String Algae

Filamentous Weed Control (String Algae)

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Current treatments:

String algae is a complexly structured plant which is resilient to mechanical, chemical, algaecide because it reproduces by fragments, spores and cell division. Most of the effective treatments to date are inert dyes and biological control, which are both limited. Dies are limited to only reducing sunlight. Current biological controls whilst most effective are limited to not being able to maintain the health of probiotic bacterial groups within a natural ecosystem.

 

Why is Filamentous Weed So Good at taking Over a Water Body? Through Phosphate Manipulation...

 

The high success of string algae comes about because of its ability to be able to fluctuate phosphate levels. In high levels of phosphate concentration string algae becomes dominant due to the phosphate itself becoming a nitrification inhibitor, limiting the production of biological nitrate as nitrogen, essential food for microalgae and diatoms. Without the competition of microalgae and diatoms, string algae rapidly become the dominant species within the water system.

 

In normal phosphate conditions string algae layers an algal mat on the bottom of the lake where through a process known as luxury consumption it absorbs and stores the lakes available phosphate within this algal mat. This leaves the water with no phosphate, stopping all microalgae and diatom growth. Once all competition has been depleted string algae releases 100% of this stored phosphate allowing for rapid growth into the water system it is infecting.

 

• Low to no phosphate levels are growth limiting for microalgae and diatoms

• High phosphate levels are a nitrification inhibitor; no biological nitrate as energy for microalgae and diatoms

 

Limiting string algae outbreaks:

TWC maintains the health of bacterial groups within the water system. In high levels of phosphate, TWC resets the biological nitrate production allowing microalgae and diatoms to compete, reducing string algae outbreaks. In low phosphate levels, TWC is a carbon source need by beneficial bacteria that produce phosphatase enzymes needed to dissolve organic phosphate to become biologically available phosphorus. This process also releases the string algae’s phosphate reserve back to the environment restricting the outbreak and enhancing microalgae and diatom development.

 

Fixing current string algae outbreaks:

We have developed a three-stage approach of fixing outbreaks naturally. This process involves block placement to enhance the natural bacterial community. Adding of organic oil digestive bacteria to remove critical energy reserves and making the common unavailable minerals to their available form for microorganisms. This three stage approach kills the outbreak within four weeks and visually removes it within eight weeks.