AlgaeTracker:
Real-Time Algae and Water Quality Monitoring Buoy
The AlgaeTracker is a lightweight, solar-powered, self-cleaning sensor buoy that measures chlorophyll-a, phycocyanin (blue-green algae), turbidity, water temperature and solar light, and streams data every 30 minutes to an online dashboard.
It installs in 30–60 minutes and gives water utilities, lake managers and agencies 24/7 visibility, so they can detect algal blooms and other water quality changes early and act quickly.
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Add a TrackerSonde multiparameter sonde or a single sensor to monitor at depth as well, for a complete picture from the surface down, with parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity and more.
Detect algae blooms before they cause impacts
AlgaeTracker measures 6 key water parameters 48x / day and streams the data to a web dashboard so you get a 24/7 lens into your waterways from your office.
Time public warnings or water treatments proactively
Timing is everything when avoiding the impacts of HABs. Early detection means you can notify the public before accidents happen or schedule treatments preventatively rather than after disasters occur.
Amplify the reach of your monitoring team
AlgaeTracker's alerting system notifies you when contamination levels rise above set thresholds, so you check the right location at the right time, and skip the other sites.
“The AlgaeTracker gives us 24/7 visibility into our water sites where we typically get a 10-15 day gap between surveys. This means we can get there ready to perform treatments when the cell counts are lower, use less chemical, and avoid the bad blooms. That keeps the park patrons happy and the regulatory agencies from having to show up with a ‘Closed’ sign. Looking forward to ramping up deployments!”
Terry Mcnabb, President, AquaTechNex
“The AlgaeTrackers are a huge hit- other watersheds in New Brunswick want these devices to assist in early detection for cyanobacteria blooms. These units have been an absolute smash success- even if a bloom isn't occurring, having a device that collects water quality data, in real time, with such ease of use, has been an incredible asset for our monitoring programs!”
Sarah Blenis, Hammond River Angling Association
Featured Case Study: City of Akron, Ohio
Akron’s Lake Rockwell supplies drinking water to more than 200,000 residents, but a single legacy buoy left most of the lake unmonitored. Three AlgaeTrackers gave full-lake visibility of how blooms develop and move, so the team could time algaecide treatments and lab sampling based on actual conditions, while cutting maintenance from weekly cleanings to two per season.
An amazingly powerful sensor buoy in a surprisingly small package
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Drop the lightweight buoy into the water. It immediately starts sending 6 key readings to the cloud every 30 minutes. Cellular is all taken care of.
2.
Our dashboard streams all the data live, displays rich graphs and color coded gauges, and sends you notifications at Action Thresholds.
3.
Early detection enables early action. When levels rise too high for your water, send a team member or water professional to assess for treatment.
Hardware & Deployment
35 cm (14"), 4 kg (8 lb)
Solar with battery
4G Cat M1 cellular
Auto brush, 48×/day
40 cm–30 m (200 m option)
One person, 30–60 min
Measurements & Data
Onboard sensors
Location
Reading interval
Sensor linearity
Add-ons
Data
Chl-a, phycocyanin, turbidity, temp, light
GPS
30 minutes
R² ≥ 0.999 (independent lab)
TrackerSonde or single sensor
Dashboard, alerts, CSV, API
Size, weight
Power
Connectivity
Anti-fouling
Add-on depth
Install
Add-on sensors for a complete view from surface to depth.
pH
Track chemistry shifts that affect treatment, aquatic life and permit compliance. Catch bloom-driven pH swings in lakes and lagoons.
Range 0–14.
Dissolved Oxygen
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Spot low-oxygen conditions before fish kills, and track stratification and lake turnover by comparing surface and bottom water temperatures.Optical sensor, Range: 0–50 mg/L.
Conductivity
Detect road salt, runoff and discharge events, and build a baseline for long-term trends. Includes salinity and TDS.
Range 0–200 mS/cm.
Also available: ORP, turbidity, total suspended solids, UV254 (TOC/COD), dissolved organic matter, oil in water, and chlorophyll-a and phycocyanin at depth.
Self-cleaning, anti-fouling design
Before every measurement, 48 times a day, the automatic brush cleans the optical window, made of hard, polished glass that resists biofouling. Add-on sensors are self-cleaning too, and wiper status shows on the dashboard. The result: accurate readings for long periods between site visits, even in warm, nutrient-rich water.
Affordable, large-scale data collection to protect waterways
Large-Scale Data & Actionable Insights
The Trackers notify you via email when key events happen. Deploy personnel for follow-up only when Action Thresholds are met, minimizing unnecessary trips for manual sampling. With the AlgaeTracker, you arrive on-site precisely when required.
Built to Scale Affordably
AlgaeTrackers cost less per site than traditional monitoring buoys, thanks to hardware and software designed to keep costs low. Choose the Complete Package with white-glove service, no recurring fees and a 5-year warranty, or a Subscription with a low upfront cost. Contact us for a quote.
Install in 30-60 Minutes
AlgaeTrackers come fully assembled for easy 30-minute deployment by anyone. Weighing just 8 pounds, simply place it in your waterway, secure it with the included rugged rigging package, and start receiving solar-powered data on any device within minutes.
Drinking water reservoirs
Early warning of blooms and taste-and-odor events
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Lakes and beaches
Timely public warnings, fewer unnecessary closures
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Lake associations and watershed groups
Long-term trends and shared data
Government agencies
Data for public safety and science-based decisions
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Aquaculture ponds
Track algae and oxygen-related risks
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Wastewater lagoons and receiving waters
Track algae in lagoons and bloom risk downstream of discharges