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I just watched this story on the news last night, so this morning I figured I'd find the website version and post it here:
Anyway, I think this is a pretty cool concept because, having lived in several houses with pools throughout the years, it gets expensive and uses way too much energy sometimes to clean up an algae outbreak. This is as green as it gets!!!
Taken from http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/12/14/558815.htmlPOLK COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Winter Haven Mayor Jeff Potter says the city just paid a few hundred dollars to use fish to fight one of the nastier sides of foreclosure.
"We want to make sure for the safety of everybody in the area that the property is maintained, so that we have a better view of it," Potter said.
Three days ago 20 algae eating fish were dumped into a pool behind a bank-owned home.
"Cafeteria is open. They're just having a heyday right there," said Dave Hoy with Shiner Shack Fish Farm. "They're loving it."
It will take the janitor fish, called plecos, several weeks to eat their way through the job.
"We've worked with the University of Florida, and we're just trying to provide a service that is a temporary service," Hoy said. "Hopefully our economy will start booming."
Hoy says it's a green approach and is cheaper than chemicals.
Smaller versions of the fish are more commonly used to clean up household fish tanks.
Hoy deployed his algae eating fish to 30 pools at foreclosed homes in Palm Beach County this summer.
He says once the fish finish at the home in Winter Haven, they'll be ready to start another job the next day.
The cost is $350 for each pool.
Anyway, I think this is a pretty cool concept because, having lived in several houses with pools throughout the years, it gets expensive and uses way too much energy sometimes to clean up an algae outbreak. This is as green as it gets!!!