Page 29 - Griffin Gazette - October November 2024

IRRIGATION PONDS RESEMBLE NATURAL
WATERBODIES
Like lakes and other natural waterbodies, irrigation ponds
have natural biological and chemicals processes. For
example, excess nutrients, specifically Nitrogen and
Phosphorus, impact lake health and contribute to excess
algal blooms and poor water quality.
When algae die, the decomposition process consumes
oxygen, creating hypoxic conditions that suppress
the beneficial microbiology and reduce the oxidation-
reduction potential (ORP) of the water. The result is poor
water quality with low dissolved oxygen and high disease
pressure that negatively affect crop quality, reduce yields
and increase treatment costs.
Though irrigation water is one of the most important inputs
and resources for growers, it’s often the least monitored
of all the inputs. Integrating a simple monitoring plan helps
growers get more from their water, leading to better water
quality and ultimately, higher quality crops.
KEY WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS FOR GROWERS
TO TEST ON IRRIGATION PONDS
• pH: pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of
water. Changes in pH can affect the solubility of
nutrients and the toxicity of certain substances to
aquatic organisms.
• Electrical conductivity (EC): EC is a measurement
of a substance's ability to conduct electricity, and is an create an oxygen-rich environment for beneficial microbes
important factor in irrigation water quality
• Dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations: Oxygen
concentrations levels when measured close to the
bottom of the pond will help you understand if your
water is anaerobic or aerobic which is a key driver in
not only pond health but pathogen growth.
• Water temperature: The temperature of the water
impacts the water’s ability to hold DO (e.g. higher
temperatures means lower oxygen holding capacity).
• Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP): ORP is an
important water quality parameter that can provide
insight into the oxygen levels and other chemical
reactions occurring in the water. ORP is primarily
determined by the balance between the amount of
dissolved oxygen (a strong oxidizing agent) and other
substances that can act as reducing agents, such as
organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, and iron. When ORP
is high, oxidizers have higher residual. Conversely,
growers need to use higher rates of oxidizers to
achieve the same residual when ORP is low.
• Biological chemical demand (BOD): BOD
measures the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by
bacteria to decompose organic matter in the water.
For example, as algae dies and decomposes, BOD
will increase, showing growers that more oxygen is
needed to maintain the water quality.
• Total bacterial and fungal counts: Tests should
be taken from multiple locations in the water to get a
general average. These metrics can be used to look at
potential disease pressure.
• Total Nitrogen and Phosphorus: These are
key nutrients in waterbody health. When in high
concentrations, N and P greatly contribute to several
pond problems.
COMBATTING COMMON POND PROBLEMS WITH
CHEMICAL-FREE NANOBUBBLES
Understanding water testing parameters is the first step
to improving your irrigation pond water quality. The next
step is a sustainable Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
treatment strategy.
Moleaer is working with growers all over the world to treat
their irrigation ponds without or with reduced chemicals
and lower costs. We do this by deploying our patented
nanobubble technology on irrigation ponds for IPM
prevention and cultural controls:
Cultural control: Nanobubbles increase DO and ORP to
to do their work, naturally digesting mucky sediment and
decomposing algae. Over time, BOD, total bacterial and
fungal counts and N & P levels decline, reducing the fuel
for algae blooms and lowering disease pressure.
Prevention: Once pond health is back on track,
nanobubbles maintain optimal water conditions to
increase resilience against algae and pathogen outbreaks
by maintaining elevated DO and ORP.
THE RESULTS:
• Less algae, pathogens and biofilm
• Fewer chemicals and pesticide applications
• Longer filtration life and less clogging
• Healthier plant root development and better crop quality
Griffin is a trusted distributor of Moleaer’s nanobubble
technology, enabling more growers to reap the benefits
of this unique irrigation solution. To find out more about
Moleaer’s technology, visit Moleaer’s product page:
https://www.moleaer.com/products/#horticulture.
GRIFFIN GAZETTE 2024 | 29