Algae control is one of the more frustrating challenges for farmers. This problem has steadily become worse in recent years and growers are recognizing significant financial losses attributed to algae and the production problems they cause. It is frustrating because while algae are living organisms, eliminating them does not fall under the normal protocols of pest control. Algae are not insects and cannot be controlled by insecticides. Nor are they a fungus that can be controlled by fungicides. Algae and bio-film are able to form a symbiotic relationship -- what one needs, the other provides. It's a relationship that keeps feeding itself, which is a major point in understanding why algae control is so difficult. Bio-film is able to provide algae with enough nutrients to substitute for their need of light to create such nutrients. This allows algae to flourish in irrigation lines.

eOxide LQ 85 is an effective sanitizing agent for water treatment. In horticulture, it is used at a high concentration to remove established bio-film that lines irrigation systems, clogs emitters and can potentially harbor pathogens. For continuous application, a low concentration of chlorine dioxide can be used to maintain clean irrigation lines and to inhibit algae and diseases.