November 20, 2009
This is a guest post form the folks at Nugali. They propose a Red Tide mitigation method. Read on:
Red Tides, Diatom Algae and Nualgi
Fish kills, Dead Zones and Red Tides are some of the problems being seen in waters the world over.
A large number of fish kills have been reported all over the US this year, there are about 400 dead zones in oceans all over the world and red tides are reported along the coasts of Florida, Texas, Maine, etc.
All these problems have a common cause and therefore a common solution.
There are various groups of algae –
Cyanobacteria or Blue Green Algae,
Dinoflagalletes or Red Tides,
Green Algae and
Diatom Algae.
Are all algae equally bad or are they harmful only when they bloom or only under specific circumstances?
Red tides are the most harmful since they are toxic to fish and cause health problems in humans.
Continued…
Categories: red tide mitigation method, solutions.
Tags: diatoms, India, mitigation, red tide, solution
May 17, 2009
To the UAE, ( a Persian Gulf country), red tide blooms are a new thing. However after just one year they already have the US and the State of Florida beat. That’s yet another country that is using various clay slurry treatments to mitigate red tide blooms.
Our only attempt in Florida (that we know of, if there are any others, please let us know), was sponsored by Mote Marine. Sadly, they insisted that polluted clay from phosphorus mines be used (phosphorus is one of the main nutrients that red tide needs to sustain a bloom). The scientist refused to participate, were fired and the Mote Marine declared that clay slurry treatments were bad for the environment (only true if you use polluted clay).
Heck, even high school kids and local inventors are beating us with red tide mitigation methods.
It is definitely time to shake up Florida’s dysfunctional scientific community. One has to wonder whats up with Mote Marine wanting to use polluted clay from Phosporus mines, does it have something to do with their funding, are they somehow connected? We asked them, but they just won’t answer.
Categories: Actions, Environmental News, News, inept government, red tide mitigation method, solutions.
Tags: mitigation, mote, solution
May 4, 2009
It looks like Lee County is not only learning how to prevent red tide, but is also learning that all they have to do is try and they’ll make a difference. They’ve recently enacted legislation which while poorly written and still not very effective, will make a difference.
Here’s some of the points the legislation covers:
The new ordinance stipulates that fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorus cannot be used during the four-month rainy season of June through September.
Fertilizer application is also prohibited within 10 feet of any body of water, seawall or wetland.
All spreaders must be equipped with a deflector shield to better target application and to prevent errant fertilizer from being spread into water buffer areas and hard impervious surfaces like roads, driveways and sidewalks.
Clippings and trimmings cannot be swept or blown into ditches, drains or any body of water, or onto any road or sidewalk.
Professional landscapers are required to register with the county and have at least one employee certified through a training program offered by the University of Florida Lee County Extension Service.
What’s the poorly written parts:
Continued…
Categories: Education, Environmental News, Florida Red Tide News, Prevention, Red Tide Information, inept government, red tide mitigation method.
Tags: lee county, Prevention
February 11, 2009
Red Tide mitigation is actually pretty easy. Japan, the Phillipines, South Korea, Vietnam and many other countries have been doing it for years. I call it the clay mitigation method. The exact formula is even know. I’ll give it away for free right now:
Spray a clay slurry on the effected area to a concentration of 8 grams per liter of water.
Bloom gone, fish live, no untoward consequences.
Yup, that’s it. Simple whuh?
Ok, now U.S. and Florida government, why won’t you mitigate red tide blooms?
By the way, preventing red tide is pretty simple too.
The real question is:
How are we going to force the government to prevent and mitigate Florida Red Tide?
It’s a shame we have to, but they went for several years trying to say that red tide doesn’t bother us, red tide is harmless, red tide isn’t on the increase, red tide isn’t linked to pollution etc. etc. etc. So it looks like we are going have to either persuade or force the government to serve it’s citizens.
latest news story on this topic for the east
TAGS: Solution, Mitigation
Categories: Education, Red Tide Information, inept government, red tide mitigation method, solutions.
Tags: mitigation, solution
November 25, 2008
Plankton Parasites
The research into the little known (until reported here), area of Plankton Parasites (or parasitoids ), is paying off. In case you haven’t heard, there is a species of micro organisms that feed on specific species of plankton (K. Brevis is one of them). It seems that when several harmful algal blooms like red tide blooms occur in a series for more than a few years in a row (like the last 15 years in Florida or the last 5 in Maine) the problem may be that this parasite can’t survive something and thus can’t flourish enough to reduce the amount of K Brevis in the water.
Here’s some quotes from an article about it:
Using a new technique that allows researchers to track the parasites as they infect the plankton with fluorescent markers, Guillou and her colleagues were able to monitor both an invasive species of plankton and the parasites for three years in a coastal estuary in France. What they were able to see was the very early infection of the plankton by the parasite, and then the eventual swelling and bursting of the plankton as the parasite’s many offspring broke free — hungry to infect again.
“We hypothesize that when a bloom occurs, these parasitoids are not able to infect the invasive species,” Guillou said.
quoted news story
Categories: Actions, Education, Florida Red Tide News, News, Red Tide Information, Rumors, red tide mitigation method, solutions.
Tags: parasitoids, plankton parasites, science, solution
January 27, 2008
This is yet another response to those who say there is no way known to stop a red tide bloom. There are many, here’s one that’s been proven to work and be environmentally safe. It’s been used in Asia for decades.
Continued…
Categories: Actions, Education, Red Tide Information, Rumors, red tide mitigation method, solutions.
January 27, 2008
In general I beleive that breeding one species of life to control another is usually a bad idea. But the typical human in me always asks “what could be the harm?” usually I come with an answer, right away. For instance – the greatest harm is usually the new species becomes a problem!
Several times in the past has this very situation been brought about by humans., However many times things work out just fine. Like those bacteria they put in septic tanks. Works fine. When the source of food is gone, the bacteria die off.
Continued…
Categories: Education, Red Tide Information, red tide mitigation method.
October 10, 2006
Editors Note: As this story evolved, more and more information came to light. This story has been re-written to reflect some of that new information.
. . .Texx
Local High School beats Mote Marine and FWRI easily at developing a Florida Red Tide killer – all they did was try!
It looks as though developing something that would kill red tide blooms instantly was pretty easy after all. Venice High School is testing a patented invention of Bob Rigby’s that kills red tide! Under the watchful eyes of two professors with extensive related experience, the students at Venice High School and his students have been running several rounds of tests on it a year since 2004. The compound he has made is fairly simple. It’s main ingredient is chlorine, like in our drinking water. When applied in proper ratios preliminary testing has shown it kills the red tide algae on contact and doesn’t affect other marine life.
How many different formulas have Mote Marine and FWRI tested? Exactly zero! They’re actually being beaten by a single man and some high school kids.
Sounds like a pretty straight forward story right?
Well this is Florida, of course there has to be some drama . . .
You gotta read the rest of this Florida Red Tide story!
Continued…
Categories: Actions, Education, Florida Red Tide News, Rumors, red tide mitigation method, solutions.
Tags: cure, mitigation, Venice High School
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