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ALGAE GROWTH
ALGAE GROWTH IS A COMMON
PROBLEM AND SOME EXPERTS HAVE SUGGESTED AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION IS TO REMOVE
PHOSPHATES FROM
THE WATER. THE BELIEF IS THAT THIS ACTION TAKES AWAY A FOOD
SOURCE, REDUCING ALGAE PROBLEMS OR EVEN KILLING IT (BY STARVATION). IT IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT PHOSPHATE-REMOVING PRODUCTS ARE NOT EPA APPROVED OR
REGISTERED AS ALGAE KILLERS OR ALGAE INHIBITORS.
PHOSPHOROUS IS THE BASE
ELEMENT PHOSPHATES DERIVE FROM AND IS A SIGNIFICANT NUTRIENT SOURCE FOR ALL
LIVING THINGS, INCLUDING ALGAE. THERE ARE MORE THAN 7,000 SPECIES OF
GREEN ALGAE ALONE AND THE PHOSPHOROUS REQUIREMENT VARIES WIDELY BETWEEN EACH
OF THEM.
ALGAE EVEN HAVE THE CAPABILITY
TO STORE PHOSPHOROUS WITHIN THEIR CELLS AND CAN STILL THRIVE IN PHOSPHOROUS
DEFICIENT ENVIRONMENTS. THIS IS CALLED "LUXURY PHOSPHORUS UPTAKE" AND
DEMONSTRATES THAT REMOVING PHOSPHATES FROM THE WATER WILL NOT REMOVE THE
ALGAE'S ABILITY TO CONTINUE FEEDING ITSELF.
ALGAE FEED ON PHOSPHOROUS FROM
SOURCES OTHER THAN ORTHOPHOSPHATES AND THOSE PRODUCTS HAVE LITTLE TO NO
RESIDUAL, MAKING IT IS DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE A LASTING EFFECT DUE TO THE
CONSTANT INFLUX OF PHOSPHATES FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.
REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND ALGAE GROWTH
THERE ARE SEVERAL CHEMICAL TREATMENTS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY REGISTERED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. THESE
INCLUDE COMPOUNDS SUCH AS CHLORINE, BROMINE, QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS,
POLYQUATS, COPPER AND SILVER. WHEN USED PROPERLY, THESE COMPOUNDS WILL
KILL ALGAE AND/OR INHIBIT ALGAE GROWTH, EVEN IN NUTRIENT RICH SURROUNDINGS.
OFTEN, ALGAECIDES ARE ONLY USED AS A CORRECTIVE TREATMENT, BUT AN INITIAL
DOSE ADDED AT THE START OF EACH SEASON OR WHENEVER SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
WATER ARE ADDED WILL PREVENT ALGAE GROWTH DURING THE COURSE OF THE SEASON.
THE ADDITION OF AN ALGAECIDE CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVED WATER QUALITY.
A PROPERLY MAINTAINED POOL
UTILIZING A REGULAR 3 STEP PROCESS OF TREATING WITH CHLORINE (MEASURING A
FREE CHLORINE RESIDUAL RANGING FROM 1 TO 3 PPM), BALANCING CHEMICALS AND
ALGAECIDES WILL REMAIN ALGAE-FREE AND REDUCE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL
PRODUCTS. |
CHLORINE DEMAND
CHLORINE DEMAND IS THE CONSISTENT INABILITY TO
ESTABLISH OR MAINTAIN A FREE CHLORINE RESIDUAL IN A SWIMMING POOL OR SPA DUE
TO ELEMENTS THAT DEPLETE CHLORINE.
IN A PROPERLY MAINTAINED POOL OR SPA (ONE THAT
HAS A FREE CHLORINE RESIDUAL RANGING FROM 1 TO 3 PPM), THE PRESENCE OF
PHOSPHATES DO NOTHING TO ADD TO OR ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM.
SOME EXPERTS HAVE SUGGESTED
THAT REMOVING PHOSPHATE WILL DECREASE CHLORINE DEMAND. HOWEVER, FOR
THIS TO BE TRUE, IT WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT THE ADDITION OF PHOSPHATE WILL
INCREASE CHLORINE DEMAND. SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION DEMONSTRATES THAT
PHOSPHATES AND CHLORINE DO NOT REACT TO REACH OTHER OR THAT ANY DEPLETION OF
CHLORINE OCCURS.
WHY PHOSPHATES DO NOT
AFFECT CHLORINE DEMAND
THE KEY TO THE RELATION
BETWEEN CHLORINE (HYPOCHLOROUS ACID) AND PHOSPHATES IS THAT LARGER
PHOSPHOROUS CONTAINING MATERIALS HAVE BEEN BROKEN DOWN INTO ORTHOPHOSPATES
IN THE WATER. ORTHOPHOSPHATE IS THE FINAL STAGE OF PHOSPHOROUS
BREAKDOWN, MEANING IT CANNOT BE OXIDIZED ANY FURTHER. IF IT CANNOT BE
OXIDIZED, IT CANNOT REACT WITH AN OXIDIZING COMPOUND SUCH AS CHLORINE AND
CAUSE A DEMAND SITUATION.
COMPOUNDS OTHER THAN PHOSPHATES THAT ALSO DON'T
REACT WITH CHLORINE INCLUDE NITRATES, BALANCING CHEMICALS OR ANY OTHER
MATERIAL THAT IS ESSENTIALLY INERT.
WHAT DOES CAUSE
CHLORINE DEMAND?
INORGANIC MATERIAL, SUCH AS AMMONIA, ARE FAST REACTING WITH CHLORINE WHILE
ORGANIC MATERIAL, SUCH AS THE PROTEINS FOUND IN URINE, SWEAT, OTHER WASTE
AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS, ARE SLOW REACTING BUT ALL CONTRIBUTE TO A DEMAND
SITUATION. ALGAE AND BACTERIA ARE ALSO KNOWN CONTRIBUTORS.
THESE CONTAMINANTS ARE INTRODUCED FROM RAIN AND SOURCE WATER, FERTILIZERS,
SWIMMERS, ANIMALS OR PLANTS AND LEAVES. |
