algae in fuel

GBJeffOH

Active member

Equipment
L4060, EA Grapple, 6' LP Brush Hog, 8' snow plow, 6' LP tiller, EA Forks, Spraye
Nov 17, 2014
237
85
28
Jefferson, Ohio
My water separator was getting algae in it. I am using PS Bio Kleen. The big pieces on the paper towel is grease. The small stuff is algae.

I have 6 5 gal. gas cans. They have maybe a pint of fuel left in them. I emptied them into the coffee filter and found grease and algae in the cans.

The fuel station is giving this to me. I heard from someone else that was getting there with the same issue.

I reported it to the owner but he says he does not have a problem. It is the last time I buy fuel from him.

The water separator seems to stop it.

I tore apart the spin on filter and found nothing in it.

I also ordered this.
 

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Edke6bnl

Active member

Equipment
B7800 Kubota, case 1840 Skidsteer Ford 3500
Mar 31, 2022
230
119
43
Agua Dulce, California
My water separator was getting algae in it. I am using PS Bio Kleen. The big pieces on the paper towel is grease. The small stuff is algae.

I have 6 5 gal. gas cans. They have maybe a pint of fuel left in them. I emptied them into the coffee filter and found grease and algae in the cans.

The fuel station is giving this to me. I heard from someone else that was getting there with the same issue.

I reported it to the owner but he says he does not have a problem. It is the last time I buy fuel from him.

The water separator seems to stop it.

I tore apart the spin on filter and found nothing in it.

I also ordered this.
I use a funnel that has a filter and will not let water pass. Mr. Funnel
 
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hodge

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
John Deere 790 John Deere 310 backhoe Bobcat 743
Nov 19, 2010
2,903
450
83
Love, VA
Anytime water is introduced to diesel fuel, bacteria (not algae) can grow. It could come from the station, but it can also happen in your fuel cans or tank. It is best to maintenance treat it, so that it can't grow.
 
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GBJeffOH

Active member

Equipment
L4060, EA Grapple, 6' LP Brush Hog, 8' snow plow, 6' LP tiller, EA Forks, Spraye
Nov 17, 2014
237
85
28
Jefferson, Ohio
My water separator was getting algae in it. I am using PS Bio Kleen. The big pieces on the paper towel is grease. The small stuff is algae.

I have 6 5 gal. gas cans. They have maybe a pint of fuel left in them. I emptied them into the coffee filter and found grease and algae in the cans.

The fuel station is giving this to me. I heard from someone else that was getting there with the same issue.

I reported it to the owner but he says he does not have a problem. It is the last time I buy fuel from him.

The water separator seems to stop it.

I tore apart the spin on filter and found nothing in it.

I also ordered this.
I have used about 200 gal of fuel this year. All in 5 gal cans. No water in the water separator.
 

Foxrunfarms

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota LX2610, 1951 Farmall M, 1967 John Deere 110 Rf, 2010 Arctic Cat 700
Apr 25, 2023
366
522
93
WI
I have used about 200 gal of fuel this year. All in 5 gal cans. No water in the water separator.
The farm I worked on in high school had a 500 gal diesel tank with bio soy diesel in it. One day a tractor kept going into limp mode until we opened up the petcock on the fuel filter and let water out. Talking to the mechanic he said it was the sludge/algae build up from old fuel sitting. We cleaned the tank and got different fuel and never had that issue.

After getting hurt my efi atv wasn't used much. I always put non ethonal gas in it, and additive for storage. Sitting for about 5 months I fired it up and it ran like garbage. I drained the old gas out and put fresh gas in it. It ran better but not up to par. Talking to the mechanic he said stored gas in jugs or in engines are only good for about 2 weeks until they start breaking down, it's best to run carbs dry, and have tanks only half full running unless you know you'll use the full tank. I put new fresh gas in it and ran flawlessly.

I was always taught to run the carbs dry, never heard of gas only being good for 2 weeks and only fill the tank half full. You'd think there'd be more engine issues if that was accurate. I think it's a debate almost like leaving gas in a metal tank so it doesn't rust but then you have bad gas in it.
 

paul888

New member
Jul 1, 2023
5
0
1
US
My newly delivered LX2610 is my first diesel engine. While I researched everything related to the tractor to death prior to purchasing/delivery, I never thought to research anything related to diesel . Should one be adding an additive by default? If so, should it go in the tank or in the fuel can/jug? I am currently using a single 5Gallon container.
 

mikester

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Equipment
M59 TLB
Oct 21, 2017
3,554
2,021
113
Canada
www.divergentstuff.ca
For some reason algae likes biodiesel blends. Find a good supplier of diesel and don't worry about additives as the vendors pre-blend summer/winter mixes.
 

JerryMT

Active member

Equipment
Kubota M4500, NH TD95D,Ford 4610
Jun 17, 2017
528
156
43
The Palouse - North Idaho
My water separator was getting algae in it. I am using PS Bio Kleen. The big pieces on the paper towel is grease. The small stuff is algae.

I have 6 5 gal. gas cans. They have maybe a pint of fuel left in them. I emptied them into the coffee filter and found grease and algae in the cans.

The fuel station is giving this to me. I heard from someone else that was getting there with the same issue.

I reported it to the owner but he says he does not have a problem. It is the last time I buy fuel from him.

The water separator seems to stop it.

I tore apart the spin on filter and found nothing in it.

I also ordered this.
You either have water in the fuel storage container and/or the tractor fuel tank That will allow bacteria to grown in the fuel as it lives in the fuel/water interface. When you use BioKleen it will kill the bacteria but you still have to deal with bacteria and its waste. It doesn't disappear.
 

GeoHorn

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
6,040
3,316
113
Texas
For some reason algae likes biodiesel blends. Find a good supplier of diesel and don't worry about additives as the vendors pre-blend summer/winter mixes.
The diesel supplier you get your fuel from…has absolutely ZERO control over the atmosphere that enters your fuel tanks and in-which the yeast-spores are spread.

REgardless of who and where and when you buy your fuel…. you should use a biocide. Even if you burn up each days supply of fuel completely… the atmosphere which entered your tank contained those spores. They will be sitting in the tank awaiting the next load of fuel you pour in it….and offer another opportunity to contaminate your fuel and corrode your equipment.
 

GBJeffOH

Active member

Equipment
L4060, EA Grapple, 6' LP Brush Hog, 8' snow plow, 6' LP tiller, EA Forks, Spraye
Nov 17, 2014
237
85
28
Jefferson, Ohio
The diesel supplier you get your fuel from…has absolutely ZERO control over the atmosphere that enters your fuel tanks and in-which the yeast-spores are spread.

REgardless of who and where and when you buy your fuel…. you should use a biocide. Even if you burn up each days supply of fuel completely… the atmosphere which entered your tank contained those spores. They will be sitting in the tank awaiting the next load of fuel you pour in it….and offer another opportunity to contaminate your fuel and corrode your equipment.
I have been using biocide the whole time.
 

DustyRusty

Well-known member

Equipment
2020 BX23S, BX2822 Snowblower, Curtis Deluxe Cab,
Nov 8, 2015
6,237
4,816
113
North East CT
I have never used a biocide and I have never had any algae in any of my diesel fuel tanks. I also have never had a water problem in either my diesel tractor or my diesel automobile. The only time that I had a gelling problem was during the blizzard of 1978. Back then the owners manual instructed to add 10% gasoline to the diesel when operating in below-freezing weather.
 
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Pony Doc

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
SSV75 Kioti LK3054 Oliver 1250
Dec 15, 2020
35
20
8
Central Colorado
They make 4 different models, they all use the same filter process but are different sizes but more importantly have different filter rates. Pick the filter rate that fits your need.
 

GBJeffOH

Active member

Equipment
L4060, EA Grapple, 6' LP Brush Hog, 8' snow plow, 6' LP tiller, EA Forks, Spraye
Nov 17, 2014
237
85
28
Jefferson, Ohio
My water separator was getting algae in it. I am using PS Bio Kleen. The big pieces on the paper towel is grease. The small stuff is algae.

I have 6 5 gal. gas cans. They have maybe a pint of fuel left in them. I emptied them into the coffee filter and found grease and algae in the cans.

The fuel station is giving this to me. I heard from someone else that was getting there with the same issue.

I reported it to the owner but he says he does not have a problem. It is the last time I buy fuel from him.

The water separator seems to stop it.

I tore apart the spin on filter and found nothing in it.

I also ordered this.
It turned out this filter is to big for my L4060. It does fit my ZD1211.