Three independent methods were used to quantify the efficiency of a mechanical agitation
technique for the removal of epiphytes from four submersed macrophyte species. Time
course samples were collected for epiphytic chlorophyll, dry weight, and algal and diatom
cell counts following cumulative agitation periods of 10, 30, 60, 90, and 120 s. Statistically
identical removal efficiencies were found for all macrophyte host species. Mean removal
time for over 88% removal efficiency was 40±6 s.