Adding cold water bacteria strain

[waynefrcan]

I saw today that there is a cold water strain of bacteria you can add to a pond or garage tub for overwintering. It's a special strain of good bacteria that live in cold water and will keep the water chem balance even at 40F. IS it a crap product?

Last winter I overwintered the fish in an unheated garage at 38-40F with no filtering as I was told bacteria die at 40F or below. The fish didn't eat but the ammonia levels were high all winter. Minor fish loss.

 

[MitchM]

Crap product.

 

[waynefrcan]

It can't be it was like $54 for 500ml.

 

[MitchM]

Oh, in that case, buy 10 bottles.

 

[waynefrcan]

https://aquariumillusions.com/pond/...ts-a-4000-gallon-pond-for-up-to-4-months.html


http://aquariumillusions.com/pond/pond-water-additives/microbe-lift-autumn-winter-prep-1qt.html


These ones I saw today.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Myth #1- Nitrifying bacteria die at 40F or below.
Fact - Nitrifying bacteria continue to function, albeit at a reduced level, until water temperatures drop below 32F.

Myth #2 - So-called 'Cold Water bacteria' will keep the water chemistry in balance at temperatures below 40F.
Fact - 'Cold Water' bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria, It takes literally hundreds of them to oxidize Ammonia and Nitrite at the same levels as one single autotrophic bacteria cell. Adding these types of bacteria to a pond will only impart a crowding out of the natural autotrophic oxidizing bacteria, impeding their survival and severely retarding the pond's recovery come Spring warming.

A 'crap product' is the wrong description for these treatments. In actuality, manure would really be a better and cheaper choice. All of the bacteria you will ever need.

 

[MitchM]

One thing I've learned over the years is to never add anything to your pond (or aquarium) that you can't measure.
How does one determine that our ponds are lacking in bacteria?

 

[waynefrcan]

Myth #1- Nitrifying bacteria die at 40F or below.
Fact - Nitrifying bacteria continue to function, albeit at a reduced level, until water temperatures drop below 32F.

Myth #2 - So-called 'Cold Water bacteria' will keep the water chemistry in balance at temperatures below 40F.
Fact - 'Cold Water' bacteria are heterotrophic bacteria, It takes literally hundreds of them to oxidize Ammonia and Nitrite at the same levels as one single autotrophic bacteria cell. Adding these types of bacteria to a pond will only impart a crowding out of the natural autotrophic oxidizing bacteria, impeding their survival and severely retarding the pond's recovery come Spring warming.

A 'crap product' is the wrong description for these treatments. In actuality, manure would really be a better and cheaper choice. All of the bacteria you will ever need.

Ok to start off, if I run a filter with current pond bacteria media and 50% pond water and keep temps at 40F will it cycle?

 

[peter hillman]

Ok to start off, if I run a filter with current pond bacteria media and 50% pond water and keep temps at 40F will it cycle?

Yes.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Ok so if I run a filter with pond bacteria media and 50% pond water and keep temps at 40F will it cycle?

Only the data gleaned by research of the scientific community, not all of the manufacturers, distributors and contractors that blanket the internet and forums pushing non-essential products.
Do your own real research. Search 'Google Scholar' for Nitrifying autotrophic bacteria, cold temperatures and Nitrifying heterotrophic bacteria, cold temperatures for starters or you can proceed on your own and waste money.

Interesting, I just noticed that the quote that I thought I was replying to is different from the actual quote (see above). In answer to that question. The post that I was quoting questioned the accuracy of my opinion. First. let me clarify that I do not voice opinions concerning any aspect of Water Quality in an aquatic habitat, I cite the cumulative results of many scientific research projects carried out by the scientific community and then only that data that is generally accepted by the scientific community as a whole. I am only the messenger. If one prefers to believe the marketing 'spin' created by manufacturers over the results of scientific research, please!....be my guest.

What do you mean by 50% pond water? If you are asking about setting up a new system this late in the year the answer is Yes it will cycle, but because everything slows down as temperature drops, it will take considerably longer for cycling to complete regardless of what you add.

NOTE: These bacterial treatments are mostly comprised of bacteria that are supposed to speed up the breakdown of organic material. They are commonly known as 'Sludge Busters'. They contribute nothing to the Nitrogen cycle. Their effectiveness is questionable. Even in those cases where they offer some relief from sludge build-up, the end products of this 'breakdown' process remain in the pond to provide the perfect nutrient base for Algae growth come Spring. All they do, at best, is re-cycle the organic nutrients in the pond.

 

[waynefrcan]

50% pond water in the garage tub. Will the bacteria be dormant at 39F or will it consume ammonia? We have 39F for 5 months and that's with adding heat. No heat it sits at 32.5F

 

[Meyer Jordan]

50% pond water in the garage tub. Will the bacteria be dormant at 39F or will it consume ammonia? We have 39F for 5 months and that's with adding heat. No heat it sits at 32.5F

Bacterial processes rapidly slow down as water temperatures drop below 40F. This should not really be of any concern as recent research has shown that much of the nitrifying process in ponds surprisingly is performed by Archaea. (Read the Article in this Forum on the subject https://www.gardenpondforum.com/articles/archaea-the-not-so-new-kids-on-the-block.31/). It has been shown that Archaea are still active at 32.5F.

 

[waynefrcan]

I will thanks.

The other option is adding more heat to 50F. That will set the bacteria but brings in another round of trouble. Feeding, waste, water quality issues, overcrowding etc. They coming from 6500 gal to about 500 gal. I don't have super koi filtration just basic hanger filters.

 

[MitchM]

My pond was at 35f for most of the winter with no circulation, just the pond breather.
All the fish seemed to survive.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I will thanks.

The other option is adding more heat to 50F. That will set the bacteria but brings in another round of trouble. Feeding, waste, water quality issues, overcrowding etc. They coming from 6500 gal to about 500 gal. I don't have super koi filtration just basic hanger filters.

Other members of this Forum are eminently more qualified to assist with overwintering ponds and fish than I. Here on the Gulf Coast, things pretty much remain the same year-round. I do know that fish can be overwintered even in some of the coldest parts of Canada, if proper procedures are followed