Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Voo Doo or Doo Doo (killing algae with ultrasonic)

Someone is trying to sell a friend of mine an ultrasonic device to eliminate algae. Anyone ever heard or tried one? They are selling it for around 1200 bucks. He has about a 1/8 acre pond 8 feet deep with a liner..
I just found this on the internet.
Ultrasonic Algae Control Benefits include:
Environmentally safe!
Chemical-Free Algae Control!
Kills algae: planktonic algae, blue-green algae, green algae, filamentous algae, etc.
Reduces TSS counts in the effluent of wastewater treatment facilities
Does not harm "beneficial bacteria, aerobic or anaerobic"
Kills root parasitic fungi like Pythium and Fusarium(in water)
Does not harm humans, animals, fish or plants
Reduces chlorine use in swimming pools, drastically
Removes bio-film: Boat hulls, swimming pools, tanks, cooling towers, etc.
Low power consumption (from 20 to 45 watts)
Virtually maintenance free (wipe off the transducer face occasionally)
No moving parts, No filters to clean, No bulbs to replace
State of the art electronics signal transmitter
Transducer made in USA "exclusively" for LG Sound algae control devices
Easy to install (GFCI outlet on 120 volt household current)
2 year manufacturer's service warranty
Continued support by AlgaeControl.US and our Dealer Network
Affordable pricing and saves you time so you may enjoy your water!
The Ultrasonic Algae Control Transducer:
The ultrasonic transducers (underwater speaker part of the unit) have the widest output scope (176 degrees) and range (up to 150 meters for roaming algae and up to 400 meters for blue-green algae) making it the most effective ultrasonic transducer in this field. LG Sound has the exclusive worldwide sales rights for this valuable part of the LG Sonic family of ultrasonic algae control products so you will not find it in any other device of this type.
How Ultrasonic Algae Control Works:
The LG Sonic unit transmits a complex pattern of ultrasonic vibrations through the water in an all around radius of 176 degrees causing the vacuoles inside the algae cells to resonate and break, much like a glass breaking from a high pitched sound while the same vibrations are harmless to humans, animals, fish and aquatic plants. Once broken, the algae cells no longer possess the ability to grow and reproduce. Now your water systems will become clearer and healthier from destruction of algae and other harmful root-parasitic fungi (single-celled) without having to apply environmentally harmful chemicals for this purpose. The microscopic pictures below clearly show the ultrasonic effects on heathly, dying and dead algae cells.

This kind of thing got brought up once before. I can't remember the overall tone of the discussion, but my personal thoughts were it could work in the laboratory but did not sound too effective in the great ooutdoors. "20 to 45 watts" does not sound like enough power to decimate algae cells in a very large area, even wrt to a pond that's only 1/8 acre.

But then I'm still trying to figure out if & how LASER smoking cessation treatment is supposed to work.

If ultrasonic sound can kill algae, what does it do to fish?

To add to heybud's comment, if it is able to disrupt and destroy (kill) FA cells it is also killing very small beneficial organisms such as delicate invertebrates (protozoa, soft bodied rotifers, possibly eggs of invertebrates) and beneficial photoplankton the base of the food chain. Indescriminate mass killing of basic food chain items can't be all good. They state it does kill photoplankton. I highly question the statement that it does not kill bactertia.

I vote for ka ka.
What vacuoles are specific to algae, which are a very diverse group of organisms? The only distinctive and almost universal feature I know of in their internal cellular structure, as opposed to simple animals, is the presence of chloroplasts, and these vary greatly among different algae and are found in all photosynthetic tissues throughout the plant kingdom. This device will cause your wallet to resonate and break, and the dealer should throw in a “sucker” t-shirt.

Mudcat Joe says you should send your money to him, instead. He will think good thoughts about your pond and project negative energy upon your algae, and they will all die under the influence of his brain waves. I know it will work, for I have seen him kill an entire 12-pak in a single afternoon of trot-lining.
Lou

Lou thanks for the explanation and tell old Mudcat to go easy on those 12-paks.

What Lou said.

I too have considered a system similar to this but am starting to reconsider due to the skepticizm appearent. Please take a look at the following link for a similar system but utilizes ultra violet light instead of sound. The unit's craftmanship and materials appears to be very high quality.

http://www.ultraviolet.com/water/ecolog01.htm

I don't mean to change focus on Heybud's inquiry but thought that this could be a viable alternative if its effectiveness could be confirmed and the price is managable. Does anybody have any experience with this system? Or is this another 6 one way, half dozen another?

One scientist is explaining the disappearance of honey bees due to the microwaves from cell phones. He claims the use of cell phones near hives causes them to leave and relocate. So if that's possible...

On another note considering how senstive fish are to undewater sound it would seem this could severely stress them.

Blaine, I love gadgets, and I was interested to see what this one does. I am afraid it is a money machine for its distributer. What is being offered here appears to be a little air pump and a small UV lamp. I would bet that the pump couldn’t produce enough air to do much good, especially since all the current it needs can be supplied by “connection to an ordinary electrical outlet.”

Ozone can be produced by the disassociation of molecular oxygen, followed by the combination of three atoms to produce the ozone. Production of significant amounts of ozone would require a good deal more equipment and a cooling system, to boot. The amounts of ozone such an outfit as is shown would make would be minimal. It’s a good thing, too, because if you could get much ozone into the water, it would damage your fishes’ gills pretty quickly.

In addition, the physics used in the ads is pretty wacko. For instance, “In addition, the oxygen displaces dissolved carbon dioxide, which is vented to the atmosphere.” That’s simply garbage.

Once again, Mudcat suggests that you send the money to him, preferably before Saturday night.
Lou