Easy Identification — Of Freshwater Algae

: Fresh blooms often smell like freshly mowed grass; older, decaying blooms may smell like rotting garbage.

If you are observing algae in person, these simple characteristics can narrow it down: Easy identification of freshwater algae

: These look like hair-like strands or tangled mats. Spirogyra often feels slick and slimy. Pithophora feels "cottony" and coarse. : Fresh blooms often smell like freshly mowed

: Diatoms often feel gritty (like sand) because of their glass-like silica shells. Identification Resources Easy identification of freshwater algae