Considering UV filter after massive algae

[brokensword]

I know this is a common thought process, opinion, attitude & feeling. I am a proponent of adding beneficial bacteria on a regular basis. I alternate powdered dry & active liquid on a weekly basis. (Muckbuster dry & Microblift Pro, if we want to get specific) It's how I was 'taught to pond' by the Aquascape Pros. It's been a while, but it's always worked for me.

When my water quality/clarity is seeming to deteriorate during the hot summer months, I double up on the BB & it seems to me that things get clearer. Perhaps it's just 'wishful thinking' on my part? Maybe... And, I'm not one to throw money away, but I've witnessed the difference. (OK, it could be happy coincidence. I'm not one to rock the boat on serious potential of benefit)

At the end of the day, all that matters is that we are happy with our own ponds. However they are set up or maintained.

I've always leaned in to what Meyer Jordan has posted, re beneficial bacteria;

Additional filter

Hi, I have a 4800 GPH pump that is located in a skimmer box. It heads up to two waterfalls. The main one has my biofilter in the sense that it has a couple of bags of lava rocks and water hyacinths in it. At the bottom of that waterfall is a stream of about 15 feet in which I've put some...

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Need help identifying algae! Please!

Great to hear back from you cody. I'm interested in hearing how your pond develops after the ionizer is taken off line. Are you also running a UV clarifier? Any chemical treatments or activated carbon in the filter system? I will definitely keep you posted. No, I am not running a UV clarifier...

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Chlorine in water

I finally got my 5000 gal pond drained, and cleaned (it was disgusting). Seeing we are on well water, I decided to buy 2000 gals, which has chlorine in it. I have my waterfall going, and 2 other pumps splashing into the water. I have added some well water - which will be added slowly...

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I totally believe that adding bacteria out of a bottle to a mature pond is a waste of money as the pond already has the bacteria it needs. And if you have patience, a new pond will gain what it needs as well.

 

[Mmathis]

Sure miss Meyer....

 

[mrsclem]

He really knew pond info! Missed by all, I'm sure.

 

[Lisak1]

as the pond already has the bacteria it needs.

Some smart person somewhere could surely test backyard ponds for the types of bacteria that are present. And then experiment with adding beneficial bacteria and see what happens. Can you increase the amount or variety of the bacteria present with the addition of these "supplements"?

I mean, I take a probiotic every day, which is just me adding good bacteria to my (VERY MATURE!) system, right? But the value is supposed to be in adding specific, varied bacteria to combat that which is lost through poor diet, medications, chemicals in the environment, etc. Having a biome with a diverse population of bacteria is the goal. I read an article about this topic a few years ago. Researchers studied the bacteria that was in the waste of this tribe of people who had had minimal contact with the outside world, still ate their primitive diet, no drugs, etc etc. and found they had hundreds of types of bacteria present in their guts. (Maybe it was thousands or millions - I don't remember the specifics.) But what I do remember is they compared that to the average American who has THREE. Just THREE types of bacteria in our guts thanks to the overuse of antibiotics, poor diet, too many chemicals in our food and water. This is why we can be so easily over run by things like C-Diff because the few types of bacteria aren't enough to fight back.

WELL - that was a tangent if I ever saw one! Something I often think about. Sorry to hijack your algae thread @anthony21078 .

Thank you all for coming to my PoopTalk.

 

[brokensword]

Some smart person somewhere could surely test backyard ponds for the types of bacteria that are present. And then experiment with adding beneficial bacteria and see what happens. Can you increase the amount or variety of the bacteria present with the addition of these "supplements"?

I mean, I take a probiotic every day, which is just me adding good bacteria to my (VERY MATURE!) system, right? But the value is supposed to be in adding specific, varied bacteria to combat that which is lost through poor diet, medications, chemicals in the environment, etc. Having a biome with a diverse population of bacteria is the goal. I read an article about this topic a few years ago. Researchers studied the bacteria that was in the waste of this tribe of people who had had minimal contact with the outside world, still ate their primitive diet, no drugs, etc etc. and found they had hundreds of types of bacteria present in their guts. (Maybe it was thousands or millions - I don't remember the specifics.) But what I do remember is they compared that to the average American who has THREE. Just THREE types of bacteria in our guts thanks to the overuse of antibiotics, poor diet, too many chemicals in our food and water. This is why we can be so easily over run by things like C-Diff because the few types of bacteria aren't enough to fight back.

WELL - that was a tangent if I ever saw one! Something I often think about. Sorry to hijack your algae thread @anthony21078 .

Thank you all for coming to my PoopTalk.

your ideas aren't as 'crappy' as you think, Lisa; my son got me to reconsider what I eat and I figured I was young enough to maybe create a change such that I would have a better quality of 'old age' as well as be less of a burden to him, so I gave it a shot. It's amazing how what you used to eat doesn't have complete control over your taste buds, once you switch over and have a little patience (sorta like ponding, hey?). I'm a firm believer in that eating a whole food plant based diet can eliminate 70-80% of all cancers.

Okay, hijack #2 has ended; sending you back to your regularly scheduled program now (I bet most of you can remember that lil tv message!)

 

[Mmathis]

Hijack #3 — If anyone has has an “infection” of C. diff (Clostridium difficile), that is the perfect example of an extremely virulent bacteria taking over after antibiotics wiped out all the good gut bacteria!