cr8tivguy said:
I'm wondering this.
1) I bought some bacteria conditioner for my pond. It's a new pond 1500 gallons. I have a bio filter and mechanical filter (with UV). The instructions basically say to add weekly for 2-3 months (or something like that). It seems like a lot of additives to me.
2) With a two very large lilies and 6 bog plants (plus duckweed) is it really necessary to add the bacteria additives at the recommended rate?
3) I saw a post about adding the additive to your bio filter. This seems like the best place since the bacteria colony will be developing there and it flows directly into the bog/waterfall area.
4) I have 11 very small fish right now. So there is some biological waste from the fish. My water readings are all within normal limits. I do have a trace of Nitrates (which I believe is a good thing-things are working).
Tim
Tim
Bacteria products are helpful, but they are all designed for specific environments and
context.
The typical bacteria you buy in pond stores is a weak speciation of the bacteria used in septic tanks. These particular dimorphic heterotroph bacteria primarily are sludge or organic decomposers. They will oxidize some ammonia and nitrites, but they are not effecient at doing it. " Dimorphic " means the bacteria can exist in multiple environments, that is low oxygen
or no oxygen environments and this is how they are capable of surviving storage in a pond store shelf. Although, they still will have an expiration date
There definitely are " snake oil " bacteria merchants out there. A major tell tale sign will be indicated in their deceitful "better thing since sliced bread, best product in the world" marketing and the lack of an expiration date.
There are companies like
Fritz and
SeaChem that attempt to invent their own bacteria species for an aqarium environment, that they culture and grow, which contain various dimorphic heterotroph bacteria and other organisms.
To actually obtain the same bacteria and organisms that naturally grows all around you and are the highly aerobic critters you are trying to grow in a typical pond bio-filter, they are introduced by the fish, plants, dirt, air, rocks, and environment around you and there are a multitude of organisms and bacteria that oxidizes ammonia and nitrites at multiple concentration levels. There is
no single family of organisms nor bacteria that performs the oxidation process at the various concentration levels introduced by the environment that, in
our pond context, will experience. In our ponds, we experience a period of very low ammonia and nitrite presence and then will experience a period of very high ammonia and nitrite presence, that is all depending on what you're doing with the pond, weather, and if catastrophe occurs.
For the more professional products that actually do contain the critters we typically want in our pond, then check out
Keeton Industries, that is their
KI Nitrifier Gel, or check out
Bactapur. Each of these companies ship their product in an insulated container, with time release inorganic chemicals inside, to keep the bacteria cultures cold and alive, but these products have a very short shelf life and are extremely expensive. The cold temperatures significantly increase the oxygen saturation so the bacteria are allowed to survive and the time release inorganic chemicals prevent the bacteria from reproducing, overcoming their environment. Bactapur is by far the most expensive of the two due to the special equipment you must buy to help preserve, culture, and deliver the bacteria to the pond.
Most of the very avid pond enthusiasts I know either use the KI Nitrifier Gel or a Fritz bacteria product.
1) I bought some bacteria conditioner for my pond. It's a new pond 1500 gallons. I have a bio filter and mechanical filter (with UV). The instructions basically say to add weekly for 2-3 months (or something like that). It seems like a lot of additives to me.
The good critters are floating around the pond until they excrete a film that glues them self onto a surface area. UVs are non-selective microbicides and, depending on if the UV is acting as a clarifier or a sterilizer, these devices will determine how many of these critters are being zapped while they are trying to get established in the begining of a new pond. However, since you are detecting Nitrates, then I would suspect the UV is acting more like a clarifier, which allows more of the bacteria to pass by it without getting harmed. The difference between a UV being a clarifier or a sterilizer depends on the strength ratio of the UV light versus the volume of water it is penetrating. With a high ratio light intensity, then the more organisms, bacteria, pathogens, and even some parasites are killed. UV clarifiers and sterilizers are a very good. However, generally, in the begining of a new pond, personally, I would turn them off.
It is alot of additives some of these companies suggest to dose and the more professional products, such as mentioned above, only apply them according to the situation. However, with other products, the continuing dosage regiment is recommended much more often and, honestly, I think this is one particular parameter that I think makes the company look like they're out just to get you on a buying regiment for their product.
2) With a two very large lilies and 6 bog plants (plus duckweed) is it really necessary to add the bacteria additives at the recommended rate?
The typical watergardener or beginner does
not need these products.
These additive products are attempting to increase the population of the bacteria and other organisms. The products do not improve the reproduction, growth, or conversion rates of these critters. There is a difference between increasing the population and the process of actually reducing the toxic chemicals and organics in the pond.
All of these bacteria's and organism's reproduction and conversion rates are impacted by the water's environment. In a more reasonable alkaline environment, these critters will have a smaller population count with a higher conversion rate of chemicals. In a more reasonable acidic environment, these critters will have a higher population with a decreased conversion rate. This is another reason of why additional surface area is quite helpful and how the enivronment is constructed around this surface area will determine the bacteria's and organism's
efficacy.
3) I saw a post about adding the additive to your bio filter. This seems like the best place since the bacteria colony will be developing there and it flows directly into the bog/waterfall area.
Where to place the additive produce depends on how the bio-filter is constructed and the type of bacteria you purchase. However, for general purpose pond store products, persoally, I think I would split the dosage to put some in the bio-filter, some in the bog/waterfall/stream area, and some in the pond.
4) I have 11 very small fish right now. So there is some biological waste from the fish. My water readings are all within normal limits. I do have a trace of Nitrates (which I believe is a good thing-things are working).
11 small fish in a 1500 gallon pond is a good light fish load. This will encourage the already existing bacteria surrounding you to thrive at a decent enough pace. If you ever add fish in the future, then just add them gradually rather than a huge amount at once.
Yep, once Nitrates appear, this indicates the bacteria and other organisms are starting to grow, reproduce, and thrive. If you want to further push it, then increase your feeding regiment, within reason, with some higher protien fish food.
