beneficial bacteria

[99SRXMAN]

What brand or type to use any suggestions???:fish::fish::fish:

 

[DrDave]

I never use artificial/bottled stuff. I let it happen naturally and have never lost a fish doing it that way. The trick is to not put too many in at the beginning, let it build up naturally, then put them in.

 

[99SRXMAN]

yes but being in WI. with winter temps do you not loose the good bac. when temps drop below 30deg. and have to start the cycle over in spring or is it always there not to be messed with????

 

[DrDave]

I'm fortunatley not in those temperature extremes, but mother nature is. If your pond has all the right elements, it should balance itself as it warms up. No one adds artificial chemicals to the streams, rivers and lakes.

 

[koiguy1969]

i used microbelifts pl gel filter innoculant to start my filter, but havent had to restart a filter since due to bringing my filter media indoors for the basement pond filter in winterr and back out for yhe summer. but i do maintainence dosing with Organicas Pristine Pond..just an occasional light add after partial waterchanges.

 

[Waterbug]

Unless your pond freezes solid there is still nitrifying bacteria present. And even then I'm not clear they would all die. They don't seem to be fully understood but even in colder climates they seem to start right back up pretty fast. I mean they don't fly other than on the wind.Great article but doesn't really address the issue.

Standard wisdom says a bio filter dies without water flow in a hour? A day? How long does the nitrifying bacteria stay alive in the plastic jug sitting in a warehouse? I'm not a big believer in standard wisdom but still, the concept of the same bacteria that is everywhere having to be in a bottle makes no sense to me.