Algae Colonies: Nature's Water Purifiers?

Algae colonies are an important part of the ecosystem, but they can also be a source of pollution. In the context of the space-colony simulation game Oxygen Not Included, algae terrariums are used to produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. While these terrariums can be useful, they also generate a lot of polluted water, which can become a tedious chore for players to manage. This is because, while water delivery to the algae can be automated, the expulsion of polluted water must be done manually. However, there are some strategies that players can use to deal with this issue, such as using bottle emptiers or building PO2-to-O2 scramblers. Additionally, in real-world ponds, certain pollutants like phosphorus and acid rain can affect the growth of algae, leading to oxygen depletion and the suffocation of other life forms.

Algae Terrariums can be used to create an air pocket in remote areas before an Atmo Suit is available

Algae Terrariums are a useful tool in the game Oxygen Not Included for creating an air pocket in remote areas before an Atmo Suit is available. They can be used to produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide without the need for power, making them ideal for remote areas. However, it is important to note that Algae Terrariums consume large amounts of water and produce polluted water as a by-product, which needs to be removed periodically. Early reliance on Terrariums can also prove disastrous to a colony's freshwater supply.

To optimise the use of Algae Terrariums, it is recommended to place them near water sources and build a polluted water reservoir nearby. This will reduce the amount of time Duplicants spend transporting liquid. Water delivery to the Algae Terrariums can be automated by using Liquid Valves and Liquid Vents to slowly drip clean water onto the floor. Algae delivery can also be automated using Auto-Sweepers.

While Algae Terrariums provide better conversion rates than Oxygen Diffusers or Electrolysers, they have a slow individual oxygen generation rate, making them space-inefficient. Additionally, the expulsion of polluted water must be done manually. Each Algae Terrarium is capable of supporting 0.4 Duplicants, so you will need 5 terrariums per pair of Duplicants.

With proper polluted water recycling, the water-to-oxygen ratio of the Algae Terrarium is 1 to 4, resulting in a 400% return in oxygen on water spent. This makes Algae Terrariums a viable option for creating an air pocket in remote areas before an Atmo Suit is available, especially in situations where power is limited.

Algae Distillers are best placed away from living quarters due to their heat output

In the game Oxygen Not Included, Algae Distillers are used to refine slime into algae for oxygen production. This process also produces polluted water as a by-product.

The placement of Algae Distillers should also take into account the need for efficient resource management. As the distillers are slow, multiple distillers may be required if there are large quantities of slime available. Additionally, the outputs of the Algae Distiller may be contaminated with Slimelung, which can be minimised by using a room filled with Chlorine or an Ore Scrubber to sterilise the Algae before use.

The Algae produced by the distillers can be used for oxygen production through Algae Terrariums or Oxygen Diffusers. The polluted water output can be used for growing crops such as Thimble Reed, Arbor Trees, or Pincha Peppers.

Algae Distillers are a good mid-game option when exploring the Swamp Biome

The polluted water output from Algae Distillers can be used for irrigation, as certain plants require polluted water to grow. This includes crops such as Thimble Reed, Arbor Trees, and Pincha Peppers. Polluted water is also useful as a coolant, as it has a wider temperature range than pure water.

Algae Distillers can also be useful in creating synergy with Puft ranching and domestic Arbor Trees. Burning Ethanol into a Petroleum generator produces most of the polluted water needed for irrigation, and an Algae Distiller can be used to provide the rest. This setup can be optimised to produce large quantities of Carbon Dioxide, Polluted Dirt, Slime, and Meat.

While the outputs from Algae Distillers may be contaminated with Slimelung, this is not a significant issue if the algae is immediately used for oxygen production. Slimelung is only contagious when inhaled and dies off quickly in most mediums other than polluted oxygen. However, to minimise infection chances, the outputs can be sterilised before use.

Algae Terrariums are useful for removing small amounts of Carbon Dioxide

Algae Terrariums consume algae and water to function and produce polluted water as a by-product. This polluted water must be removed periodically. The Algae Terrarium will continue to function as long as water and algae are supplied. The conversion rate of an Algae Terrarium is better than that of an Oxygen Diffuser or Electrolyzer, but it has a slow individual oxygen generation rate, making it space-inefficient.

One Algae Terrarium can support 0.4 Duplicants, so five terrariums are needed per pair of Duplicants. Each Algae Terrarium consumes only 0.3 g/s of CO2, so for the purpose of scrubbing, seven terraria are required per pair of Duplicants. Carbon Skimmers are much more efficient at this task.

Algae Terrariums can be automated to some extent. Water delivery can be automated by dumping it on the floor through a liquid vent, and algae delivery can be automated using Auto-Sweepers. However, the expulsion of polluted water must be done manually.

Algae Terrariums are useful for creating an air pocket in remote areas, but early reliance on them can be disastrous to a colony's freshwater supply.

Algae Distillers can be used to provide irrigation for crops

Algae Distillers are an effective way to create two of the most important resources in the game: Algae and Water. They are a good option for mid-game once you start exploring the Swamp Biome.

Algae Distillers convert disease-causing slime into algae for oxygen production. They will output polluted water to their output pipe and drop the created algae once 30kg has been accumulated. The slime stocked in the distiller won't emit polluted oxygen.

Algae Distillers are quite slow, so you may need more than one if you have large quantities of slime available. They emit polluted water, heat up quickly, and have a low decor value, so they are best placed far away from living quarters or in a sealed room.

The outputs will likely be contaminated with Slimelung. However, this is not particularly important if the Algae is immediately used for oxygen production, since Slimelung is only contagious when inhaled and dies off quickly in most mediums other than polluted oxygen.

To minimize infection chances, a room filled with Chlorine or an Ore Scrubber can be used to sterilize the Algae before use. Since Slimelung cannot survive for long in a liquid, using the Polluted Water is generally safe.

The sublimation of the Sublimation Station in the Spaced Out! creates a good synergy between Puft ranching and domestic Arbor Trees. Burning Ethanol into a Petroleum generator already produces most of the Polluted water needed for irrigation. An Algae Distiller can be used to provide the rest. This set up can be optimized to produce large quantities of Carbon Dioxide, Polluted Dirt, Slime and Meat.

The Algae Distiller is an inherently heat-multiplying machine: The total heat capacity of its output is about 14.26 times higher than the total heat capacity of its inputs, if the input Slime is 30 °C or warmer. If it is cooler than 30 °C, then this ratio will increase slightly with each degree below 30 °C. For example, at 15 °C Slime temperature, heat will be multiplied by 15, and at 0 °C, it will be multiplied by 15.83.

A single Algae Distiller processes 360kg of Slime per Cycle, producing 120kg of Algae and 240kg of Polluted Water respectively. If the Algae is used for the Oxygen Diffuser, it will produce 110kg of Oxygen. So, you're essentially converting 269kg of Polluted Oxygen into 240kg of Polluted Water (0.892 ratio). Note, a single Diffuser can handle the Algae of nearly 3 Algae Distillers.

If the Algae is used for Algae Terrarium, it will produce 160kg of Oxygen. Essentially converting 219kg of Polluted Oxygen into 240kg of Polluted Water (1.096 ratio). Note, you will need 7 Algae Terrarium per Algae Distiller, Dupe Labor to drain the Polluted Water, as well as 1,200kg of Clean Water per Cycle that will be converted into Polluted Water, at a 5kg Water loss per Cycle.

If using a Water Sieve, you will need 287kg of Filtration Medium to process the 1,435kg of Polluted Water per Cycle. So, it's recommended that you use the Polluted Water instead of cleaning it, potentially for growing crops such as Thimble Reed, Arbor Trees, or Pincha Peppers.

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