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organic farmer

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Green Algae in the Wastewater during Low Flows...
Aug 17^th, 2011, 4:09pm

Its summer time here and the south and our WW EQ Basin has green algae growing on the surface of the water. Also our clarifiers have the same light green algae growing on them as well. It has caused our TSS to increase from 1 mg/l to around 6 mg/l, every other water quality testing stayed the same. We will just have to wait for a nice rain or fall of the year to break this problem? Thanks for any advice we just use Biological Treatment and CL and SO2, so we are limited on removing the Algae..Thanks for any info..

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grrun God Member Offline WaterandWastewa ter.Com is the best! Posts: 3525 Pekin, IL Gender: Company or Organization: Freelance Environmental Engine	Re: Green Algae in the Wastewater during Low Flows... Reply #1 - Aug 17^th, 2011, 8:38pm Shade or less sunlight would help. Baffles or skimmers may also help. grrun
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sobisch God Member Offline Posts: 1777 Gender: Company or Organization: L.U.M. GmbH	Re: Green Algae in the Wastewater during Low Flows... Reply #2 - Aug 18^th, 2011, 1:05am Dear Organic Farmer, you may look for similar threads of the past. Beside the approach already mentioned you may lower the phosphorous by precipitation. The algae need this to survive. Kind regards T. Sobisch
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Jeff Naumann God Member Offline I love Water and Wastewater.com Posts: 1133 Torrance, California Gender: Company or Organization: Jeff Naumann & Associates	Re: Green Algae in the Wastewater during Low Flows... Reply #3 - Aug 18^th, 2011, 8:40am What is the daily flow rate of the plant? Is the algae filterable? If so, perhaps a simple filtration unit could be installed (if the flow rate is relatively low), such as a duplex or triplex bag filter unit. At a TSS of 6 mg/l, that is still very low.
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DoctorBug Senior Member Offline Water and Wastewater.com is the best! Posts: 499 Company or Organization: Michael Richard Wastewater Mic	Re: Green Algae in the Wastewater during Low Flows... Reply #4 - Aug 18^th, 2011, 5:24pm organic farmer: It doesn't sound like there is any problem as your BOD si still low. Shading is the cjeapest and easiest way to reduce algae growth. The cheapest cover is a tarp or better greenhouse material that alows a little light in. Hope that this helps.
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Dan Keys

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Re: Green Algae in the Wastewater during Low Flows...
Reply #5 - Aug 19^th, 2011, 8:43pm

I have seen situations where the simple addition of alum will cause the algae to floc and settle if the body of water is quiet enough. Of course, you will still have to deal with the settled organic matter at some future point. If you do this in your clarifier, the algae will simply be removed with the settled sludge.

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Dan Keys
KeysTec Environmental

Dissolved Air Flotation Design, Waste Treatment Process Control Design, Primary Pretreatment Consulting

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Tom Keenan - nesa God Member Offline Environmental Consultant - contact info@nesa.ie Posts: 2103 Gender: Company or Organization: nesa environmental consultants	Re: Green Algae in the Wastewater during Low Flows... Reply #6 - Aug 20^th, 2011, 12:53pm As Sorbisch has said there have been some dicussions on this topic previosly and might be helpful. You will see from these too that the cure is to reduce light and/or reduce phosphorous.
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organic farmer

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Re: Green Algae in the Wastewater during Low Flows...
Reply #7 - Aug 22^nd, 2011, 5:21pm

Thanks guys we have a cover on our effluent which has help reduce algae growth in that location. The issue is the Algae is on the surface a light green tint and it is passing thru our sand filter. The mg/l on the TSS is ranging around a 6 mg/l on our effluent we are allowed 30 mg/l on a monthly average. In the near future we are getting a Total P requirement put on our effluent discharge of 1 mg/l, we are in the 1.5 to 2.0 mg/l range now on our effluent. Its been a long hot summer and water temps are still warm with hardly no rain, so the light green tint is still in the water esp. clarifier and equalization basin which does have mixers and aerators. We tried some HTH on the surface of the clarifier today, to see if that would help, but doubtful. Sad

The weirs are clean and not short circuiting, just that slight green tint to the water. Thanks for your suggestions and help..

Organic Farmer

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