Tag: moss and algae control

Moss and Algae Eradicator

Posted on by Sweepfast

Its That Blooming Time Again!!

From short pile tennis courts through to water based and sand dressed or filled pitches, the result is the same; everything was going fine then, one morning, the surface starts showing signs of sludge across the surface.

Water Based Hockey Pitch Pre Spray
Electronic Microscope Close Up Of Algae Infestation In a Synthetic Grass Surface Pre-Spray

Simplified, the typical drainage scenario on a sand based pitch is as follows; for several years everything appears fine, and drainage is good. Suddenly, the drainage rates slow down and then, after a further year or so, the drainage fails. Water can’t percolate through the surface as it should; the organic contamination in the pitch floats to the surface, water then drains slowly through the lowest spots on the surface, leaving the sludge behind as dark coloured puddles.

Usually, with either a visual assessment or sedimentation testing, it is possible to determine what stage these surfaces are at in their lifespan, in respect of drainage and sedimentation. However, algae nullifies everything. Really rapid blooms can lead to temporary drainage failures, and this has the same result as a conventional drainage failure. Water cannot drain through the surface, even relatively small percentages of contamination can be flushed to the surface and leave the dreaded sludge puddles.

You can remove the sludge from the surface, but as with conventional drainage failures, as soon as it rains again it’s back! You can spray it with any one of the dozen or so chemicals available, keep your fingers and everything else crossed and hope that you have good results!

Moss and algae infestation can be a serious problem on all types of outdoor sports and amenity surfaces.

Failure to treat the algae and moss quickly can eventually mean that only a full refurbishment of the surface will restore the pitch.

Early treatment is essential with a safe and effective moss or algae killer

Water Based Hockey Pitch Post Clean
Same Location Post Spray With RBT 247

Moss usually has two growth periods during a year, the first in the autumn, after which the plant produces spores during the winter ready to germinate in the following spring. The second in the spring, when the plant produces spores again ready to germinate in the autumn, thus continuing the life cycle.

Algae is also a serious and potentially hazardous problem on artificial surfaces, particularly water based hockey pitches, as it can severely impede drainage, especially under the present UK weather conditions. If you can see moss on the surface of your court or pitch, you probably already have a significant algal infestation, as the two thrive in the same conditions.

Three easy to spot indicators of the presence of algae on your surface are:

1) a slippery surface
2) dark patches that vary in size
3) a players clean white kit becoming extremely dirty during a game, especially if they fall over

Algae should be treated promptly because of the potentially hazardous conditions it can create for users of the surface.

Try to prevent the moist conditions that favour the establishment of moss and algae by maintaining good surface water infiltration and drainage. Unfortunately, the moist conditions cannot be avoided on a water-based pitch.

Inspect the surface for moss or algae on a regular basis, and treat any outbreaks of moss or algae as and when required.

Treatment:

To treat an infected area effectively, it must be sprayed with a proprietary brand of Moss & Algae Eradicator. This can be applied using tractor mounted sprayers, walkovers and knapsacks at most times of the year, providing conditions are moist.

Spot treatments should be carried out as and when required during the rest of the year.

Water based pitches may require several treatments per year, with the addition of regular deep cleaning, owing to the ideal conditions for moss and algal growth that water based surfaces provide.

Sweepfast can offer autumn winter servicing to your surfaces, this may include; sludge removal from the surface, spaying the whole area with an algaecide, working the algaecide such as RBT247 into the surface and re-spraying the surface 7-10 days later, moss is best treated with MMC Pro Which has a fast working time and will continue to clean the surface for many weeks afterwards.

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Surface Cleaning Moss and Algae Control

Posted on by Sweepfast

Sweepfast have been involved in outdoor sports surface cleaning for many years, and finding a safe reliable product that can be applied time and time again has been a persistent problem. With health and safety a major concern most of the active products have been removed from the market place leaving various products available some with wild claims regarding their performance. Here at Sweepfast we take an active interest in evaluating every product that comes our way, with some surprising results.  Click Here

Our particular problem is preparing a surface ready for our machinery to perform a deep clean service, this means treating the surface for biological contaminants such as moss and algae. A difficult problem especially given the climate we in the UK suffer at the moment. persistent and recurring showers mean that timing the treatment is essential, and a product that works effectively and quickly is necessary.

In the latest batch of trials we discovered that RBT 247 produces a very fast effective control of algae in water based hockey pitches, whilst Algon produces a rapid clean up of moss infested surfaces. Both are safe products to use when applied in the prescribed manner, also both products can be used on the sports field and around the home. Where RBT 247 has been used, we have found that moss and algae is reluctant to grow back so a long term control is obviously a very important benefit worth considering.

Both products are available from our web shop and will be delivered on a next day basis. Full backup, technical advice and safety data sheets are readily available, just log on to sweepfast and register to be able to download documents.

Moss and Algae control

Posted on by Sweepfast

Moss and algae are becoming an unsightly persistent nuisance to anyone who manages outdoor areas for public or private access. The slippery surface created when damp can also be a health and safety issue too. The search is continuously in progress to find / create a product that treats both types of growth without being a hazard to wildlife and humans alike. Many good products such as Algon will produce a safe, almost instant kill on surface moss without being a hazard to users and wildlife, although this product, like many others, is intended to be used as a surface cleaner, some are intended to be used as a wood preservative but have found favour in the treatment of moss and algae.

Sweepfast Ltd have been trialing, for some time now, in conjunction with RBT, a new variation with their existing RBT247 product. There have been mixed successes with this product in the past but it seems that now the way is clear to market a product that really works and, possibly the most exciting aspect of this product is that over time, it keeps on working! We have seen in the past with the previous blends of this product, where the sprayers have been filled up, there is no sign of moss and algae returning even after 6 months of damp weather, and with the new blend this will be a major influence for commercial users to switch to this product. It will mean that after an initial dense treatment then further treatments at a reduced rate moss and algae will be under control, and as time progresses these periods of treatment can be extended making it an economical product to use.

Further trials will continue and any results will be posted here