Question: Is there any way that I can keep the water in my wicking reservoir from turning green with algae?
Answer: Since the algae won’t grow in the dark, one solution is to use a dark, light-blocking, reservoir. Another is to add about 1/4 teaspoon of Physan 20 for every gallon of water. Physan 20 is a popular, easy, and relatively safe to use algaecide. About once every three weeks, we add it to our water to deep our capillary mats from turning green–it works wonders and, because it’s als a bactericide and fungicide, it’s a good preventative measure against more serious problems. We’ve also learned to use dark colored, acrylic, blankets (they can be hard to find), since algae is less likely to grow on dark surfaces and, when it does, is less visible.