FLOATING SYSTEMS

Floating Islands are not: machines chemicals invented by man Floating Islands are mimicry of a naturally occurring phenomenon! Nature has created Floating Islands to maintain itself in a healthy state of being.

The German company BGS (Bestmann-Green-Systems) has been developing their floating systems since the 90ies. More and more application challenges have systematically optimized the product range. Karajaal Design Aquatique Inc is the exclusive distributor for BGS in Canada.

Main Purpose of Floating Systems

The main purpose of floating systems is to clean a water body. Cleaning the water body means to take excess nutriments effectively and permanently out of the water column.

The amount of time required to do this varies according to the volume and condition of the water, the maturity of the islands plants, the extent of active bio-film, and other environmental factors.

Algae Control
Floating systems will not eliminate algae directly. The synergy of plants and microorganisms does the job: micro-organisms/biofilm are able to sequester the nutrients out of the water column faster than algae; and algae starve in the wake. This procedure is more advantageous than chemical fight against algae for it leaves no dead algae behind what would later become more nutriments. Floating systems roughly work like this: 1. Micro-organisms colonize the matrix of the island, as well as the root and rhizome system, - creating the biofilm -, and take nutriments out of the water. 2. Phosphates and nitrates pass through the metabolism or the micro-organisms and are thus transformed into an easier digestible form. 3. The transformed nutriments are deposited directly on the roots of the plants. 4. The plants take them in and build with them the biomass above the water level: leafs and stems 5. The biomass is harvested; taking the excess nutriments effectively and permanently out of the water.

Types of Floating systems

According to site specific considerations and main purpose of the floating system, we offer three distinct types: 1. AquaGreenFloating Rafts (FF type) 2. AquaGreenFloating Blankets (SRD type) 3. AquaGreenFloating Islands (SK type)

Floating Rafts

Floating Blankets

Applications
1. To enhance ecological water conditions 2. Biological, completely chemical-free water sanitization for fountains (in parks) and eco pools 3. Divisions in EcoPools between swimming area and regeneration area 4. Create floating separations between different areas of usage 5. Establish linear connections between different floating systems 6. Purification of process-waters (cooling water or carwash water purification) 7. Create oil- and sediment-traps in retention basins 8. To naturalize vertical retaining walls in rivers, urban channels, overflows, marinas and harbors 9. Facilitate entry of animals into the water body 10. Create small biotopes for a multitude of living beings like invertebrates, insects, amphibians or birds 11. Vegetation of retention basins and retention pools with high fluctuation in water level 12. Creation of reed belts along steep banks (quarry lakes, mining lakes etc) 13. Creation of horizontal banks; no need for costly solid construction and land-fill 14. Design of water banks for artificial water bodies where natural vegetation is not possible (too steep, no niches, too much exposure to wave erosion) 15. Wave diffusion and wave dampening in areas of boat traffic (recreation lakes, water ski, marinas) 16. Creation of ecological educational wetlands in urban spaces 17. Substitute for missing living spaces 18. Diminishing sediment and pollutant entry 19. Creation of shade above shallow water areas to diminish/prevent overheating of the water during hot summer months 20. Shadowing for spawning areas for fish, protection of young fish 21. Raising the attractivity of constructions, walls, retaining walls, weirs etc 22. Covering of drinking water reserves to limit pollutant entries (i.e. bird waste) 23. Covering of waste water tanks to diminish bad smell and accelerate nutriment elimination

BioFilm
The roots of the plants on a floating system create a very extensive surface for colonization. Each square meter can yield up to 120m bio-effective surfaces. This rootsphere serves as a colonization surface for the microorganisms. Phosphates and nitrates are taken out of the water column by different types of bacteria: Phosphates are taken out of the water by aerobic bacteria (that need oxygen to do their work) and nitrates by anaerobic bacteria (that do not need oxygen). Polluted and eutrophic water bodies typically are poor in dissolved oxygen. To be able to cultivate biofilm that accommodates the two types of bacteria, we place an aeration system below one part of the floating system: the rising bubble stream moves oxygen poor and nutrient rich cold water up to the roots; the air bubbles dissolve oxygen into the water so that the aerobic bacteria can thrive. The other part of the island only gets the water movement created by the air bubbles without the air bubbles which is convenient for the anaerobic bacteria.

Schematic drawing on functioning of floating islands and floating blankets

The absorption of heavy metals varies according the plant species: some incorporate these pollutants in their roots, some in their leafs. The floating system does give for the first time the possibility to harvest not only the leafs but also the roots to finally take the heavy metals permanently out of the water. Research of the biofilm installed on the root-sphere (inter-rhizome) has given us important data about the heterotrophic biofilm1. In contrast to the control group of free

An organism that requires organic substrates to get its carbon for growth and development.

water we could count an increase of 5000 individuals per cm. Here a list for the counts per species of microorganisms: Numbers are counts of individuals per cm: Vorticella campanula 3780 Epistylis entzii 859 Actina tuberosa 212 Brachionus urceolaris 103 Cephalodella foficula 42 Limnias ceratophylli 35

Floating systems and Wildlife

AquaGreen systems contribute significantly to the habitat diversity of an ecosystem, both physically and in terms of plant species. Habitat diversity naturally generates wildlife diversity. Frogs lay egg masses at the edges of islands, turtles haul out onto stepping stones to bask and goldfinches land to drink water from a puddle. Aquatic invertebrates live among the plant roots providing more food for fish. At the same time, they feed on algae, doing their part to keep water clear. Many aquatic invertebrates are the nymphs of flying insects such as mayflies and damselflies. As the floating system becomes home to an expanded variety of life - literally thousands of species of microbe and fauna, from damselfly nymphs to leopard frogs - your pond or waterway will become more resilient. It will have more capacity to handle disruptions. It wont be immune to trauma, but it will be more able to adapt and sustain its basic equilibrium.

Floating systems on a lake in Spain with trees to attract cormorans

You can influence wildlife use by the way you plant, locate and manage your island. If your goal is to provide nesting habitat for ducks or other waterfowl, we offer an island with a dry zone for nesting. Conversely, we have ways of discouraging waterfowl species if they arent desirable to have in your waterway.

Floating systems and Climatic Conditions

AquaGreen systems have also an influence on the climatic conditions of a water body: they keep shallow water zones cool, slow down the speed of water currents (erosion protection) and dampen wave actions. Floating systems are a multi-functional product with a very high lifetime and almost no maintenance. Prior to installation we fix the pre-vegetated ArmaflorRollsods onto the floating mats; soon the plants will create a root matrix inside the supports and under. The root matrix of Carex acutiformis has yielded root lengths of 882m per liter (10,000ft per gal); this means a total of root length of 250km per m (7,600ft per ft).

Floating systems in the Zoo of Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Floating systems and Waves

The particular way of construction achieves maximum solidity without compromising flexibility and the ability to adapt to the water surface and its movements. Depending on the type of waves, we have reached average results of 30-80% wave dampening action. The actual wave attenuation degree depends on many factors, amongst others the depth and kind of water body. Another factor is the length of the floating system in relationship to the length of the waves. Floating systems can be combined to reach very large lengths; we supply special anchoring loops for this purpose. The maximal size of a floating system will be determined by the size of the water body, the purpose of the island, the conditions of the water and the wind and the choice of plants.

1. The BGS - AquaGreen Floating Raft

More and more floating vegetation elements are used in landscaping, preservation of natural areas, water course care, aquatic construction and in landscape engineering. The employed materials should be an answer to technical as well as aesthetical demands. The AquaGreen-Floating Raft combines these two functions being at the same time a design and a technical element. In addition this small-scale, highly structured raft creates a new colonization area for many animal and plant species; in this sense it contributes to the ecological value of any water body.

Description

The AquaGreen-Floating Raft is constructed of two Armaflor-Roll Sods that hold the floating device, formed from Repotex I2, in between them. The floating element is resistant against decaying as well as UV radiation. All the three elements are flexible, yet tightly bound together. At the moment of installation the vegetation on the supports can already be completely developed. Its shape is best compared to that of trimaran, where three adjacent elements are bound together. The diameter of the AquaGreenRoll Sods and the floating roll is typically 20cm/8; consequently the width of the complete raft will be between 60-65cm/24-25. The standard length of the raft is 2.30-3.00m(7.5-10); a multitude of individual rafts can be combined in modules to create an unlimited variety of forms and configurations. The three raft elements are bound together by a strong PP cord, spun or wound around the three rolls. The combination with other floating elements (docks etc) or permanent non-floating installations is also possible. For installations on sites with variable water levels we offer specially engineered anchoring devices.

Our AquaGreen Floating Rafts are typically planted with low growing reeds, sedges and irises. The plants will form a web of rhizomes and roots under the raft that will form a submerged biomass inside and under the raft; this biomass creates additional buoyancy: by the buoyant intercellular spaces inside the plants and by small gas bubbles created by the micro-organisms that colonize raft and root system. The weight of the plants counteracts and balances this buoyancy. The plants used to colonize the floating systems and rafts have to be strictly indigenous, especially local reeds and other riparian plants. Slow growing species are preferred as they give more stability on the small rafts and create better hydrostatic conditions. The symmetrical construction of two vegetation supports around one floating device guaranties sufficient stability also in wavy conditions. The width of the rafts can be enhanced by lateral additions of other rafts; this will also increase the overall stability of the raft system. Floating Rafts have proven their quality in countless field applications since now 20 years.

Material
Typically any raft consists of two materials: an inert floating matrix and a slowly degradable ( three years) planting matrix. The main criterion that guides the choice of suitable materials for the floating matrix is its inertia and physical stability; no chemicals should be allowed to leak into the water body at any time. All AquaGreen products fulfill this requirement. The floating strands in the Repotex mats are made of foamed PE. All these materials are resistant against microorganisms, UV radiation, aging and corrosion. For the planting matrix we typically use natural coir fibers. This has become a standard ecological engineering technology. The optional netting around them is made of inert plastic.

Accessories:
Underwater Aprons to protect the raft and rhizome network from too high water currents; it can also be used as a sediment- and oil-trap. Anchoring. To anchor the rafts, we use a 5mm (1/4) strong PE covered stainless steel rope, which is placed inside the raft along the protective netting. The rope will be attached to anchor stones or on shore.

2. BGS-AquaGreenFloating Blankets
The basis of a floating blanket is a synthetic support for the vegetation in the form of woven material: AquaGreenRepotexI2. This vegetation support is constructed as matting; in which floating devices are woven into the matting and covered by a synthetic liner to withstand mechanical stress (like floating debris or ice heaving).

Developed root system under the matting

Repotex I2 floatation matting

BGS - AquaGreen Repotex

We have created a great variety of plant support matting which will be the right answer to any special application. This matting are typically supplied pre-grown. It is core part of all floating systems.

The Material
The basic construction of all Repotex products is a grossly woven structure. Depending on the individual product, our matting has varying floatation capabilities: the standard type is RepotexI2; we carry also RepotexI3 which has more buoyancy for special applications.

Typically all Repotex products are conceived to be entirely resistant against decay; it can, however, be combined with degradable materials (i.e. coir matting) or fabricated completely biodegradable. Technical Data: Weight: 200-500g/m (20-50g/ft) Thickness: 20-30mm (3/4to 1-1/4) Standard dimensions: 1.18m x 50m (4 by 150). The material can be cut in straight sections or any other geometrical shapes on demand.

Floating blanket at second vegetation period

The synthetic vegetation support of the RepotexI2 type will be covered (according to the overall design) with pre-grown coir matting and/or other synthetic netting. A plantation on site is possible if the site conditions allow for that. The artificial buoyancy of the island will be supported further by naturally occurring buoyancy: plants have floating cells and micro-organisms on the roots as well as inside the support matrix will create micro gas bubbles.

The self-buoyancy is counteracting the weight of the seasonally produced biomass of plant origin. The high flexibility and mobility of the floating island make them easily serviceable on shore. Heavy rain or dousing from a sprinkler can cause an island to ride lower in the pond, but the island will typically shed the excess water within a day or two and buoyancy will return to normal. Depending on the construction and application, we can add protective nettings against damage by rodents (also for koi-ponds). We also offer additional floating devices in the shape of tubular, soft modules.

Transport
The floating blankets are delivered rolled-up on site. We supply fixation and anchoring gear together with the matting. The matting need to be unrolled immediately after reception and watered. Installation is required on the same day.

Installation and Anchoring

We design and deliver detailed installation and anchoring instructions specific for the conditions on site. Typically the floating blankets are brought into the water and joined together in the shallow water zone (depending on site conditions). The complete systems are then howled to their final destination. At their final destination the floating systems are tied to stone-bag-anchors, decks or concrete walls. Dragging anchors are also an option. Floating blankets can be anchored movable (one anchor line) or fixed (two or more anchor lines). Floating systems can be installed all year round during ice-free periods.

Stone-Bag-Anchors

3. BGS - AquaGreen-Floating Islands (Type SK)

Floating islands are the variation of floating systems for situations where you expect more stress on the floating island: higher currents and/or higher wave or ice heaving actions. If a strong increase of plant-biomass due to the rich nutriment availability is to be expected, stronger supports and additional buoyancy will be required. Float Islands are the simple answer to all these demands.

Floating Islands fully grown

We produce two standard sizes of Floating Islands: SK A: pre-grown islands SK B: islands with gravel surface SK24: islands with side length of 2.40m/94, and a surface of 2.50m/27ft; made of PP/PE/PES SK 30: islands with a side length of 2.90m/114 with a surface of 3.60m/39ft SK 60: islands with a side length of 6m/236 with a surface of 15.6m/168ft Floating Islands constitute a system of freely combinable equilateral triangles. Their construction in plastic or stainless steel guaranties a long life and high resistance against mechanical stress and corrosion.

Floating Islands before plantation

To supply a highly qualified product, each unit is welded and has passed a waterproofing test prior to delivery. Each triangle can support a weight of up to 200kg (structural buoyancy only). Highly tear resistant, UV stabilized netting that serves as support for the vegetation matrix is installed inside the triangles. The netting is installed under tension to prevent partial sinking or sagging when the plants are introduced. This is especially important in waste water treatment to avoid any backflow of extracted pollutants/nutriments back into the water; thus maintaining a high purification rate.

Anchoring
Large water bodies without high riparian plants and great water depth allow for high waves. We supply proven anchoring systems for all the different site conditions. For example we use plough anchors in non-moving waters with a weight of 9kg and a maximal holding force of 500kp. This system did prove sufficient for Floating Islands interconnected with 8mm chains and 13mm Nylon cords even during autumn and winter storms. Another possibility are concrete anchors of 20 or 50kg.

Installation
Floating Islands are delivered complete: you just have to launch them upon reception. The interlocking of different islands is done inside the water because there they are most easily moved. Single islands are attached to one another by the corners with the help of coupling rings. The insertion of a fender acts as a buffer between the individual elements. During installation you have to watch current and wind because the dragging resistance of the Floating Islands is considerable. In cases where the floating islands cannot be shipped fully assembled, we send them in complete sets to be assembled on site.

Advantages on a glance:
1. Improvement of the water quality 2. Immediate greening 3. Durable construction in stainless steel 4. Simple installation 5. Almost maintenance free 6. 120m active bio surface per m (120ft per ft) 7. Root horizon as colonization space for microorganisms 8. Nest and brooding spaces for birds 9. Spawning space for fish 10. Shadowing and cooling of shallow water 11. Wave dampening

The Floating Islands of the SK B variety are used in bird sanctuaries. The frame construction is the same; the surface however is covered with gravel. To ensure a higher stability, we use a double net construction and add additional floating devices. SK B Floating islands are additionally equipped mats made from Repotex, which are laid over the tubular triangle to facilitate the water side entry of little birds.

Floating Islands B type with gravel