If stock must be moved to another paddock, do it at a very easy pace. Veterinary advice should then be sought to confirm the diagnosis, and a sample of the bloom forwarded for identification through the veterinary practitioner investigating the problem or AgricultureWestern Australia officer involved. The blue-green algae which form water blooms consist of loose colonies or threads of cells and have to be viewed under a high magnification microscope to be identified. Algae submitted for identification should preferably be fresh and healthy. Farm water supplies Algae in water tanks may be controlled by covering the tank to exclude light and reduce the temperature.
Deep dams are preferable to shallow dams to minimise algal use of the sun's energy.
Chemical control Algae can be killed with several chemicals, including simazine, copper sulphate and calcium hypochlorite. For best results, the treatment used should be done when algal development is first noticed. Simazine Simazine will continue to kill algae for several days after application. However, it will also kill plants, so treated water should not be used on the garden for at least 7 days. Chemical treatment of toxic algae can cause a sudden release of toxin, which can persist for several days.