Other than the archaea boom, there is NO difference.  We start with the oil & sediment drain guard (Part# 9217) and simply add the boom.  Everything from a construction and performance standpoint is the same.

The archaea will remain dormant until “activated” by water.  Once activated, the oil-eating microbes require three things to be sustained:  oxygen, water and a food source (hydrocarbons).

The Ultra-Archaea microbes will either die, return to former natural concentration levels, or be eaten by other organisms. The microbes have an effective lifespan of approximately three months.  Once Ultra-Archaea microbes have died off, indigenous microbes will return to pre-contamination levels.

The microbes begin working immediately, once activated by salt water or fresh water and a food source. Remediation times vary from several hours to several weeks depending on the type and concentration of the hydrocarbon. For example, light fuels floating on water will be gone within a few hours. Heavy crude oil in soil will require several months.

Yes, the products are 100% environmentally safe, non-toxic, and contain no pathogens.

When new, the Ultra-Drain Guard has a flow rate of 90 gpm/ft2. However, the unit has been designed with overflow ports.  These allow the Ultra-Drain Guard a flow rate of 770 gpm which will prevent any flooding or ponding during extreme rain events.  Any water that goes through the overflow is essentially untreated.

Yes, the needle-punched geotextile material used, can absorb synthetic oils.

It is difficult to arrive at a definitive answer for this as there are several factors that will determine how long an Ultra-Drain Guard will last after it has been installed.  The amount of rainfall and the amount and type of pollutants that the unit will be exposed to, among other things will determine the Ultra-Drain Guard’s life expectancy.  For this reason, we recommend inspecting the unit after each significant rain event to better understand how much each Ultra-Drain Guard will capture.  We have had test units in Seattle as well as Florida that were still working effectively after more than a year after installation.

Yes, under most circumstances.  If the Ultra-Drain Guard is filled with sand, silt, and sediment, it can be removed from the drain, emptied out and replaced.  Trash and debris can also be removed.  The exception is if the Ultra-Drain Guard is saturated with oil, gas or other hydrocarbons.  Because these pollutants can be flushed out of the Ultra-Drain Guard by a major rain event, it is recommended that the units be replaced instead of reused.

Usually, the most difficult part of installing an Ultra-Drain Guard is the handling of the catch basin’s grating.  Depending on the area, these grates can be large and heavy and therefore a challenge to lift/move.  For that reason, a second set of hands is recommended.  The rest of the installation is quick and easy.

Any excess material that is leftover after the grate has been put in place can be trimmed but it is certainly not required.  In fact, there are a couple of reasons that leaving the extra material is beneficial. It can act as a “pre-filter” and remove some pollutants from the stormwater before they have a chance to get below the grate and into the Ultra-Drain Guard.  Also, if there is a possibility that the Ultra-Drain Guard will be reused in the future, the excess material will make it much easier to be reinstalled.

If trimming of the material is necessary/desired, this can be easily done with heavy-duty scissors or a utility knife.

This particular model of Ultra-Drain Guard presents a unique combination of features.  You could achieve similar results by using one of our other Ultra-Drain Guards and combining it with one of the options from the Ultra-Archea products.  You can also check out the Path to the Perfect Product to see what other products might be a good option.