Algae Bloom Question

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ScubaTodd77

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I dove in a local quarry expecting good viz, but it turned out to be pretty poor. I saw a lotta thick algae on the rocks and logs and there were a couple of large brownish looking globs of it floating on the surface. My LDS mentioned something about an algae bloom and then the sun killing it, but did not elaborate on viz conditions. So did this create the bad viz? What signs can one look for, that would indicate better viz. I wanna go back and dive it again, but only when the viz is better. :coffee:
 
You might very well be waiting until late fall or even next spring. Algal blooms are pretty much seasonal, but flare and wane periodically even within seasons. Factors that influence blooms include temperature, available light, inflow of freshwater, size of the impoundment (or in oceans, the magnitude of currents), and the influx of nutrients, minierals and other substances.
Most freshwater impoundments in the southern continental states experience algal blooms as the water temp rises and rainfall decreases, typically the midsummer months. While the algae might not be in full "bloom" during the entire summer months, the algal load will probably be pretty heavy as long as the temps are up, thus vis will be poor until a major die-off, which is pretty much when the weather turns significantly cooler.
 
Thanks for that information, that explains alot. Looks like I'll have to wait for cooler temps.
 
You can descend below it, but then light from above is diminished greatly.

All water should be treated as suspect in terms of cleanliness, but algae clouded waters are indicative of a potential bio-contamination issue. An abundance of Goose poop, if nothing less.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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