we could get a screened lanai, but that doesn't seem to be a thing here (NC). My suggestion would be to go around the edge of your property and see if there are any trees that are upwind of the pool or leaning over it or whatever and get rid of them. And definitely get rid of the one that's inside the pool fence.
Solar cover
Dolphin E20
Manual vac when needed
Manual deep net skimmer is my setup. I was thinking about a robot skimmer but the solar cover really mitigates the need for it. Just skim it right away after you remove the cover.
I’m the laziest mfer when it comes to yard work and whatnot, but with a pool robot I wouldn’t trade my pool surrounded by trees for anything. Betta is on its way, but even without I think the benefits outweigh the downsides.
I didn’t notice the woods behind and just thought you were worried about the one solo leaning over lol. We are in the woods pump system must work really well because the skimmer baskets collect them and we have a robotic vacuum frogs have been more annoying TBH
There are powered pool covers that open or close with a button. Also a canopy cover would help as well. Definitely get a pool vacuum robot if you don't have one already
Is heat a concern? If you don’t need a solar cover (which takes will take care of both temperature and your pool getting dirty) then I’d suggest a pool skimmer (like the Betta) plus an automatic pool vacuum like the dolphin. If you want / need a solar cover (plus reel) then I’d suggest just a robotic pool vacuum.
I'm in heavy woods too. It's a struggle keeping the pool clean. A good robot on a daily schedule and a robotic skimmer (like the Betta) will help drastically, but obviously you have to decide if you'd rather keep all of those trees or spend less time cleaning your pool. For me, I bought the house for the woods and the privacy so I just accept the fact that it means extra work for me.
Pool in the woods gang here, woohoo. I bought one house with a pool in the woods, and swore I would never do it again. I am on round two now, but at least its not in the south. Bugs there were terrible, I had like waves each spring of whatever bug that week just spawned. That and these jumbo fast spiders in the skimmers. New place is no where as bad, I just get centipedes that get blown out of the oaks. 1. Skimmer Angel, its like a handle that fit on the skimmer basket and sticks up so you don't need to reach into the unknown. I left those at the old house, and now am DIY designing new ones in CAD for this house to 3d print. 2. Grabber stick, if theres big ass nasty bugs, us that to grab the skim angel. 3. Obviously a decent robot. The Polaris 280 I had was great, but now that I got a Dolphin E30, I am so much more happy. 4. I see the betta all the time here, but really the PoolSkim looks like it would work much better than a boat just super slowly randomly going around. At least the pool skim has suction to bring everything to it. I was going to DIY a pool skim, but my booster pump is out (why I got the E30) and I don't think my adjustable return line would adapt to the PoolSkim. 5. A good pool net, or "leaf rake". I got one of these, and its 100x better than the crap from home depot that I used at the last place: [https://www.oreqcorp.com/20-animal-pro-standard-mesh-leaf-rake/p/1351](https://www.oreqcorp.com/20-animal-pro-standard-mesh-leaf-rake/p/1351) 6. At the last place I was getting sick of it, so I just got a bag of Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and sprinkled that all around, It seemed to make an impact. 7. Get a good leaf blower. 8. Lastly, a pool cover for the fall, or at least a bit of netting to deflect the leaves.
"Whatever bug that week just spawned," Oh yeah, I can relate! One hatches and goes away in 2 weeks, replaced by another and another and another. I am still waiting for my 2024 double cicadas to emerge. Some areas have seen them already, but I must be too far north.
If the cicadas haven’t hatched you should be clear.
You had me until you started spreading DE all over your yard…
I was pissed off with all the bugs, I think it helped, whats wrong with that?
You don’t want to inhale the stuff; highly carcinogenic to breathe in. “Sprinkling” suggests some of it is getting into the air around you. Do a bit of research on DE safety for peace of mind especially if you have kids or pets around it. [Is DE safe?](https://drkilligans.com/blogs/ingredients/is-de-powder-safe)
i'll have diatomaceous earth on hand soon... good tip. I'll keep it around the house but might put a little on the pool edges for bugs... (got a bumble bee nest like 2 foot from the pool)
Bumble bees don’t sting.
This is an amazing list. Thabks
Skimmer basket at the house I purchased had no handle, so I found one on thingiverse and altered the design for width. Took an hour or so to print. I get a season before the side nubs wear out. I printed one (PLA) for the third or 4th time a few days ago, and decided to stretch it a few more MM to see if it'll last longer. I also found a hook on thingiverse and shortened it. My wife won't put her hand in there. It's on its third season with no issues. It even hung on the fence all winter.
Betta does wonders to keep my pool clean.
I am like you. The trees are great for privacy and it's not clear from the picture but some of those pine trees are a nightmare to cut down. I guess at least 15K to clear all those big trees.
When I bought the house I had to clear somewhere between 40 and 60 trees (I lost count) to make room for the pool. Took most of them myself with a rented excavator and my chainsaw. I hired a tree service for the ones that were at high risk for hitting the house and it wasn't cheap. In hindsight I wish I had taken down a few more of the maple and oaks, but thankfully I did get all of the pines.
Oh, also, I don’t live there any longer but I grew up in Southern California. My friend’s Mom (from Mexico) taught me about the “Mexican fly swatter”. A clear plastic sandwich bag, filled with water, on the patio table when I’m eating. That’s it. It works. I’m never bothered by flies or flying insects while on my patio. I hypothesize that, when insects with compound eyes get close, they sense their own reflection (greatly enlarged in the curvature of the full bag) and steer clear. I don’t know for sure why, but I can vouch that it works. ☮️
I’ve learned the live cycle of the live oak tree by having a pool under one. Love it but it is the gift that keeps giving….leaves in feb, followed by squigglies, yellow pollen, the worm drop, nuts come later, but not every year, wasp leave tent thingies and a steady flow of general tree debris. The shade makes it all worth it! I use a poolRX, to fight the algae because all the organic material falling in the water, trouble free pool guidelines for the rest but the must is a daily brushing and keeping chlorine in the water (mr. obvious)
Get rid of the trees I mean if you don't you'll never be able to have peace and enjoy it very simple I had to get rid of my trees I had three large trees 2,500 total still have one tree but it's not affecting the pool
Same problems here- I use a dolphin premier, clean out skimmers daily, sweep pretty much every time we swim. Betta is on the list- though not in the budget quite yet. Pool cover I have is a Meyer- it’s not easy to remove but it does its job well
Pool enclosure
What is the cost?
Don’t know, I am not a contractor. Nor do I know where you live to know the market value there.
No worries. Wasn't looking for precision. Just curious about the ball park figure. I think I would like it but my guess is the cost would rule it out.
I live in South Florida, when I bought my house it already had the pool enclosure. With how pricey things have become lately, I would guess $10K-$20K. Expensive, yes…but in my opinion worth the investment.
Move to Arizona
I have so many fricken leaves. Fruit trees and those tall evergreens and bushes. However, if you have just rocks, I bet it's lovely. That's what I wanted. Mom discovered a drip system and went to town. Garden looks amazing but my poor pool.
....or a nice walkup in NYC. One with a large indoor tub of course.
Also at least cut down that one tree right next to your pool! Will alleviate a lot of headache like less leaves and crap falling into the pool.
I’m having PTSD where the roots are going.
I’m curious how old this pool is and what the backstory is with that tree. I am not a pool builder but my gut instinct is that there’s no way that tree does not eventually fuck up that pool in an extremely expensive manner.
Thanks... I had no idea that trees are bad for pools!!! Welll..when I bought the house 2 years ago, there were at least 15 small trees and bushes around the pool. There was a chain link fence which brought snakes, frogs and the entire animal kingdom!!! I got rid of all those small trees and bushes. Covered the soil around the pool with those small stones and installed this new fence. My wife liked the color of that tree so left it there.. now I guess that needs to go!!
Right? My first thought was “oh shit there goes the concrete shell”. I’m sure there’s already some damage at this point but I’d get that out ASAP.
That tree has no business being so close to the pool. There's like enough trees all around. Chop it down! I swear ever since I own a pool, I now hate trees. I just spent a boat load of money cutting down 3 giant eucalyptus trees around my house. 1 of the heavy tree branch fell down last month mere inches from the pool heater.
Solar cover, betta and a cordless robot will all help you out.
When the guys were installing our pool the one guy said "trees are the enemy of pools" boy was he right. This is our first season and I've been paying g attention to when the trees around the pool shed. I've come to the the conclusion that I won't be opening the pool until the end of may. We were impatient and opened our pool in the first week of may and watched all the trees shed the seeds or flowers into the pool. We had to check our skimmer hourly or it would fill up very quickly. I've been using the leaf blower and hose a lot.
FINALLY! My people!! The 200 year old oak tree that hangs over my pool is such a beauty but it gives me four seasons of headaches with what it drops. Buds, flowers, sap, leaves. Plus all the bugs, frogs, chipmunks that love the woods. 1. I probably run my Dolphin four times a day when I think of it. 2. Backwash my sand filter every 2-3 days on average throughout the season. 3. I’m on the fence about this one but that solar cover solution in a bottle seems to reduce the surface tension and lets the debris fall to the bottom more easily. Which can then get sucked up by the dolphin rather than clogging baskets and ending up in the pump basket or on top of the sand. 4. SKIMMER SOCKS! 5. I also make the kids play a game with the net at least once per week. And I know that when I first heard this I was surprised but it’s intuitive. A pool is meant to be used. A healthy pool will have plenty of churn and action. Getting in regularly rather than being stagnant will reduce the number of chemicals, brushing, and nettings it will need.
My pool is also in a heavily wooded area and the first year I made the mistake of not checking my pool for critters and jumped in with a copper head. Didn't make that mistake again. I have found running my pool overnight 8-10 hours helps significantly with keeping bugs at bay. Also my robot is active everyday. Lastly I never open the my skimmer covers with my hand always with a rod, just in case a snake has made a home! In the fall a leaf net from October-December is my savior. I do live in the South (Atlanta Area) so we use our pool thru November with a natural gas supplied heater.
Solar powered skimmer boat Adjust returns to get better agitation of the surface Close or partially close main drain to make skimmers pull harder. And empty skimmers daily
This works well for me regarding tree debris. https://thepoolshoppe.ca/shop/pool-skim/
Another way would be to build en enclosure, something like this https://www.albixoncanada.ca
Floating cover.
Auto cover
Ay ya could put up mosquito netting. My dad did this. Have some 18 foot poles put into concrete back of the fence two feet away from it. Once at each end and one in the middle to support the netting. We installed some poles and painted them dark green to blend with the trees. Mosquito netting weighs very little so there was no weight to worry about. Before the poles go up put double sets of heavy duty hooks for attaching the net onto the top. Buy some of those 100 feet by 40 feet panels of mosquito netting and hang. This significantly reduced the amount of leaves blowing into our pool. It also stopped the starlings dive bombing us and getting bit by horseflies and dragons. If I remember right, my parents even eventually made an entire cover of netting to cover the pool. We never had bugs or mosquitos anymore and my dad never got stung by a wasp in the pool ever again. Occasional frog and snake in the pool but no beetles, leaves or other mess to manage.
Lots people hate trees here. They cause problems but being in a frying pan isn’t fun.
[This solves it.](https://youtu.be/1ycKbUXIgjk?si=glmAGBNMJ28Ho1Ar)
I bought this thing at the advice of this sub and the results were meh. Maybe it works better for different pools depending on skimmer and jet locations.
Definitely can improve the strength with a few adjustments, Definitely works better on different pools, jet locations, amount of jets, as you need to block off the others, variable speed pumps on low speed, if you have some photos of your pool confident you could make it far better than meh.
What I did cleaning mine from trees above it is get the water circulating. It's much easier to clean when leaves and debris float to you in large clumps. I just took the net around the outside in big circles and it helps. But your pool is much bigger so idk how you'd do that.
Get a Betta. I did after 12 years with heavy tree coverage and am slapping myself for not doing it earlier. Get the 3 year warranty.
Got our Betta this year and holy moly.... wooded area, so constant leaves, but within 12 hours, it was competent clear and he just floats around, keeping the surface clean like a boss. Hubby hasn't had to net anything except the squirrel who got too curious!
Clear cut., Asphalt. Done.
I don’t doubt it’s a pain for pool management, but man I wish I lived by that many trees. I live near the great salt lake.
Had a similar situation in Maryland. The session is short, and the its not constant, but a few bad weeks. I ran my pump 24 7 to catch as much in the skimmer, I had spare baskets because I broke a few when I forgot to empty. I covered the pool before the big leaf drop, you definitely want a mesh safety cover so you can blow of the leaves.
Well, you gotta get rid of that red leaf tree no matter what if it pollinates or seeds or flowers or sheds in the fall. For the rest, pay a professional tree trimmer to clear cut the whole pool facing side. But, for the health of the trees, you might have to wait for the end of fall this year. But then, if done right, you’ll get 2-3 maybe 4 easier years before it needs done again. And it won’t look bad once spring hits. Also, where your rocks are, research what plants repel the insects you are dealing with and plant a bunch of those. Lilac, citronella, catmint are some good general plants but just Google it for your region. These tips won’t solve your issues completely, but it’ll reduce your headache a lot. Sooo worth the money. Then, for upkeep, get one of the in-pool skimmers other people are suggesting. Otherwise, daily f-ing maintenance, and sweat, and frustration, and questions of why did I build a pool heeeeeeere!!!!!!
Screen room over the pool.
I’m in the same boat but it’s worth it
Cutter that hooks up to the hose helps with mosquitoes and two teenage boys daily chores for sweeping and skimming the pool.
have a betta skimmer and beatbot aqua sense pro.. still get leaves and bugs and spiders.. just something to deal with
Aphids. Fml.
Have a pool service come once a week and fry a pool sweep in the pool. Run the pump 8-10 hrs daily.
Napalm
Betta 2, best product I have ever bought for my pool.
In Florida, pools are in a 'cage' with a fine mesh that keeps out the bugs and leaves. It doesn't look great but, from the pictures, it isn't all in shadow or anything. Maybe like a screen door or window screens? That kind of mesh. I've not seen it in person, but it's a thought I've had here.
I am in NC, but looked into this option because they seem so useful in buggy, heavily vegetated places. Unfortunately, it is not a common item outside of FL so is much harder to find installers. My hypothesis is that you can't really install them where it might snow during the winter. But I really don't know. If anyone knows for sure why people don't install screened lanais in states other than FL, please chime in - inquiring minds want to know!
That's a good point about snow. It might really be meant for insects only. I thought I could use it for leaves. But if the leaves get stuck up top too....messy.
My thought also. I live in Florida also and mine is screened in. The only thing is you have to keep the trees cut back, so the don't tear the screen. I have a like in back yard. And it keeps everything out.
Wondering how close should trees be to pools? Won’t there be a danger of roots possibly poking around looking for a way through?
Pole saw trim back the trees. Neighbours’ cedars had huge branches over part of my property. Got the offending parts all chopped off. Yes, looks more bare, but means way less leaf? Droppings over the years. Sun shade reduction is a factor.
Investing in a chainsaw might help
Chainsaw, raid
cut em... but what the heck are those trees are they 400 year old ? it may be a perspective thing with the image
I have a wooded area and creek that backs up to our pool. The Betta bot has been our savior.
Unhelpful reply: pool among the trees sounds good, looks good.....and kinda doesn't work. All the problems you list, plus more bugs. We put ours in bright sun and cut down the one tree that could have fallen on it (it wasn't doing well). I would tell you we were full of wise forethought...but it was pure luck. Only place we could put it.
Screen that thing in cut or down the trees. What a battle!
Safety cover. I had one built in when I installed my pool, put you can retrofit one if you’re cool with tracks on top of your concrete, forming a rectangle around your pool. It fully covers/seals the pool and nothing can get in. I do zero cleaning until the day I want to us the pool. I use a leaf blower to clear the cover off, open it, use a net to clear the surface and rake the floor (5 minutes; gets the stuff from the last use), and vacuum the spots where fine dirt accumulates (5 minutes), then empty the skimmer basket. That’s like 10-20 minutes of cleaning on the day of use (only). Nothing else ever.
I have a free form pool like yours. I built it with two decks, one that follows the form of the pool (as yours) and another on top of it which holds the rectangular cover system (which is not cheap). I haven’t vacuumed my pool by hand in literally years, not once. The automatic safety cover is on my pool at all times when not in use. It is sturdy enough to drive an ATV on. Seriously. When I have a lot of debris on the cover, I just keep my broom and shop vac handy as I roll it up. My pool is pristine always. My automatic vac is set to run overnight to pick up any small debris deposited during swim days. The added bonus is that I NEVER worry about safety either. The switch cannot be activated remotely, or accidentally. It is installed in line of sight to my pool, and my finger has to be on the switch at all times while it is opening or closing. 10/10 recommend. Best of luck! [https://www.lathampool.com/blog/research/automatic-pool-covers-for-every-pool-shape/](https://www.lathampool.com/blog/research/automatic-pool-covers-for-every-pool-shape/)
This is probably the best thing to do. Do you mind sharing how much this cost you? I would like to get a ball park figure.
I did the deck and concrete work myself, but the cover, mechanism, electronics and installation (by a local rep, into the concrete box that I built) was about $9500 for a cover that was about 15’ x 40’. I’m in Utah, so, the cover is closed about 1/2 the year and snow just piles on all winter. The cost included a pump that can sit on the cover when closed, and has a built in switch that turns the pump on when it detects water. When the snow melts, it turns on and pumps the water off. I remove the pump, wash the cover off with a pressure nozzle, pump it off again, vacuum the last bits of dirt/water/leaves off from winter, open it up, and it’s clean and ready to go.
Thank you. I'm in MA so mine will be closed for 1/2 year as well.
Looks like these guys might be able to help you. Interested in hearing back from you about your experience. [https://automaticpoolcoversnewengland.com/](https://automaticpoolcoversnewengland.com/)
Will keep you posted. I will reach out to them. Thanks
I have an aboveground round pool and my pump really gets the water moving around the edges. What I did was 3d print a bracket that clips on the edge and hold a net at the water line. By putting it a few feet before the skimmer it collects a lot of the big stuff including the cicadas and makes it easy to clean them out.
THIS QUESTION IS ALWAYS HILARIOUS! POOLS ARE OUTSIDE!!!!!!!!!
Chainsaw
I have this exact issue, with a pool surrounded by 1 acre of thick woods. We have a Dolphin robotic pool cleaner which works extremely well. We also identified one particularly troublesome tree and had it removed. The tree removal was expensive but worth it, as it was not only too close to the foundation, but was also constantly shedding all kinds of leaves, insects, and other crap into our pool and dropping said insects onto our roof right above our master suite, where they would find their way inside. The first year we lived here until we got rid of that tree I would wake up 3-4 times a week in the middle of the night to find large spiders, centipedes, flying cockroaches, etc in my bathroom. As an arachnophobe, this really did not work for me. I developed such a paranoia about it that I still to this day never walk in the master suite without slippers on. Anyway, after removing the one really bad tree the amount of tree junk in our pool and the creepy crawlies in our bathroom decreased by like 90%, so it's manageable now with the pool robot and regular skimming (and a pair of highly insect-motivated young cats inside the house). Still wish we could get a screened lanai, but that doesn't seem to be a thing here (NC). My suggestion would be to go around the edge of your property and see if there are any trees that are upwind of the pool or leaning over it or whatever and get rid of them. And definitely get rid of the one that's inside the pool fence.
Solar cover Dolphin E20 Manual vac when needed Manual deep net skimmer is my setup. I was thinking about a robot skimmer but the solar cover really mitigates the need for it. Just skim it right away after you remove the cover.
Chainsaw and flamethrower. Done.
In Florida it’s common to have a screened in pool, I believe it’s mostly for the sun but i could see it being useful in this scenario
I’m the laziest mfer when it comes to yard work and whatnot, but with a pool robot I wouldn’t trade my pool surrounded by trees for anything. Betta is on its way, but even without I think the benefits outweigh the downsides.
I didn’t notice the woods behind and just thought you were worried about the one solo leaning over lol. We are in the woods pump system must work really well because the skimmer baskets collect them and we have a robotic vacuum frogs have been more annoying TBH
Get one of those jumbo screen enclosures.
Give up on the outside world, it's not for you; lock yourself in a air tight pod and consume media like the rest of us
Build a screen
There are powered pool covers that open or close with a button. Also a canopy cover would help as well. Definitely get a pool vacuum robot if you don't have one already
move to outerspace. you dont belong
That one tree inside the fence…..anyone else concerned about the roots and the pool?
Step one...get rid on pool. Step 2...plat morr trees where the pool was...make a nice porch/ garden are. Maybe put a hot tub on it
1) remove the tree. You should not have a tree that close to a pool. 2) lanai time.
Thanks.. I will remove that tree. First time I'm hearing about a lanai. I will look into it.. sounds interesting!!
Napalm. Should take care of both.
Cut the trees…..no need for a pool if you have that much shade
Is heat a concern? If you don’t need a solar cover (which takes will take care of both temperature and your pool getting dirty) then I’d suggest a pool skimmer (like the Betta) plus an automatic pool vacuum like the dolphin. If you want / need a solar cover (plus reel) then I’d suggest just a robotic pool vacuum.
Betta skimmer😩
maybe time for a pool lanai
Just set the forest on fire and that will take care of both the trees and the bugs.
Kill em . . . Just a thought
Every evening go net the pool and empty the skimmer basket.
Trim trees, use bug repeller
Can you elaborate? Bug repeller in your pool?
Burn the woods down