Smaller dosages, infrequent treatments, lack of significant long lasting bio-accumulation and lack of non-natural chemical residuals are all reasons why our products are a better choice for the environment.

Copper is an essential nutrient required by all animal and plants to sustain growth and life. This mineral is also an effective antimicrobial because copper at low doses, in the form of Cu² ions, kills or prevents growth of many microorganisms, including bacteria, algae, fungi and viruses. Fish and mammals, in comparison to blue-green algae, are 10-100 and 1,000 times less sensitive to these copper ions, respectively. Copper dosed correctly can, therefore, be used to selectively control just the bad microorganism while remaining safe for plants, humans and other animal life.

Our proprietary technology creates a unique distribution of ionic copper that creates a higher amount of stable Cu² than other copper based products. These copper ions remain dissolved longer, resulting in early treatment of algae blooms and ensuring long-term algae control without over treatment.

The anti-microbial properties of traditional dissolved copper sulfate products are extremely short-lived as the active Cu² ions quickly settle, becoming inactive copper compounds and increasing the need for frequent treatments and large quantities of copper being applied. The result is more copper sulfate solids accumulating over time.

AGS technology has solved these problems. Our products use a proprietary inert carrier solution that enables Cu²+ ions to stay biologically active and stabilized in water until assimilated. They contain up to 420% more active copper ions and work in a wider variety of water conditions than traditional copper sulfate products. The implication of this technological breakthrough is that only minute quantities of our products are needed to prevent and kill undesirable microbes. Our products mean safe and economical application without any harm to the environment or human health.

No. AGS products are not chelated products. In the copper pesticide literature and marketing, chelated normally refers to copper compounds with organic based ligands – citrate, gluconate, ethanolamine, etc. Some manufacturers claim that the non-polar nature of the organic ligands allow easier cell penetration of the copper. This is unlikely as most scientific reports say only the free Cu²⁺ ions are small enough to penetrate the cell wall. Chelated copper molecules break down relatively quickly. AGS’s unique ionic cupric copper technology optimizes the number of free Cu²⁺ ions which can stay suspended in the water until absorbed by the target organism. Our products have superior efficacy because less product is required and it lasts longer once applied.

The products work quickly. Generally, algae and cyanobacteria blooms are controlled within 24-48 hrs. Noticeable changes in odour will occur within 12-24 hrs. Note that the dead algae will remain in the water as organic matter until decomposed or manually removed.

Microorganism such as algae and bacteria are a lot more sensitive to copper than other organism. Our unique ionic cupric copper technology kills these organisms by interfering with their natural metabolic processes, such as membrane permeability, respiration, digestion, reproduction, and DNA. This happens with minimal impact to other animals, plants and human health when the products are used as directed. In fact, mammals are 1,000 more tolerant to copper than algae.

No. AGS algaecides are designed to kill micro-organisms like bacteria and algae only. They cannot clean water polluted by chemicals, radioactive materials or heavy metals.

Our products, unlike many competitive products, work well in a wide variety of water conditions alkalinity (25-100 mg CO3/L) and pH (pH3 – pH9) levels. However, the contact time and the amount of product needed will vary depending on the water conditions, volume of algae and other organic matter present in the water.

AGS product will have little to no impact on the value of pH, alkalinity or the mineral composition of the substrate it is applied to. AGS products are applied in only minor quantities. The resultant final chemicals are relatively inert, meaning they will not change the chemical properties of the water.

Developed by a team of scientists, industry experts and key industry stakeholders, NSF/ANSI 60, is an international certification standard for chemicals used to treat potable water. Health Canada requires that all products used in water treatment plants comply with NSF/ANSI 60 to ensure the products are safe to use. NSF60 is your guarantee that our products have no health impacts when used as directed.

Pura-Fi 420 is an NSF certified bacteriostatic algaecide approved by Health Canada to treat potable water.

Our algaecides can be applied year-round. The most cost-effective solution is to apply the product right before or at the initial stages of an algae bloom. In Canada, this is in spring when sunlight, warmer temperatures and nutrients create favorable conditions for algae to grow. Controlling algae blooms usually requires more effort as the season progresses when the algae and weeds have become well-established.

Best results are achieved by treating the entire water volume. Treat one third to one half at a time and allow five to seven days between treatments if the water is severely infested. This will reduce the possibility of fish suffocation due to oxygen depletion from decomposition of dead algae.

There might be instances where it is unfeasible to treat the entire waterbody (e.g., too large or deep). Algae only grows where there is availability of light. It might therefore be sufficient to treat just the shallower parts plus the surface area where algae is visible. Alternatively, apply enough product to treat the first two feet of the water body.

AGS products disperse evenly and quickly in all directions, but active copper ions will sometimes cling to other organic materials, in addition to the intended target organism. The recommendation is to spray multiple spots, particularly the problematic areas, to ensure the product is distributed more uniformly and absorbed by the intended target organism.

Applied AGS products works at any temperature, but act quicker in warmer waters. Note that concentrated products should be stored in temperatures above freezing to avoid crystallization.

If algae is present in the entire water body or covers large parts of the surface, it is recommended to treat only 25% of the volume of water at any one time. Allow 4 to 7 days between subsequent treatments until control is achieved with a return to healthy oxygen levels.

It is not normally necessary to remove the dead algae after treatment. The exception is when the water is fish bearing and the bloom is severe. Dead algae use a lot of oxygen decomposing which can result in fish kill. Approximately 5 mg/L of dissolved oxygen is required in water for fish to survive.

Our algaecides work preventively because they stay active until absorbed by target microorganisms. Maintaining a level of 0.5 ppm of our algaecide products is usually sufficient to prevent the algae from remerging.

No, our products will not harm most plants when used as directed. Copper is a nutrient that plants need for growth. Our products are therefore very suitable for use in greenhouses and with irrigation water as they do not negatively affect plant nutrients applied through irrigation systems. Our products also provide the additional benefit of keeping lines and filters free of biofilm, slime, and mineral scaling saving considerable maintenance costs.

AGS algaecides act on targeted micro-organisms within their natural copper sensitivity limits. Fish are generally 10-100 times less sensitive to copper than bacteria and algae. Juvenile fish are more sensitive to copper that adult fish.

Treating at 0.06 ppm is unlikely to cause fish mortality, but we recommend not using our product with any koi, goldfish or salmonoid species as these fish are very sensitive to copper.  Use extra caution when pH is low (=6.5), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels are 3.0 mg/L or lower, or the alkalinity is less than 50 mg/L (soft water). Soft and acidic water increases the potential acute toxicity to fish.

Large amounts of dead, decomposing algae can result in oxygen depletion that kills fish. We recommend the following if the algae covers more than 25-30% of the surface:

• Treat the water body in 3-4 separate sections waiting 5-7 days between treatments
• Remove the dead and floating algae from the water surface after treatment

In their concentrated form, our products are corrosive and must therefore be handled carefully. Be sure to use protective clothing and chemical resistant googles to avoid contact with clothing, skin and eyes. Always use products in a well-ventilated area. Do not drink product. Keep out of reach of children. Refer to label for first aid information.

No expensive capital equipment is needed to apply our products. Our product is mildly corrosive to galvanized metal, therefore application equipment and mixing containers should be made of plastic or stainless steel. Spray or inject the product into the water or waste-water source in recommended dosages. This can be done manually by directly pouring or spraying onto the affected areas or by using injection equipment like meters, feed pumps and under surface sprayers. The size of the water body and the application type will determine what the best and most feasible option is.

AGS products can be used diluted or undiluted depending on the kind of application the products are used for. For surface application, we generally recommend diluting the product 5-10 times with water before applying to large water bodies as this makes it possible to spread the product over a wider area. This ensures a more uniform distribution. Diluting the product will also reduce their corrosive nature. This is a good idea if the equipment used to distribute the product is of sensitive nature. We do not recommend diluting the product if under surface injectors are used to treat filamentous algae.

Our unique ionic cupric copper, the active ingredient in our products, remains suspended and bioavailable until absorbed by organic matter or target micro-organisms. This lengthens the number and time between treatments. Treatment intervals can be anywhere from days to months depending on the amount of product used, the water conditions (pH, alkalinity, total suspended solids) and the severity and growth rate of the algae infestation.

Copper content should be measured before and periodically after treatments to identify the correct dosage needed to either prevent or kill existing micro-organism like algae and bacteria.

After application, the level of active copper ions will gradually decrease over time as the product is absorbed by algae, bacteria or organic matter. Monitor weekly and apply product as needed to ensure total dissolved copper levels reach the recommended 0.3-0.5 ppm for water. This will keep micro-organism from re-emerging.

Total dissolved copper content can be measured using a variety of methods and field test kits. The easiest and cheapest way is to use copper test strips similar to the ones used in swimming pools. These estimate the free Cu²⁺  concentration. Ensure the maximum 0.5-1 ppm total Cu²⁺  is not exceeded.

One litre of our solution will treat 60,000-600,000 litres of water depending on the water conditions and the extent of active micro-organisms present. Expect to use 1 litre of product for every 6,000-30,000 litres of waste water (e.g. sludge, manure) as the level of total suspended solids and organics typically is much higher than what is found in other waters (e.g. ponds, reservoirs, tanks).

This is an abbreviation for “parts per million” and it also can be expressed as milligrams per litre (mg/L). For AGS product it is only necessary to add 1.6 ml per 1,000 L to increase the amount of copper by 0.1 ppm.

To calculate the litres required to treat a given volume at a desired treatment level use the formula below:

Example: If a pond has a volume of 120,000 litres and the desired treatment level is 0.5 ppm then 1 litre of product is needed as

To identify the recommended dosage use the table below. Use the lower range concentrations if the water is soft and/or the algae growth is light to moderate.

Recommended Dosage for Selected Algae

Use the following concentrations in areas where algae genera have not been positively identified. Use the lower range concentrations if the water is soft. 1 ppm kills all algae in most circumstances and maintaining at 0.5 ppm will hinder regrowth.