During the warm summer months algae can quickly become a problem for many ponds. Luckily there is an easy way to prevent algae growth without the use of any harsh chemicals.
Aquascape Ion-Gen System
The IonGen System is an electronic algae controller for ponds, waterfalls, and other decorative water features.This electronic device reduces yearly pond maintenance, allowing you to spend your time relaxing next to your water feature instead of maintaining it!
How Does It Work?
The Ion-Gen system is designed with a control panel that sends a signal to a probe within the water, releasing copper ions. These ions are then swept away from the probe and dispersed throughout the pond by the flowing water.
There are ten levels that the controller can be set to; the higher the setting, the more ions released into the water. These ions are safe for fish and plants but only up to 0.25 ppm, so it is not a good idea to set this system on high and forget about it. A copper testing kit is included with the system so it is easy to make sure that the water stays safe for your fish.
In an average sized pond of 1,500 gallons, the controller should stay in the zone of 1-3; only increasing the ionization level when you start to notice a spike in the growth of algae. The larger the pond the higher your starting range should be. One controller and probe can treat up to 50,000 gallons of water.
With proper installation and use you should notice an 80% difference in visible algae! So how does one get installed?
We recommend installing the Ion-Gen probe in the skimmer or pump vault of your water feature. This location makes the probe easy to check on and in constant contact with moving water, the perfect combination. It’s generally tied to the pump discharge piping and hung a few inches below the water surface. It’s a good idea to fully clean your water feature before installation or replacement. You’ll get better results if the pond has no algae in it at first.
Maintenance
As the system is working in your pond the probe will start to build up with a greenish scale, after enough scale has accumulated the controller will not allow the probe to be used at certain settings. If you notice the controller resetting itself to a lower number it is time to scrape the probe clean. This can be easily accomplished with a sharp blade.
After a season or two of use you may notice the controller reading”00”; if this happens it is time to replace the probe. Don’t worry, this process is as simple as unscrewing the probe from the cord and replacing it with a new one.