Three Three Factors Factors for for Improving Improving Water Water Quality Quality By:By: Matt Matt Larose, Larose, BioSafe BioSafe Technical Technical Representative Representative
thatthat ecosystem. ecosystem. Even Even a slight a slight change change cancan result result in huge in huge consequences. consequences. Nutrients Nutrients come come from from several several different different sources, sources, most most from from dead dead organic organic material material (leaves, (leaves, dead dead plants, plants, dead dead algae) algae) andand from from fishfish waste, waste, uneaten uneaten fishfish food food andand lawn lawn fertilizer fertilizer run-off run-off after after rain.rain. If you If you findfind yourself yourself in ainnever-ending a never-ending battle battle withwith algae algae chances chances are are oneone of these of these variables variables mentioned mentioned are are out out of balance. of balance. Keep Keep your your water water feature feature as pristine as pristine as possible. as possible. Do Do regular regular “clean-outs” “clean-outs” when when the the seasons seasons change. change. Remove Remove Sunlight, Sunlight, warm warm temperatures temperatures andand nutrients nutrients cancan combine combine leaves, leaves, muck muck andand other other organic organic debris debris thatthat collect collect at the at the to form to form thethe “perfect “perfect storm” storm” of algae of algae andand clarity clarity issues. issues. bottom. bottom. AlsoAlso remove remove algae algae thatthat builds builds up and up and getsgets stuck stuck ® ® onto onto rocks rocks andand the the side/bottom side/bottom of the of the pond. pond. GreenClean GreenClean ® FX®Liquid FX Liquid Algaecide Algaecide are are ideal. ideal. Both Both Granular or GreenClean or GreenClean Instead Instead of enjoying of enjoying youryour beautiful beautiful water water feature, feature, youyou maymay endend Granular organic organic andand safesafe for for fishfish andand plants. plants. Make Make preemptive preemptive up spending up spending justjust as much as much timetime trying trying to keep to keep water water clear. clear. TheThe are are treatments using using smaller smaller doses doses once once or twice or twice a week a week leading leading bestbest wayway to keep to keep water water looking looking pristine pristine is toisunderstand to understand the the treatments up to upthose to those times times when when algae algae is normally is normally an issue. an issue. variables variables thatthat influence influence certain certain conditions. conditions. TheThe firstfirst is sunlight. is sunlight. All living All living organisms, organisms, especially especially plants plants andand algae, algae, need need sunlight sunlight to survive to survive andand grow. grow. Even Even if your if your pond pond is considerably is considerably shaded, shaded, algae algae cancan stillstill grow grow andand reproduce, reproduce, even even rapidly rapidly at times. at times.
If you If you keep keep fishfish in your in your pond, pond, a good a good rulerule of thumb of thumb is 10 is 10 gallons gallons of water of water for for every every inchinch in length in length of fish. of fish. If you If you getget younger younger fish,fish, theythey will will grow grow quickly! quickly! YouYou should should have have an an aerator aerator or aorwaterfall a waterfall to provide to provide circulation circulation andand to add to add oxygen oxygen intointo the the water. water.
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GreenClean GreenClean Granular Granular Algaecide Algaecide breaks breaks down down algae algae on contact; on contact; youyou cancan seesee it working! it working! It kills It kills string string algae algae in ponds in ponds andand on waterfalls, on waterfalls, streams streams andand rocks. rocks.
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Temperature Temperature naturally naturally TheThe second second variable variable is temperature. is temperature. Using beneficial beneficial bacteria bacteria is very is very important important for water for water quality. quality. encourages encourages growth growth andand increases increases aquatic aquatic life life activity. activity. Once Once Using Beneficial bacteria bacteria are are essential essential for consuming for consuming organic organic debris debris temperature temperature raises, raises, algae algae andand bacteria bacteria come come outout of dormancy of dormancyBeneficial (leaves, muck, muck, fishfish waste) waste) andand keeping keeping a balanced a balanced ecosystem. ecosystem. andand begin begin growing. growing. A good A good threshold threshold for water for water temperature temperature is is(leaves, Beneficial bacteria bacteria occur occur naturally naturally in water, in water, butbut it’s recomit’s recom50º50º F. Warmer F. Warmer water water does does notnot holdhold as much as much oxygen oxygen as cooler as coolerBeneficial mended mended to periodically to periodically “boost” “boost” theirtheir numbers. numbers. ThisThis cancan be be water water andand cancan be concerning be concerning if algae if algae begins. begins. ® or®GreenClean or GreenClean done done withwith GreenClean GreenClean Liquid Liquid Bacteria Bacteria ® . ®. Bacteria Tablets Tablets Last, Last, butbut most most important, important, is nutrients. is nutrients. Nutrients Nutrients are are almost almostBacteria always always the the culprit culprit when when it comes it comes to water to water issues. issues. In aInnatural a natural more more information information on aoncomplete a complete pond pond program, program, pond, pond, there there is aisbalanced a balanced ecosystem ecosystem thatthat cancan keep keep itself itself in in ForFor BioSafe BioSafe at 1.888.273.3088. at 1.888.273.3088. check. check. With With backyard backyard water water features, features, you’re you’re shrinking shrinking down down callcall