Sonic Solutions

For the Grounds department, trying to improve Bretton Woods while minimizing our environmental impact at the same time is a difficult balance. Sometimes these two philosophies clash and sometimes they mesh perfectly. Recently, we purchased a second Sonic Solutions algae control device for the pond on #2 which will dramatically improve the algae control in the pond and is also very good for the environment.

There are several reasons to keep algae at bay in the ponds on the golf course. First, an algae covered pond is not aesthetically pleasing. Many of you may remember the way the pond on #2 looked last year; almost entirely covered with algae, stale, and not pretty to look at. The algae in this pond were especially difficult to manage also because of the shallow depth of the water and lack of flow in the pond. Secondly, stagnant water can be a breeding ground for insects and often times produce a foul odor. The algae can make a mat on the surface of the water and make the water seem thicker and more immobile. Thirdly, when algal blooms are large, they can reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the pond floor. This can reduce the amount of food and oxygen available in the water, which in turn, can disrupt the normal ecology of the site. Lastly, algae can produce toxins that can be harmful to other wildlife, pets, and possibly humans.

The Sonic Solutions device works by emitting the exact ultrasonic wavelength that disrupts the cellular structure of algae:  The device hits the “harmonic frequency of the gas vesicles (vacuoles) inside the blue/green algal cell and pops them. This causes the algal cell to sink to the bottom of the body of water. There, out of the direct sunlight, it cannot photosynthesize and it begins to starve and become weak. The bacteria at the bottom of the body of water then consume the blue/green algal cells.” In doing this, the device can remove existing algae growth in a pond and help to prevent more growth from occurring. Several years ago a Sonic Solutions device was purchased for the pond between #1 and #10. Seeing the results that were produced by the first unit made purchasing another machine for the pond on #2 a very easy decision.

The Sonic Solutions device can be powered by either electricity or solar panels at the site. We have solar panels powering the device at the pond on #10. However, we had existing power at the pond on #2 to use so we did not need the solar panels. Although the solar panels are the most efficient, the unit only uses about 10 watts of power a day. So, with power already supplied to the site on #2, spending a significant amount of money for the solar panels was not necessary.

One of the most significant reasons that the Sonic Solutions device is worth the investment is because it eliminates the need for chemical treatment of algae in both ponds. Although we are very judicious with our chemical use on the entire golf course, including the ponds, chemicals are at times needed. With this improvement, however, we do not need to treat either the pond on #2 or #10 with any chemicals, which reduces our pond chemical treatments by about one quarter.

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org