Coptrol Algicide Your Questions Answered | algaecide

How does Coptrol work, Is it safe to use? |Application rates,comparison with bluestone and more |dose rate |copper sulphate | digestive enzymes

What types of algae will it control? |free floating and filamentous algae | slime

Generally speaking all free floating and filamentous green algae

including brown slime.

Will it affect livestock, birds and fish?|animals |birds|livestock|fish|aquatic life

When used in accordance with the label directions,

Coptrol will not harm livestock, birds or fish.

How does it work? |coptrol|action

Algae seek out Coptrol for its nutrient value and absorb

it through their cell wall. Digestive enzymes within the

cell break down the compound and release copper within

the cell to kill algae.

How effective is Coptrol? |does it harm humans, fish, livestock,wildlife,plants,pastures,or turf and greens

Coptrol kills algae and nothing else. It is a copper miser, when compared with copper sulphate (bluestone) it uses one fifth to one eighth of the amount required if copper sulphate was used and achieves a better result. Results are apparent soon after application. When used as directed it does not harm humans, fish, stock, wildlife, plants, pastures or turf.

How safe is it? |human drinking water |domestic animals|no corrosion

It is completely safe when used in human drinking water.

See a word of caution later in these notes concerning blue

-green algal blooms. There is no risk to domestic animals

where Coptrol is used in farm impoundments. It will not

corrode metal surfaces such as water tanks, irrigation

equipment, spray valves and pumps.

It is not corrosive to aircraft and aircraft equipment. It

will not build up in the soil.

Coptrol is specific to algae in water and should not be used

for aquatic weed control. Common weeds often mistaken for algae

are Duckweed, Azolla and Salvinia.

It will not harm rice,hydroponic plants, turf, pastures and golf greens.

No withholding period is required when used as directed.

Coptrol will not kill aquatic weeds.

Common weeds often mistaken for algae

are Duckweed, Azolla and Salvinia.

How is it applied? | application|how to use

Coptrol is easy to apply. First, measure and dilute the

required amount of Coptrol; in about one in ten in water,

then apply evenly over the surface of the water being treated.

Coptrol may be applied from aircraft, from boats or can be

sprayed from the banks of larger storages. It may be dripped

directly into flowing water in high volume treatments such as

flood irrigation water.

Here are recommended general application rates.

How does Coptrol compare with bluestone? |copper sulphate

Chelated *copper the active ingredient of Coptrol has been

shown to be more effective than copper sulphate in the control

of algae. Its advantages are:

Lower concentrations of copper are required for the

same result.

Application rates are less critical.

Copper persistence in the water at an algae toxic levels is

longer.

coptrol whenever algae poses a problem -faq page

Treated water medicated with Coptrol can be used for

irrigation and for potable water. Water treated with

bluestone cannot be used in irrigation or drinking (potable) water.

What about Copper Sulphate/Bluestone use?

It precipitates very quickly - Copper sulphate is precipitated by carbonate hardness, accumulating in sediment at the bottom of the storage and is quickly rendered unavailable to control algae. In normal water the free copper ions which are toxic to algae combine rapidly with the carbonate ions and fall to the bottom as insoluble copper compounds within an hour. Chelated copper (Coptrol) is stable in hard water and remains available to be absorbed from the water by algae.
It is difficult to apply - Bluestone irritates the eyes and skin, is very corrosive to equipment, is invasive in aircraft instruments and is hard to spread evenly from the air.
It is affected by humic content - The greater the humic content in the water, the quicker copper is tied up and precipitated out. Decomposing plant matter is thus a major limiting factor in achieving the required results from bluestone.
It exacerbates livestock toxicity problems - Because so much Copper from bluestone precipitates out rapidly as insoluble carbonates and hydroxides, copper build-up in the soil and pastures is a continuing problem. Copper toxicity in sheep grazing on sub clover, or where Heliotrope or Patterson's Curse is present is well known in many irrigation areas. Unlike copper sulphate, chelated* copper is not precipitated by carbonate hardness and is dissociated to release more copper as it is absorbed from the water by algae.

*(Chelation is a process which chemically binds metal ions to other molecules - known as chelating agents - making the final compound very stable).

Can Coptrol be used in conjunction with farm animals? |use with domestic animals|livestock

In normal circumstances, use of Coptrol to treat stock water,dams or waterways will not present a toxicity problem. On the contrary, copper

deficiency in pastures grazed with sheep and cattle in large areas of

NSW, Australia, has been a persistent problem for many years.

Hungerford (1975) stated that animals grazing from a pasture which

contains less than 4 ppm of copper will certainly suffer from Copper

deficiency. He further suggested that the popular copper sulphate worm

drench of earlier years may have masked the inherent copper deficiency

over wide areas of pasture in NSW.

Word of caution: Blue-green algal blooms occur when

there are high nutrient levels in the water, low flows in

rivers, low wind and high temperatures.

The main problem with blue-green algae is the ability of some, to

produce highly potent toxins. The toxins produced can persist in water

for weeks.

In Australia no recorded human deaths have been attributed to

blue-green algal toxins. The best documented case of human deaths

occurred in Brazil, where around 75 dialysis patients died after direct

exposure to toxins in their dialysis fluid. However, many stock deaths

have been documented in Australia. The first scientifically documented

case of an algal bloom causing deaths was in South Australia's Lake

Alexandrina in 1878, where cattle, pigs,horses and sheep died within

hours of drinking contaminated water.The toxins produced can persist

in water for weeks. The toxins can also be concentrated by shellfish,

which pose a potential health risk if they are consumed.

For more information on Blue-green Algae.

Modern sensors now exist to detect algae and determine the presence of cyanobacteria. More details may be obtained by contacting RCI.

Extreme diligence should be exercised when treating potable water

supplies which are heavily infested. As each water storage is unique

it is recommended to obtain & rely on specific independent advice.

Treatment of algal blooms with Coptrol will cause the dead algae to release the neurotoxins into the water immediately. These toxins may present a hazard to livestock immediately upon treatment and for a further period of about 28 days. The degree of risk depends on the type of algae present, the level of infestation and the time taken for aquatic bacteria to detoxify the toxins.

Learn how to identify specific types of blue green algae

However, if the treatment is not undertaken immediately the

algae will continue to bloom, releasing increasing amounts of

toxin into the stock water supply with inevitable serious results.

When Coptrol treatment finally occurs the released toxins will be

present in the water at much higher rates and for much longer

periods. It is best to treat algal blooms early and to exclude

livestock for at least 28 days.

Check the Blue-green algae safety check list.

What about Ragwort toxicity?|ragwort|copper toxicity

The alkaloid in Ragwort weed (Seneca jacobaea) , which is toxic

to horses and cattle, does not affect sheep which often graze

on the weed. However, the Ragwort alkaloid reduces sheeps'

ability to excrete copper and thus Coptrol should not be used

in water sources where sheep are grazing on Ragwort.

Can Coptrol be used in Ornamental fish ponds?

Water treated with Coptrol at a level of 1 ppm elemental

Cu (copper) does not result in a significant copper residue

problem for fish. Chelated copper compounds, especially

Coptrol, are highly specific to algae and have been shown

to present a minimum hazard to fish.

For more information on fish see Coptrol use in aquaculture.

USEFUL HINT: Decomposing algae treated with Coptrol may lead to oxygen depletion of the water. Lack of oxygen may cause fish to suffocate. Therefore, in bodies of water containing fish, it is best to kill algae slowly. It is recommended to treat only one third of the area, then wait 10 days to allow the oxygen level to build up again. Then, resume the treatment beginning from the shore and moving outwards in bands to avoid trapping fish in treated areas.

Can water treated with Coptrol be used for irrigation? | microspray

Water treated with Coptrol at copper levels of 0.2 ppm to

1.0 ppm present no hazard when Coptrol ribbon faq page

used for watering or

irrigating green pastures or crops. Copper as a micro-nutrient is frequently included in all-purpose fertilizers. Copper is also used liberally in horticultural pesticide formulations, such as copper oxychloride and Bordeaux

mixture.

Is it safe to swim with Coptrol?

Yes, swimming, fishing,(except in blue-green algae infestations) and other recreational activities will not be inhibited by treatment of the water with Coptrol.

What about dogs, cats and other pets? | pet safety

When Coptrol is used at rates authorised on the label, it will

not present any hazard to companion animals. What humans

can drink, pets can also.

How long will Coptrol last in the water? |activity in water

The active life will depend on the level of algae present

at time of treatment. Coptrol is only removed from treated

water when it is killing algae. Algae seek out Coptrol for its

nutrient value and absorb it into their cell wall. Digestive

enzymes within the cell break down the compound and release

the copper within the cell to kill algae. Copper persistence in the water

at algitoxic levels is longer than with old-fashioned inorganic copper

compounds such as bluestone.

Will I need more than one treatment? | number of treatments

Generally speaking no. Used at the correct rate, Coptrol will

control most infestations in a single treatment. However, there

are a number of situations where more than one treatment is

advisable. In bodies of water containing fish, it is best to kill

algae slowly. It is recommended to treat only one third of the

area, then wait 10 days to allow the oxygen level to build up

again. In particularly heavy infestations of mixed algae, a second

treatment after 10 -15 days may prove useful to ensure clean

sparkling water.

Can Coptrol be used in drinking water tanks?

The three components of Coptrol are specifically exempted from the schedules of the NHMRC* Uniform Poisons Standard.Coptrol can be used in all water for human consumption. However, if the water tank is sealed from sunlight algae cannot grow and treatment with Coptrol is unnecessary.

*National Health and Medicine Research Council of Australia.

Will it work in winter? | cold water

Yes, Coptrol can be used at any time of the year,

providing water temperature does not fall below 16°C (61°F).

How can I apply it? | how is Coptrol applied

Because it is a highly soluble liquid Coptrol is really easy

to apply. For general application to farm dams/ponds, simply

dilute 1:10 to 1:20 with water and spray evenly over the

surface from aircraft, from boats or pontoons, from the

banks of smaller storages or even dripped directly into rice fields faq

flowing water.

Why is Coptrol so effective in rice crops? |rice

Algae, or slime, are a perpetual problem in rice crops in

Australia and in other parts of the world. In some years

there are so many algae in the water that great slabs

lie all over the surface smothering the emerging crop.

Coptrol offers a new approach in the prevention and

control of free floating and filamentous algae in rice.

Far from being irritant and invasive, it is extremely adaptable in

application. It can:

Piggyback on herbicide and insecticides flown on to

aerially sown or drill sown crops.

Be mixed with water and dripped in to water flowing into

bays.

Be poured from banks directly into flooded bays.

When using Coptrol in a tank mix with chlorpyrifos RCI Compatibility Agent should be added at the rate of 1 % of the total volume of mix. This protects the two products from reacting with each other. And allows growers the opportunity of flying both Coptrol and the insecticide on together.

Compare Coptrol with other products

A) Chelated Copper Products

Is Coptrol the same as other chelated products?

No.

How is it different?

It is a different formula using a superior method of chelation.

What is the difference?

Coptrol contains more Copper and more Chelating agent, you can

observe the difference by comparing the viscosity of the products.

The competition has a watery consistency, whereas Coptrol has the

consistency of honey.

Find out about the Coptrol 6 point guarantee.

Why is it important?

Copper is the active ingredient that kills the algae; the chelating

agent is the method used to deliver copper into an algal cell. Most

importantly the chelating agent protects copper from reacting with

other chemicals and the environment.

Does less chelating agent make a product less effective?

Yes, reducing the chelating agent available will potentially reduce

the stability of the compound.

How does this affect my decision to control algae?

Unlike Coptrol, competitive products have up to 20% water added

to their formulations. The effect of this extra water is:

The product will have a reduced ability to protect a crop from algal growth when used as a preventative.
Lower levels of chelate will mean tank mixes with other products will be less stable and more likely to react with the other chemicals included in a mix.
It is less effective when dealing with brown slime.
It cannot be used with the compatibility agent.