The Stewards of Water Blog

Welcome Cory Smith

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 12:49:42 Z

SePRO is pleased to welcome Cory Smith as Technical Specialist, Aquatics in the Mid-South.

Cory will begin his career with SePRO on September 15, 2020 in support of customers and water resource management programs in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Cory brings 20 years of experience as a technician, project lead, and manager of aquatic resource and business management programs. He started his aquatic career in Texas working for a lake management company and most recently led sales and marketing for a hunting and fishing accessories business. His passion remains aquatics and he looks forward to helping customers do what he has done his whole life, protect, preserve, and restore water.

“Cory’s regional knowledge, expertise in aquatics, business skills and positive attitude will provide our customers a valuable resource in advancing their management programs”, said Shaun Hyde, Director of Aquatics at SePRO.

Cory is a native Texan who enjoys fishing, hunting, wildlife photography, and spending time with family and friends.

Welcome Wendi Nance

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 12:08:14 Z

SePRO is pleased to Welcome Wendi Nance as Technical Specialist in South Florida.

Wendi will begin her career with SePRO on August 11, 2020 and team with Dr. Rory Roten in support of aquatic customers throughout Florida.

Wendi graduated from the University of South Florida with a BS in Environmental Science and Policy. She has 17 years of experience as an environmental professional. Wendi’s experience the past 7 years has focused on technical sales support of aquatic plant, algae, water quality and wetland management.

“Wendi’s experience in Environmental Consulting, Water Resource Mitigation, Ecosystem Restoration and Account Management will provide our customers a valuable resource in advancing their management programs”, said Shaun Hyde, Eastern Region Manager. Wendi is a Florida native, enjoys gardening, cooking, the outdoors, and spending time with family.

Algae Corner: Toxic, Noxious, and Smelly Algae (Part 2)

Mon, 09 Jul 2018 17:59:45 Z

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Algae Corner: Toxic, Noxious, and Smelly Algae (Part 1)

Mon, 09 Jul 2018 17:00:55 Z

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Learn more about SePRO's DIY & homeowner solutions for algae management

Algae Corner: The Problem With Phosphorus

Sun, 20 May 2018 19:59:34 Z

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Learn more about SePRO's DIY & homeowner solutions for algae management

Algae Corner: The Power of Peroxide with PAK 27

Sun, 20 May 2018 19:35:59 Z

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Learn more about SePRO's DIY & homeowner solutions for algae management

Algae Corner: Controlling Algae and Improving Water Quality with SeClear

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:45:14 Z

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Good day, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Dr. West Bishop with SePRO Corporation, and welcome back to the Algae Corner!

Today's episode is on SeClear Algaecide and Water Quality Enhancer. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about nuisance types of algae: filamentous, plant-like, and macroalgae, but today we actually get into different solutions for them. SePRO has a solution for all your algal management control needs, but today we're specifically focused on SeClear.

A Two-In-One Product

As an overview, SeClear is the only EPA-approved algaecide and water quality enhancer. Think of this as a two-in-one product. Not only does it kill and control the nuisance algae, but it can actually improve and restore water quality with each application. It can take out a little bit of phosphorus, for example, every time you use it. When used in a program approach, it changes the game by reducing nutrient availability.

Multiple Uses on a Variety of Sites

Water treated with SeClear can be used for almost anything. Drinking, swimming, fishing, watering livestock, irrigation. There are no use restrictions on the label. SeClear is ANSI/NSF Standard 60 certified, meaning it can be used in drinking water up to the maximum label rate. So there are very broad uses with SeClear and you can apply it to a lot of different types of water resources.

A lab demonstration before treatment with SeClear

A lab demonstration after treatment with SeClear

In the lab, we can see how SeClear not only quickly binds to algae and controls it, but also rapidly removes it from the water column. This is very important when it comes to toxins, taste and odor compounds, and other nasty things housed inside the algae. You want to control the algae, but you also want to get them out of the water column quickly. This is very important for rapid control, but also in situations like drinking water treatment to remove those nasty compounds from the water resource.

Seeing is Believing

Field results with SeClear are pretty powerful. They can happen quite rapidly as well. In this instance, we’re looking at a cyanobacterium in a drinking water reservoir. There was rapid improvement in water quality and clarity following the SeClear application.

Through detailed studies of SeClear, we can see how powerful it is as an algaecide. Not only will it control nuisance and toxin-producing types of algae, but it will also allow for regrowth of beneficial types. Better types of algae, like green algae, can come back, which can move up the food chain while staying at lower densities.

Copper sulfate, on the other hand, can have a little impact on some of those nuisance algae. However, it rapidly regrows. You often fall in the cycle of needing more copper with copper sulfate, as opposed to SeClear. Because copper sulfate isn’t doing anything to address the nutrients, it's not taking out any of the phosphorus.

With more applications in a routine program approach with SeClear, you're getting more phosphorus out of the water column through time. Overall, this changes your system for the better, and it actually causes you to need less copper over time.

Effective on a Broad Range of Algae

SeClear can control almost all types of algae. It’s very good on planktonic forms, especially cyanobacteria, the blue-green algae we talked about. They can be the toxin and taste and odor producers in drinking water. SeClear works great on those nasty scum-forming types that you don't want in your system, both proactively and reactively. It also works well in some of those thick, green algal mats that impede your ability to fish and swim in the water, and it can work very well on benthic macroalgae.

Flexibility in Formulations

There is a granular version of SeClear, SeClear G, that can target benthic mats of both filamentous and macroalgae much better.

Summary

To review, SeClear is the only EPA-approved algaecide and water quality enhancer. Think of this as two products in one. It removes phosphorus with each application. It can both control and remove algae from the water column rapidly. Using SeClear can select for good types of algae and allow them to move up the food chain to grow bigger bass, as well.

Algae Corner: Controlling Tough Algae with Captain XTR

Fri, 06 Apr 2018 17:01:30 Z

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Welcome back to the Algae Corner with me, Dr. West Bishop! We have a very exciting episode today. I’m going to cover how copper formulations differ. We're going to focus in on one formulation in particular, and how we designed it to act differently, to act better than any other formulation for controlling tough nuisance algae.

Copper Tolerance in Algal Cells

To start, some algae have mechanisms to tolerate copper, making them tougher to control. This algal defense methodology is primarily by excluding copper from entering the cell. So if they keep it external, it can't get inside, and that's where copper really needs to get to have the most impact.

One of these defense mechanisms to keep copper external is thick mucilage. This provides a barrier to copper, not allowing it to penetrate into the cell. Thick mat-forming algae have a harder time allowing copper to move through and pass through it. Large colonies of cells may protect each other. The inner cells may not be exposed to copper, whereas outer cells may be.

Macroalgae can have calcium carbonate built up, making it harder for copper to do its job. There’s also a lot of algae with attached periphyton, different algae or bacteria outside of it, which will bind up the copper and keep it from controlling the target nuisance algae.

Advantage in Formulation Differences

So, how do we get around copper tolerance mechanisms? That is where this specific formulation comes into play. You'll see that different copper formulations can greatly influence how copper interacts with algae, especially these tough, nuisance algae with defense mechanisms. For example, historic copper sulfate will just bind externally to the cell and has a harder time getting into the cell where it needs to be, where it gets the most efficiency out of copper use.

With Captain XTR, we designed it to act differently. We designed it to actually penetrate the cell and bypass these defense mechanisms. This way, it can get into the cell and control it from the inside out. This concept is what I've coined as INFUSION. Think of this as the ability of that copper to passively move through the cell wall, the cell membrane, all these defense mechanisms, and get inside the cell to control it from the inside out.

What Makes Captain XTR Unique

How did we create Captain XTR? First, it's a chelated copper. That's very important because it's designed to not interact with different water chemistries. A lot of copper, like copper sulfate, may bind with things in the water column. For example, it can bind with carbonates, rendering it non-available to the algae. Chelated copper is around more, it's able to find the algae, and it's less interactive with different interfering factors such as water quality parameters.

Additionally, we have built in multiple surfactants and emulsifiers in the formulation, something that can only be done under a controlled environment. And they work very well with the chelated copper. The penetrants in this emulsifier package, what we call SP9000, are able to pass these barriers: the mucilage, the external bacteria, those thick mats. So by getting directly into the cells, you get better control of these thick nuisance algae infestations.

Lyngbya specimen before Captain XTR application

Lyngbya specimen after Captain XTR application (15-30 seconds)

Captain XTR does a great job of getting into and through one of the toughest, thick filamentous algae out there, and that's lyngbya. We've talked about it already, but this is a nasty toxin and taste and odor producer. It’s a big, thick, filamentous blue-green species. Algal mats often appear sort of blackish in color. Under the microscope, we can actually see Captain XTR penetrating through the sheath, getting into the cells, and then moving throughout the lyngbya. So not only can Captain XTR get into the filament, but it can move through it, controlling all of those cells, and then moving through those big thick mats in order to get control.

Fast-Acting Control

Many people who use Captain XTR say they see the algae dying rapidly. Within a matter of minutes to hours after applying Captain XTR, they can see impacts to the algae. For example, a pond full of nuisance algae won’t stand a chance after one of these applications. Another case is this stormwater pond full of thick, filamentous, nuisance algae. And again, a couple weeks after applying Captain XTR it cleared up. You can take out a lot of those thick, nuisance, mat formers following a single application of XTR.

In another field site, they actually tried a number of different products, including other copper products, even other chelated copper products, and they just weren't able to get control. Getting on the Captain XTR program, they were able to clean up this field site where other copper products simply couldn't get control. Again, that is a function of formulation differences.

Useful in a Variety of Sites

Captain XTR is widely used in canal systems. This is applied to canals with flowing water, and it’s able to keep that water moving for irrigation uses or for flood control. Captain XTR has many usages in these canal systems and can keep those thick, mat forming algae or macro-algae down in the canals and able to keep those waters moving.

In fact, Captain XTR is approved for use in a variety of sites. Ponds, lakes, canals, drinking water reservoirs, and even chemigation systems. If you have trouble with your irrigation heads clogging on the golf course, for example, or when irrigating fruits and vegetables, you may have algae in your source water. Captain XTR can be put right through this system with no irrigation risk to the crops you're planting.

Summary

Captain XTR is the strongest and most broad-spectrum algaecide currently on the market. It is the ultimate INFUSION technology. It gets more copper into those thick mats, bypassing the mucilage and defense structures in algal colonies to get better control. It can control most types of algae, especially those tough, nuisance ones. It's a unique, stable formulation that we have patented, and it has chelated copper with added emulsifiers and surfactants.

So if you are dealing with a tough, thick, nasty algae site and you don't know where to begin, Captain XTR should be your go-to product.

Algae Corner: SePRO Solutions for Algae Control

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 17:56:51 Z

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Algae Corner: How to Identify Different Algae Types

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 17:56:27 Z

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Welcome back to the Algae Corner with me, Dr. West Bishop! We have a fun and exciting episode today talking about how to identify algae. Now, identification is very difficult for most species; especially in a field site.

You probably have many different types of algae present in your pond or your water body, although only one or two may be the real culprit of some of the issues you've seen. What we're going to do today is home in on some of the characteristics that can help us identify various algae species.

Category: Planktonic, Filamentous, or Macroalgae

One of the key things is first describing the type or category that it fits into. It could be planktonic, distributed through the water column, giving a color to the water. It could be filamentous, which are generally mat-like entanglements that show up on the bottom or the surface of the water. Or it could be plant-like macro algae, which grow up from the bottom of the system. They're often confused with aquatic macrophytes, but these are actually a group of algae that we'll talk about.

Filamentous (mat-forming) algae

Plant-like macroalgae

Coloration

Another important diagnostic clue could be looking at the coloration of the algae. Different algae contain different pigments in them for attaining sunlight, attaining energy through use of the sun's rays. One of the common types is green algae. There’s also blue-green algae, red algae, and even gold algae. So there are many different types of algae and they can have many different pigments that make them appear the way they are.

The first group I want to talk about are the green algae. Green algae contain primarily chlorophyll A and B. This reflects that green color. This makes them look either a bright or a dull green in nature and these are all over the board. These can be very small, planktonic and microscopic forms, or they can be thick large mats, and can even include macro algae as well.

The next group are the blue-green algae; also known as cyanobacteria. These contain the pigment phycocyanin, so this is a blue-green pigment. As opposed to just the chlorophyll, they also have this other pigment that makes them appear a darker green, sometimes even black in color with this darker blue-green pigment.

Another group of algae known as diatoms are really neat organisms. They often appear goldish, gray, or yellow-green in color. That's because they have a pigment called fucoxanthin. And diatoms, interestingly, often look like little pieces of glass because they have silica in their cell wall. They’re a very common group and they may cause your water to look turbid or brown in color, but it’s not always as bad as the other types.

So understanding the color of the algae can also help us narrow down what type of algae is in your system or the group of algae we're dealing with.

Identifying Algae Based on Feel

Another way to determine the type of algae you have is getting down and dirty. By feeling the algae, actually getting in there and grabbing it and smelling it. Now be careful, as some algae are indeed slimy, and some have bacteria with them. Some even produce nasty toxins that can cause skin rashes. So be careful, and wash your hands after you handle algae. But there are many types that you may be able to identify just by going out and touching them.

The first type is pithophora. It’s a green filamentous algae. And you can grab it, you can squeeze it out. It almost looks like a cotton ball. This is also known as cotton algae or horsehair algae. It does have little frills that come off of it, meaning it's branched. And often you can see little tiny dark specks. Those are the akinetes or the resting stage cells. Cladophora is very similar to this species as well.

Another common type you may see in the field is spirogyra. Spirogyra is more of a bright green filamentous algae. It’s more slick feeling. You can squeeze it out but it's still slimy and slick. It's often called silk algae because it is a little more slick, and not as cottony feeling like pithophora.

Another algae that you may run into are these thick, black filamentous mats. Lyngbya is a filamentous cyanobacterium, often dark in color. It can grow way down in the sediments and appear almost black in nature sometimes. And this does smell bad, too. This produces some taste and odor compounds called MIB and geosmin, making it smell dirty and fishy. This can be a potential toxin producer, so be sure to wash your hands after you touch it.

Yet another common type of algae you may be able to identify just by grabbing it and looking at it is chara. This is a type of macroalgae. It often grows up from the bottom of the pond like a macrophyte or a land plant, but this is truly a type of algae. It doesn't have any true root stems or leaves. If you get in and smell this one, it typically smells like a skunk or garlic. Some people describe it as muskgrass.

The last one I want to cover today is this blue-green algae color. These are actually cyanobacteria, and they’re very difficult to grab. They can form scums or just be distributed through the water column. But these are cyanobacteria, and diagnostic of those types of algae. And most of those are potential toxin or taste and odor producers. Even though you may not be able to grab them, they often form this color or scums on the surface.

Summary

This is just a quick overview of a handful of common algal species you may be able to identify if you actually get down and dirty and grab them. Although we looked at a few different diagnostic species today, we didn't nearly cover the 30,000 species that are documented and known. It is very difficult to tell without the use of specialized laboratory equipment what type of algae you may have.

Some of the planktonic algae are extremely small, and they require a microscope for correct identification. And it is important to keep an eye on even these planktonic types, because some are good for your system, while others are very bad, and certainly can be toxin producers as well.

So specific algae identification can be difficult in the field, but there are some diagnostic clues that we covered, such as appearance, the broad categories, their coloration, and what they feel and smell like.

But if you need more help, if you want to send in a sample, SePRO does offer an algae identification kit. You can send in a sample. We'll look at it under the microscope and give you a report telling you what types you have and whether or not they're a problem. This will help to decide whether or not you need to think about management of those species. It's as simple as sending us a sample and seeing if your water's safe.

For more information about algae identification or potential management solutions, come get ahold of us. We're happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you for your time today and thanks for tuning into the Algae Corner!

Algae Corner: Where Do Algae Come From?

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 17:54:47 Z

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Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back to the Algae Corner with me, Dr. West Bishop! In today's episode, we're going to talk about the various ways you can get algae in your system. More specifically, we’ll look at why and how algae can appear in your pond.

As we've already discussed, algae is almost everywhere. It grows everywhere, and there has likely been algae in your pond shortly after it was formed. However, usually we can see different factors that promote its presence and dominance.

Unique Modes of Transportation

Algae get around in unique and very different ways. For example, humans move algae around quite a bit (whether they know it or not). Certain types of algae move around as a result of all sorts of human activities. For example, boats, jetskis, and snorkeling equipment can all have small algae on them. Algae spores or algal cells can dry on them and move from water body to water body. Fishing equipment like waders, fishing poles, and lures can move algae from one water body to the next.

But it's not just humans. Many animals can have a play in moving algae around. Animals can transport algae directly or indirectly to different bodies of water. Turtles, for example, can play host to algae that grow on their shell. Fish can eat and excrete algae in different areas of a pond. There's algae that grow attached to different animals, like muskrats, beavers, and alligators.

However, of the worst culprits is waterfowl, like geese. Algae can stick on their feathers, fur, and feet. To make matters worse, algae can actually pass through the guts of waterfowl. Some algae are designed to be tougher, to have protective defenses against the intestinal systems of waterfowl. As a result, these algae can pass right through and get excreted out into new bodies of water where those waterfowl are flying and landing. There have been documented cases of algae moving thousands of miles with migration of some of these waterfowl in particular.

Algae can also get around without the help of animals or humans. Many algae have spores or cells that can arise into the atmosphere, into the air around us. One group of scientists went up 500 feet into the air and collected a sample, put some water and nutrients in it, and that sample started to grow many types of algae. Just through the wind, with algal cells moving in the air, many types of algae can migrate. Those can settle in different bodies of water and grow. For example, you've probably seen algae growing in your swimming pool or birdbath, or even just a cup of water that was left outside for too long. These likely originated from the atmosphere, from the air, and dropped down into that water and started growing.

Seasonal Growth Patterns

As with most everything, there's a seasonality to algae. Different times of year, you may have different algal types. Just because you recently started to see one type of algae doesn't mean it wasn't there before. It didn’t necessarily just arrive in your water body. Changing conditions may have allowed it to become problematic, or grow to densities that made it visible or reach nuisance levels.

Water quality, for example, is one of these key factors. Nutrient levels can contribute to this growth, whether you had fertilizer runoff or other changes in the nutrients these algae need to grow. As a result, a type of algae you might not have seen before can start to grow, producing nuisance levels, with higher density in biomass. Temperature contributes to seasonality in algae growth. Some algae like cool springtime conditions, while others like warm conditions later in the season. As a result of all of this, different algae may dominate at different times of year.

Preventing Unwanted Growth

How do you prevent algal growth in your water? The short answer is, there's no 100% effective way to do that. It's very difficult to prevent birds from coming in or keep spores or cells from dropping down into your system. But there are some proactive things you can do to try to keep algae from getting into your water body. For example, if you fish frequently, don't dump your bait buckets in the water. Wash your boat before you take it from one water body to another. Wash off your waders. Try to keep geese, swans, and ducks out of your water body as they can carry a lot of algae.

When it comes to preventing algae growth from getting out of hand, or growing some of the nuisance, noxious types of algae (which we'll talk about in the future), nutrients are very important. Anything you can do to use less fertilizer will help with this. Try to decrease leaves and grass clippings from entering your pond. When you decrease that nutrient pool in your system, it can certainly limit the growth of some of these algae.

Some algae are good for your pond. Some can produce oxygen, and others can move up the food chain to help grow big bass. But the thick mat-formers and scum-formers, and even beneficial algae in increased densities, can cause dissolved oxygen issues. Keep an eye on the types of algae you have and how dense they're getting, as many types aren't good for a system. They don't move up the food chain, and actually can be potential toxin-producers that pose risks to humans, pets, livestock, and the fish and invertebrates in your system.

Summary

In today's episode, we summarized the causes and sources for many types of algae, and where they come from. We also covered how they get around, and briefly summarized some of those factors that may cause them to get out of hand. Thank you for your time today, and thanks for checking out this episode of the Algae Corner!

Algae Corner: Growth Factors & Seasonality

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 17:54:32 Z

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Welcome back to the Algae Corner! Today we're going to cover changes to types of algae in water over time. This is called succession. We’re going to delve into some of the primary factors that may govern the type of algae you have at a given point in time in your water.

Factors like light, temperature, mixing, nutrients/nutrient ratios, and many other water chemistries can all impact the types of algae you have and the densities they can achieve. It’s very difficult to predict what type of algae you're going to have, especially for a certain point in time, as all these variables can interact with each other. But in today’s episode, we’ll look at a broad overview of algal types in water bodies and what may impact their presence and dominance at different times of year.

Changes in Nutrients

Nutrients that impact algae growth may come from many different sources. Large flushes of nutrients may enter water bodies from fertilized fields, such as golf courses, agricultural lands, or lawns that have been fertilized. That fertilizer can run off into a water resource. Faulty septic systems can also be a large contributor to nutrients into lakes.

There are also many natural sources of nutrients, such as leaves, grass, and wildlife excretion. Geese can produce a lot of waste, and therefore can contribute a lot of nutrients. But even waste from domestic pets, like dogs, can end up into a water resource and contribute a lot to nutrient buildup.

Storm water management is also very important. Any time there are nutrients external from the water body that may enter it, it’s important to try and keep them out. However, these nutrients often accumulate in these systems, building up through time, and can eventually wreak havoc.

This process, the accumulation of nutrients in a water resource, is called eutrophication. This is the aging process, the natural process of nutrients coming into a system and supporting more growth.

Human activities have greatly impacted this process, greatly accelerating the eutrophication process, and we're certainly seeing the ramifications of that in nuisance and noxious algal blooms. So even if you're able to offset all these nutrients coming into a water resource, there's already enough built up in many systems to support nuisance algae moving forward.

Nutrient Management May Not Suffice

With the buildup of nutrients, simply trying to manage external sources may not support the changes in water quality that you want to see in your site. Nutrients in those sediments are very critical to nuisance algae ecology. These can be more available different times of year. In summertime, for example, under hot, stratified conditions, nutrients may get released from the sediments.

Cyanobacteria, those nuisance, noxious organisms that can produce toxins, can access these. They can move up and down in the water column. They can get down near the sediment water interface and access some of these nutrients that have accumulated in the water resource. They can uptake them, and they can use them to grow.

So, again, offsetting nutrients is important, but certainly doesn't mean you won't have any algae, and certainly doesn't mean you won't have these nuisance or noxious types of algae.

Nitrogen and Algae Growth

Atmospheric nitrogen is 78% of the air we breathe. Cyanobacteria can harness that and use that. They have specialized cells that can break nitrogen into forms and use it in their building blocks. It took humans a long time to figure out how to do this very energy-expensive process, but cyanobacteria have it mastered. So it's very difficult to make nitrogen limiting to cyanobacteria.

Even though nutrients are very important in shaping the types of algae you have, there are certainly many algae that grow in low-nutrient environments. Even bad cyanobacteria blooms can happen in low-nutrient environments because of their unique acquisition strategies to access nitrogen and even phosphorous buildup on the bottom of a system. So keep an eye on nutrient levels and sources, but also realize that they can be tricky in deciding what type of algae you may or may not have.

Temperature as a Growth Factor

Some algae prefer cold temperatures. You'll only find them in cold temperatures, and they dominate in these lower-temperature environments. These can be algae types like diatoms. For the most part, diatoms are good for a system. There are many green algae that prefer cooler temperatures as well. There are even algae that grow on snow or bloom under the ice.

However, other algae, like cyanobacteria, often prefer hot temperatures. They dominate in these hot conditions. They have a very high growth optima for temperature. They do grow in a lot of other environments, but in general, in these hot, warm conditions, cyanobacteria is the dominant algae. That could be independent of nutrients and nutrient types.

However, just because you’re experiencing hot or cold temperatures doesn't mean you have one specific type of algae. Typically, the populations are more diverse in cooler environments. They don't get as dense, but in cold environments you may have more types of algae. In warmer environments, you may instead see one or two types of noxious cyanobacteria, for example, that dominate and can achieve much higher densities.

Light Intensity as a Growth Factor

Light intensity often correlates with temperatures, but it can impact algae in different ways. More light often fuels more algal growth, but too much can actually hurt algae. For example, ultraviolet light, or UV rays, may negatively impact some types of algae, like diatoms. They have a hard time dealing with those types.

Cyanobacteria, however, actually have some sunscreen built right in. They have pigments in their mucilage called scytonemin that protect them from these harmful UV rays. They also have microsporum like amino acids built right into their cell walls to help protect them from UV light. This is actually similar to what we use in sunscreen to keep our skin safe.

So, as you get later into the season and experience higher light intensities, some cyanobacteria may dominate. This UV light can impact other algae greatly, whereas cyanobacteria are able to withstand it.

The Seasonal Lifecycle of Algae

There are likely algal spores or reproductive structures already in your system, especially if you've had historic blooms. Common summertime algae may overwinter in the sediments. They have these specialized resting stage cells called akinetes, that allow them to withstand some of the cold, harsh environmental conditions, but when temperatures warm up, when the light intensity improves, these can bloom. These can pop out and form some of those summertime blooms that you typically see.

When things cool back down again, or conditions get unfavorable, they may go back into those protective resting stage cells in the sediments, and then, again, pop up next year when things get more conducive for their growth.

Mixing of Water and Selection for Algae Types

Another factor we need to discuss that can impact algae’s ability to dominate your system is the mixing of water. Mixing can occur naturally through the wind, or through fish stirring up the water. It can also occur artificially. Subsurface aeration systems, fountains, or other mixing systems are often added to a water body or pond for many good reasons.

Mixing can have benefits, like adding more dissolved oxygen to the water, but it can also impact the algal assemblage in many different ways. Some algae, like diatoms, prefer being mixed up. They have a silica outer wall which makes them very heavy, and they tend to sink. By mixing them up, it gets them in the photic zone, they tend to dominate the algal assemblage more, and this could be very beneficial for your system. Mixing also adds dissolved carbon dioxide to the water, and this is a form of carbon that diatoms need to grow. Other algae can use it too, but diatoms prefer this form. So again, mixing can help select for these more beneficial algae in many scenarios.

Conversely, mixing may select away from cyanobacteria, those toxic, scum-forming species. These types have gas vesicles that they use to adjust their buoyancy, and if you mix them up, they get confused, so they have a harder time popping up and forming those scums in a highly mixed environment. Also, bringing up this cooler, deeper water often lowers the temperature of the water. We know those cyanobacteria don't do quite as well in the cooler temperatures, whereas the diatoms and some green algae actually like the cooler temperatures. So by mixing, you may indeed keep that overall water temperature lower, prevent stratification of the upper layers, which may warm faster, and thereby offset some of those cyanobacteria from dominating in the system.

Mixing can also add oxygen to the water. Keeping oxygen near the sediment water interface may keep some of the nutrients bound up in non-bioavailable forms, and not be re-released out of the sediments, out of those legacy stores, where nuisance algae can go down and get them.

So mixing is important, and mixing may be beneficial. But unfortunately, in warmer conditions, mixing may also select for some nuisance types of cyanobacteria. There are some planktonic cyanobacteria like cylindrospermopsis and planktolyngbya pseudanabaena that like being mixed up. They can scavenge phosphorous and nutrients, use available nitrogen, and actually do better in mixed conditions. So be careful: There are some generalizations about mixing and selecting away from cyanobacteria, but there are many cyanobacteria that may enjoy these conditions and certainly may still dominate

Summary

So to recap, there are many factors that impact the types of algae in your system and how that may change throughout a season. Either over years, through natural aging, or even over decades, these types of algae can change. The factors are complex, they're interactive, and there are many factors governing the algal assemblage at a given point in time.

Nutrients, nutrient ratios, temperatures, and mixing are some of the primary factors we discussed today, but there are certainly others. Be sure to keep a close eye on your lake or pond, as things are constantly changing. Contact us if you want to learn more about addressing nutrients that have built up in your system or look at options for directly controlling nuisance algae.

Algae Corner: What are Algae?

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 17:52:16 Z

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Welcome to the Algae Corner with me, Dr. West Bishop!

In today's episode we're going to talk about what algae are, exactly. More specifically, how would we define them? How many types are there? Are they good, or bad?

A Diverse Group of Organisms

Microscopic planktonic algae in a beaker

Large ocean kelp can span hundreds of feet underwater

Algae span from single-celled planktonic small organisms that you have to use a microscope to see, to large ocean kelps that can be 300 feet long.

The definition of algae is quite a broad term. In general, it means organisms with no true roots, stems or leaves, and organisms that are mostly photoautotrophic. This means they acquire their energy from the sun through use of photosynthetic pigments.

Now, chlorophyll A is a common photosynthetic pigment. This appears green in color. It reflects green, and that's what we see a lot in leaves and in grass around. However, there are many other pigments that could appear red or brown or orange that other types of algae have. This can be diagnostic in identifying them.

Over 30,000 Species and Counting

There are over 30,000 species of described algae that are known to humans, but in theory, there could be hundreds of thousands or millions of yet undescribed types of algae. These span many different kingdoms of classification.

The green algae or the plant-like macro algae are grouped in the same kingdom as plants. They are grouped with land plants and aquatic macrophytes that have true roots, stems, and leaves, although the algae don't have them. However, there are also algae that are bacteria. For example, photosynthetic cyanobacteria are classified in the kingdom Bacteria.

Impacts on a System

Many algae do not benefit aquatic ecosystems and can cause problems

Some types of algae are good for a system. They're healthy; they move up the food chain. Invertebrates like to eat them, and then they can move up the food chain to help grow big bass, for example. These algae can also produce oxygen during the day, during sunlight, through the photosynthesis process.

However, there are some types of algae that are not good to have, and they're not easily eaten. For example, big, thick mats or scums that don't move up the food chain. Some algae can also produce toxins.

In Summary

Overall today, we looked at a broad definition of algae. We learned how many types there are, and whether they're good or bad. Stay tuned to future episodes to learn more!

Lake Erie's Current Algal Bloom

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 10:00:00 Z

On going since mid-July, this large phytoplankton bloom in Lake Erie was captured in a series of natural color images taken by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the Landsat 8.

This Landsat 8 image from September 26, 2017, shows a large expanse of the algal bloom in Lake Erie. In late September, the bloom covered more than 700 square miles. Image Credit: spaceref.com

Lake Erie has a long history of impaired water quality, and ever since the 2000s that history has included near annual algal blooms.

While they do not always raise issues for the local flora and fauna, or local towns, readers probably remember this incident in 2014, when around half a million residents of Toledo were left without drinking water due to the concentrations of microcystin toxin in that year's algal bloom.

Algal Blooms and HABs

Microcystin, a somewhat common toxin in harmful algal blooms (HABs), can cause a variety of symptoms in people and livestock; skin irritation such as rashes or burns are possible with contact, while ingestion may lead to vomiting and/or liver damage.

Produced as a by-product by some cyanobacteria (otherwise known as blue-green algae), the presence of toxins like microcystin is what distinguishes a HAB from an ordinary bloom.

While the toxins in HABs pose a risk to humans, pets and livestock, large algal blooms, even without the presence of toxins, can be damaging to aquatic ecosystems. They can block light, generally signal an excess of nutrients in the water body, and during die-offs can lead to de-oxygenation events that can cause massive fish kills (they can sometimes even create or expand hypoxic zones).

"In the Maumee River, the largest tributary to any of the Great Lakes, green algae was visible last week in an aerial photograph. According to experts, excess nutrients that are transported by the Maumee River can be a good indicator of how severe an algae bloom in the lake will be." Image and text credit: NY Times

The Local Economy

Much of the local economy is based on, or influenced by Lake Erie, and the presence of thick, green algae isn't good for business, and neither are stories of toxins. Affecting tourism, fishing and aquatic recreation among other things, locals are well aware of how much water quality can influence the economy.

“An awful lot of money may go someplace else other than Ohio if we continue having these issues in the lake,” said David Spangler, vice president of the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association (NY Times).

The issue isn't so simple, however, as nutrient run-off from another local economic force (agriculture) is in large part responsible for the excess phosphorus and nitrogen found in the local watershed.

Previous articles dealing with nutrient levels and local agricultural can be found by searching the blog, or using the gallery section.

Malicious but Delicious: Invasive Species

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:00:00 Z

Pterois volitans (wikimedia.org).

Appearing on menus across the country, the invasive lion fish- an aquarium fish that has established itself in the waters from North Carolina to South America. And the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association) has recently declared a new plan to prevent the spread of similar invasive species.

Introduced to non-native oceans in the 1980s, Pterois violations and P. miles- the two main lionfish species- are the first non-native marine finfish to become established in the area. Capable of reducing some native fish populations by up to 80 percent, the fish are known to prey on economically important species such as juvenile grouper and snapper.

The original article is available here, or through the link below. A more in-depth article is available here, and the lion fish prevention plan from NOAA is available here.

Reducing Warning Time for Harmful Algal Blooms

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 10:00:00 Z

Cyanobacteria (image via wikimedia.org).

Scientists at the University of Alberta have developed advanced flow cytometry (the measurement of cell characteristics) for earlier detection of toxic algal blooms.

"Our ability to rapidly detect the onset of outbreaks of potentially toxic cyanobacteria provides timely information to the public regarding the major lakes throughout the province," said Professor Rolf Vinebrooke (Biological Sciences).

A sample of lake water is allowed to flow through a "FlowCAM" unit equipped with imaging software that detects and measures more than 25 different optical properties of each cell. A collage of the images is then created and compared to an electronic database of more than 100 species.

For the full article check the link available below.

Invasives in the Delta

Wed, 18 Oct 2017 10:00:00 Z

Wikimedia.org.

The most commonly kept pet turtle in the world, the red eared slider has made a home of the California Delta. Native to the southeastern U.S., rachemys scripta elegans reaches an average length of 12 inches (about the size of a soccer ball) and can live for 30 years.

Which is part of the problem. The red eared slide can easily dominate whatever body of water they inhabit, and, moreover, they're larger than the native western pond turtle and prefer essentially the same habitat. Their presence along with the destruction of native habitat, has contributed to a decline in the number of western pond turtles in the California Delta.

For the full article covering more invasive species click here, or on the link available below.

Maine Crowdsources Invasive Control

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 10:00:00 Z

Launched around 3 years ago, iMapInvasive has been used to upload more than 2,800 observations on about 40 non-native plants. The online tool- designed for Maine residents- allows citizen-scientists (or anyone) to upload photos of invasive plants they encounter on public or private land. The data, according to state invasive plant biologist Nancy Olmstead, is being used to improve public land management and to help inform private landowners on how they can manage invasive species.

Morrow's honeysuckle (wikimedia.org).

"The problem with these plants is that they overrun native habitats and crowd native species," said Olmstead. "A better understanding of these plants will be helpful as we get a better idea of their distribution." With buckthorn, Japanese barberry, Morrow's honeysuckle and a few dozen other species to contend with, Maine specialists hope the data will help preserve the state's biological diversity.

The full article is available here, or through the link below.

Algae-Based Compound Stops Bleeding

Fri, 13 Oct 2017 10:00:00 Z

Image via suneris.co (click to enlarge).

When he was 17, Joe Landolina, CEO of Suneris, came up with the formula for an algae-based gel that instantly stops bleeding. Whether for simple cuts on the skin, or biopsies of soft organs like the liver, kidney or spleen, the gel/algae combination Vetigel is designed to stop moderate to severe bleeding without the need for manual pressure.

With no preparation necessary, or special training required, Vetigel is stored in sterile, single-use syringes, which are currently available among veterinarians for trial use (not yet available for sale). Its ease-of-use coupled with its ability to be stored in a wide range of temperatures, means Vetigel could potentially be used in real-world situations where medical care may not be immediately, or easily, available.

The original article is available through a link below, while the product site itself is available here.

Avoid Winter Fish Kills

Mon, 09 Oct 2017 12:36:00 Z

Original blog post from SePRO Preferred Applicator Aquatic Control, Seymour, Indiana

As the winter temperatures remain low, a lot of ponds remain covered with ice and snow. Some systems have been frozen over for extended periods of time this season. So what about the fish in your pond? Fish need oxygen to breath. Fish use their gills to take oxygen from the water, and produce carbon monoxide and ammonia in the process. Oxygen is normally replenished in an aquatic system from atmosphere source and plant photosynthesis. During winter months plants are not active, and the layer of ice and snow prevent atmospheric aeration. So oxygen levels might drop and fish mortality may result.

To prevent winter fish kills several options are available. Following are a couple of the most commonly used methods to prevent winter fish kills. You could install a diffused aeration system which not only adds oxygen to the water as air is released from diffusers; they also maintain areas of open water for gases to dissipate into the atmosphere. Deicers and horizontal mixers are commonly used to keep docks and boat slips ice free, but can also serve as a way to maintain ice free areas in the system.

The winter of 2014 might be one to remember for years to come. If we can learn anything from this experience as pond managers—it sure would have been nice to have an aeration system or deicer/mixer in place so I would not be worrying of losing my fish all winter.

Dock Like A Boss

Fri, 06 Oct 2017 10:00:00 Z

Dock like a boss.

Now going viral on YouTube, this advertisement for AV-OG-TIL, a Norwegian NGO, is aimed at raising awareness for the dangers of drunk driving, drunk boating, and other issues related to alcohol consumption.

It's also a pretty cool video. Check it out below.

What Happens to Herbicides after Application?

Tue, 03 Oct 2017 17:27:19 Z

““The only aquatic herbicide we use has the active ingredient fluridone, applied as both a slow-release clay pellet (SonarONE) and as a liquid in an oil-based emulsion (Sonar Genesis). This herbicide has been instrumental in our fight with Elodea, Alaska’s only introduced aquatic invasive plant. It is applied at extremely low concentrations (less than 10 ppb)with a long contact time (45-90 days) that is lethal to Elodea but not so to native plants.”

— Kyra Clark

At the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge pesticides help manage some of the more than 110 exotic species introduced to the Kenai Peninsula. Three chemicals make up most of the herbicide used, glyphosate, aminopyralid and fluridone. One of the big differences between these herbicides and older ones like DDT is their half-life; DDT had a half-life of 2-15 years, while the three listed above all have half-lives under a year.

Another difference is how the chemical spreads and if it can bio-accumulate; DDT was known to get into water sources, as well as bio-accumulate in animal tissue. Fluridone, aminopyralid and glyphosate are not known to leach or bio-accumulate in animal tissues.

The full article from Peninsula Clarion is available here.

China's Colorful Lake

Mon, 02 Oct 2017 10:00:00 Z

Image credit: National Geographic. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/09/china-lake-colorful-algae-spd/

Often called China's "Dead Sea," Yuncheng province's Xiechi Lake, a salt lake, is known for its "intense shades of magenta, green, and yellow due to algal blooms (Dunaliella salina) and rapidly breeding insects."
Presently the most salt-tolerant eukaryote known, D. salina can change colors due to high salinity or intense light, which causes the production of "protective carotenoids in the cells." In the case of Xiechi Lake, which was formed around 500 million years ago during the early Cenozoic Era, it is the high salinity that causes the eye-catching algal blooms.

Click the link available above or below to see the video and article from National Geographic's website.

Rocks and their Role in an Aerobic Atmosphere

Mon, 02 Oct 2017 10:00:00 Z

Olivine is still common in the earth's sub-surface. Image Credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0, x

The Great Oxidation Event which took place approximately 2.4 billion years ago is a little bit of a mystery. Cyanobacteria were in existence and producing oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis, yet there is little evidence that their presence alone could be sufficient to increase the amount of oxygen in the oceans by 10,000 times in 200 million years.

However, geologists Matthijs Smit from the University of British Colombia in Canada and Klaus Mezger from Switzerland's University of Bern took a novel approach. Looking at the rocky composition of the continents during this same time period, they found that olivine, a type of magnesium iron silicate, was plentiful.

When olivine comes into contact with water, it catalyzes chemical reactions that sequester oxygen, removing it from the water column and making it unavailable for aerobic respiration.

But during the time of the Great Oxidation Event continental crusts underwent a change and olivine became rare on the surface. As a result of this change, oxygen was able to accumulate in the oceans and eventually the atmosphere.

"It really appears to have been the starting point for life diversification as we know it," says Smit.

Check out the original article from Cosmos here.

Published in the journal Nature Geoscience, Smit and Mezger's research is available here.

Toxic Algae Culprit in Whale Graveyard

Fri, 22 Sep 2017 10:30:00 Z

Part of the whale graveyard (abcnews.go.com).

Discovered in Chile near a coastal highway in 2010, the whale graveyard was something of a mystery to scientists. What had caused the mammals’ mass stranding? Named “Cerro Ballena” (whale hill) in Chile, the graveyard holds the fossils of at least 40 whales who died over 5 million year. Today scientists say that the whales, who all died facing the same direction and in an upside down position, appear to have ingested a toxic algae. Toxic algae is still a culprit in many mass strandings.

The Stewards of Water Blog

Welcome Cory Smith

SePRO is pleased to welcome Cory Smith as Technical Specialist, Aquatics in the Mid-South.

Welcome Wendi Nance

SePRO is pleased to Welcome Wendi Nance as Technical Specialist in South Florida.

Algae Corner: Toxic, Noxious, and Smelly Algae (Part 2)

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Algae Corner: Toxic, Noxious, and Smelly Algae (Part 1)

Algae Corner: The Problem With Phosphorus

Algae Corner: The Power of Peroxide with PAK 27

Algae Corner: Controlling Algae and Improving Water Quality with SeClear

A Two-In-One Product

Multiple Uses on a Variety of Sites

Seeing is Believing

Effective on a Broad Range of Algae

Flexibility in Formulations

Summary

Algae Corner: Controlling Tough Algae with Captain XTR

Algae Corner: SePRO Solutions for Algae Control

Algae Corner: How to Identify Different Algae Types

Category: Planktonic, Filamentous, or Macroalgae

Coloration

Identifying Algae Based on Feel

Algae Corner: Where Do Algae Come From?

Unique Modes of Transportation

Seasonal Growth Patterns

Preventing Unwanted Growth

Summary

Algae Corner: Growth Factors & Seasonality

Changes in Nutrients

Nutrient Management May Not Suffice

Nitrogen and Algae Growth

Temperature as a Growth Factor

Light Intensity as a Growth Factor

The Seasonal Lifecycle of Algae

Mixing of Water and Selection for Algae Types

Summary

Algae Corner: What are Algae?

A Diverse Group of Organisms

Over 30,000 Species and Counting

Impacts on a System

In Summary

Lake Erie's Current Algal Bloom

Malicious but Delicious: Invasive Species

Reducing Warning Time for Harmful Algal Blooms

Invasives in the Delta

Maine Crowdsources Invasive Control

Algae-Based Compound Stops Bleeding

Avoid Winter Fish Kills

Dock Like A Boss

What Happens to Herbicides after Application?

China's Colorful Lake

Rocks and their Role in an Aerobic Atmosphere

Toxic Algae Culprit in Whale Graveyard