BioHaven Design Basics...What Do You Need To Know In Advance Before Ordering The Right BioHaven? The BioHaven Solution Process!

Start with the premise that natural systems are fully capable of fixing your water.

It's amazing how nature will support our efforts with an array of surprises, such as freshwater sponge growing under this floating dock, contributing to water filtration.

​Today’s water managers, both private and public, have an expanding range of tools to steer their water towards health.  As CEO of a company that has developed one particular tool, BioHavens, I am frequently in conversations with water stewards about the important details they must consider in order to get it right.  So, here’s a list that is likely to include information that relates to the issues you face.  It is a window.  It will get you started towards chemical-free, sustainable management of your water:

​*  Begin with this fact…freshwater is under serious pressure.  Climate change combined with nutrient overload results in massive potential blooms of harmful algae and/or monocultures of invasive aquatic vegetation.  This is the common parameter across the developed world, from Australia to Singapore to Boston Harbor, water is a fundamental, critical resource that needs serious focus.
​
*  Chemical treatment of Harmful Algae Blooms is the pattern of the past.  It’s what some humans have gravitated to over the last five decades, and it is an abject failure.  Chemicals don’t fix water.  Don’t go the chemical route, or you are likely to run out of funds well before your water issue is resolved.  It’s that simple.

*  Employ natural systems and modern abilities and tools to steer your water towards health.  These include:  biomimicry of natural systems, prevention of inflow nutrients, measurement, and the broad category of “natural stewardship.”.  Become an objective observer of your water, and be prepared to think both vertically and laterally.  Remember that nature is not exclusively linear, but always is strongly biased towards inclusion of  circles of life.  In practical terms this means that as you boost aeration, circulation and surface area in your water, you will expand biodiversity and corresponding water health.

*  Seek to understand what limits your water.  Note that as you steward towards biodiversity you are also engaging in a particularly critical form of climate action.  The following list includes several of the most frequent limiting variables:  Aeration/circulation, nutrient inflow and inventory, and water clarity.  Water that’s in trouble will frequently have to contend with all three of these parameters of concern.  Not a problem, but instead, an opportunity.

​*  Perhaps the best feature in this short list…is that water is resilient and will support you and your efforts towards “nature as model.”  Once you get started on the path of biomimicry, nature will support your efforts with an amazing array of sometimes surprising phenomena.  Nature is above reproach…it just is.  But you can leverage natural systems that will contribute to sustainable practice.  Again, this requires right and left brain thinking.  Be prepared to step out of your comfort zone.

​Here’s what it looks like:  

1.  Start with the premise that natural systems are fully capable of fixing your water.  Expand aeration, circulation and surface area wherever possible.  Which of these three parameters is most important?  Note that aeration and circulation go hand in hand.  They result in added oxygenation of your water.  They are indeed, primary.  Surface area is a luxury, but when oxygenation and surface area are combined with surface area, the results are splendid.  You can indeed grow fish instead of algae.

​The take-home message is that nature-as-model is the system humans must transition to in order to achieve a sustainable life model.  It’s not complicated.  It’s affordable.  And it’s energizing.  When you engage in this process your water will respond!