Algae is a type of nonflowering plant that does not really resemble any type of plant that grows on the land. Most often made up of a single cell, algae contains chlorophyll but does not have stems, roots, or leaves. Algae will grow in any source of water, including your well or storage container, if the conditions are right. Since algae is tenacious and fast growing, you can find yourself with an uncontrollable algae bloom in a matter of hours or days. If you have algae in your stored water, here's everything you need to know.
Causes And Types of Algae Growth
There are numerous types of algae that can grow in your tank, including brown, green, blue-green, and hair algae. In most cases, algae is not harmful, it merely discolors your water. It will not make you sick or stain your plumbing fixtures. In fact, it can even be nutritious. In other cases, however, algae can be toxic. Unfortunately, it is difficult to distinguish between harmless and toxic algae, so you should always treat algae, especially blue-green algae, as toxic.
How to Prevent Algae Growth
As mentioned, algae grows when the conditions are right. In order to thrive, algae needs two things: sunlight and nutrients. If you have an uncovered well or store water in an outdoor tank before piping it into your house, you may have perfect conditions for algae growth. To prevent algae, remove sunlight from the equation. Shut up your well so that no sunlight penetrates the water; it only takes a little bit. If you store your water, store it in an opaque tank that sunlight does not penetrate. If you can completely eliminate sunlight, you won't have an algae problem for much longer.
How to Get Rid of Algae
If you need to get rid of algae quick, you can treat your water with chlorine. To combat algae, add 4 parts chlorine to every 1 million parts of water. To dose your well or storage tank adequately, you will have to know the volume of water that you're dealing with. If you're not sure how to dose your tank, you can always hire someone to come in and test your water and dose it until it is safe to drink.
If you notice that your water is thick or discolored, you may be dealing with algae. Algae is a nuisance, but it is easy to control. For more information or assistance, contact companies like Golden Gate Well Drilling & Water Conditioning.Share
1 February 2017
Saving money is important in a home with six children. As they grow, the bills seem to grow with them. After paying a particularly high energy bill, I decided that enough was enough. I researched ways that I could make my home more energy efficient without spending a ton of money. To help other parents in the same boat, I created this blog. Helpful tips, such as replacing your home's windows, can save you a great deal of money in the long run. Hopefully, the information provided here can also help preserve the environment and make it a better place for our children.