No matter the type of flumes that you use in your water management system, regular maintenance is important to the overall health of your devices and the success of your operation. While there are many important flume maintenance tasks that you must perform, one of the most crucial is keeping your flumes clear of algae growth.
Left unchecked, algae can interfere with the functioning of your system and render your important flows useless. Fortunately, with the right information, you can stop algae in its tracks and keep your flumes functioning at their highest level. Learn why preventing algae growth is one of the most important parts of flume maintenance and how you can stop algae quickly and effectively.
Why It’s Important to Prevent Algae Build-Up
As with any biological debris that accumulates in an open channel system, too much algae can restrict your flow. In the short term, when the algae is still forming, this may not present too much of a problem. However, extensive algae growth can impact the total functioning of your water system. If you want to make sure that your measurements are consistently accurate, then a vital flume maintenance task is to keep algae from growing within your flumes.
Copper Coating
One of your first lines of defense in protecting your flumes from algae accumulation is to treat the surfaces of your flume with an anti-fouling material. Although there are a number of materials you could choose from, the most effective in preventing algae growth is a copper based paint.
Because of its unique properties, copper paint is particularly adept at staving off various types of biological growth, including algae. With a layer of protective copper paint on your flume’s surfaces, you’ll be able to eliminate the possibility of algae growth and protect the long-term functionality of your water system.
Keep Your Flume Shaded
The biggest driver of algae growth in your water system is exposure to sunlight. Algae thrives on sunlight, and the more direct exposure, the higher the risk for substantial algae build-up. In addition to adding copper paint to your flumes, you should try and protect from too much sunlight with a fiberglass sunshade.
Sunshades, particularly those made from fiberglass, are a great solution for limiting the sunlight your flume experiences and to prevent algae growth. Although sunshades are not the best solutions for unusually wide channels, they will work to limit or eliminate algae growth under typical circumstances.
Flume Maintenance is Easy with the Right Products
Preventing algae growth is one of the most important things you can do to guarantee the continued success of your water management system. If you’re concerned about flume maintenance, it’s important that you have the right tools, and your best resource for high quality water management tools is Tracom, FRP.
Whether you’re looking for sunshades, flumes or other water system products, Tracom can help you with the products you need to succeed. Contact us today to learn more about our products and to find out how we can help you.
