| Fresh water algae look like normal plants that cling on | | | | water. Algae cruelly absorb all the oxygen in the water |
| rocks and surfaces, but when studied closely, these | | | | until it suffocates the fish; while provided with enough |
| organisms that mimic as plants could turn out as your | | | | sunlight and nutrients, the so-called algal bloom may |
| pond's worst enemy. The unexplainable growth of | | | | occur that could affect large portions of lakes and |
| fresh water algae in lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and other | | | | other bodies of water. Algal blooms could wreak |
| bodies of water remains a threat to marine ecologists. | | | | havoc in any water systems in a matter of seconds. |
| They pose serious impacts to human health, and | | | | Moreover, the aging process of lakes perpetrates the |
| dangers to human life; thus, they gradually affect life | | | | growth of algae. Algae could be beneficial to the |
| forms and the environment. | | | | pond's aging process, but, more often, they are the |
| It's hard to imagine that those tiny organisms, which | | | | main culprit for the depletion of oxygen in ponds. |
| hide in forms of plants, can cause excessive fish kills | | | | Insufficient oxygen is perilous to the fish and other |
| and plague water systems ruthlessly. Algae are usually | | | | aquatic animals because it could lead to fish kills or |
| unicellular and microscopic organisms that bloom in | | | | suffocation. When large population of algae dominates |
| either salt or fresh water. These single celled creatures | | | | the pond it will surely take all oxygen content, leaving |
| are not choosy to where they build colonies; with | | | | inadequate supply to fish and marine animals. |
| enough sunlight and nutrients they can proliferate | | | | Algae can swarm reservoirs and other water |
| rapidly and envelop the entire water system into green, | | | | systems crucial to human consumption. They create |
| slimy sheaths of algae mats. | | | | foul odours and, worse, unlikely effect to human health. |
| Freshwater algae, or scientifically known as | | | | Direct contact with algae can cause skin rashes and |
| phytoplankton, are unusual forms and can either play | | | | aggravate eyes, ears, nose, and mouth infections. |
| as beneficial or detrimental to the water system. | | | | Drinking infected water has more serious effects to |
| These types appear in various forms and colours that | | | | the body for it can trigger to diarrhoea, headache, |
| made them distinct to one another. It can grow in any | | | | allergy, water poisoning and, worst -death. |
| damp places such as ponds, streams, lakes, and | | | | Algal bloom can repeat after a year; when this |
| reservoirs. However, they are part of the ecosystem | | | | happens, the lake or pond could be prone to fish kills |
| and act as crucial players in the food chain of marine | | | | and become contaminated. A small, single sign of algae |
| animals. Some types of phytoplankton serve as food | | | | growth should not be tolerated, unless you want to |
| and shelter to fish and other aquatic life. | | | | smear your pond and lakes. It would be better to |
| When do algae become a problem? Although there | | | | consult marine biologists right away to prevent the |
| are few benefits derived from fresh water algae, they | | | | algal bloom from expanding and from coming back. It is |
| are always blamed for all the water problems. The | | | | also advisable to keep your pond or lakes away from |
| first sign of algae infestation is the build-up of "scums" | | | | the environment that algae love. |
| or large mats, and then followed by the discoloration of | | | | |