Four years experience with filtration systems in commercial nurseries for eliminating Phytophthora species from recirculation water

In a four year project, three different filtration systems were tested under commercial nursery conditions to eliminate Phytophthora spp. from irrigation water. Five nurseries were involved in the project. Slow sand filtration systems were tested in three nurseries. In the fourth nursery, a filtration system with lava grains (Shieer® Bio filtration) was tested and in the fifth nursery, a constructed wetland was investigated. The average filtration capacities per year (2003 until 2005) were between 30,000 and 100,000 m³ water for the three sand filtration systems, about 46,000 m³ for the lava grain filtration system and approximately 5,000 m³ for the constructed wetland filtration system.