tac5: I agree with the concept of using microbe-products for certain situations (such as what you described). However, my question-in-logic centers on the need for the brewing process.

I distribute two different blends of microbe-products (this is not a marketing ploy) that are packaged in dry-form (in water-soluble bags), coupled with enzymes. Users have all (with only one or two exceptions) reported very noticeable effects through the use of these products. The bags are simply tossed into the pond, where the water-soluble membrane dissolves and releases the contents into the pond - where, in theory, the microbes go to work doing things that microbes do best: eat and multiply.

The "brew your own" products that I've seen (and tested) have generally turned out to contain only enzymes; which are (in theory) intended to stimulate the population of microbes that are collected from the pond in the "brewing water". If (and when) that is the case, what is the benefit of stimulating a population of microbes that ALREADY exist in the pond? If they're already there, and conducive pond-water conditions already exist within the pond for their activities and proliferation, shouldn't they be doing their job in the pond without the need for introducing a "stimulated culture" - or, for that matter, any additional strains of microbes?

On the other hand, if the product that you used did in deed contain seven strains of microbes within the formulation (along with enzymes), it would appear that the culturing-process is needed to increase the microbe-count prior to adding the culture to your pond. The short-cut to this process would be to simply have a higher microbe-count in the original product - which could be added directly to the pond without requiring the count-building culturing-step.

It is probably the culture-count issue that prompts some of the better microbe-formulators to quantify the actual microbe-count within their raw product - which also justifies a higher price for their product since it may be more "concentrated" than others. Also, I've been "told" that successive generations of certain strains of microbes may become less efficient in their nutrient-consumption capabilities. Either that, or the strains are so prolific that they may rapidly exhaust the readily available nutrients that are required to sustain an exponentially expanding population - thereby causing their population to crash, and requiring subsequent "re-inoculations" at various intervals.

Tac5, I'm stating concepts more that known facts; so I'm definitely not blasting the product that you're using, nor promoting the blends that I carry. It is "factual answers" that I seek for the above issues.

Unfortunately, I do know "for a fact" that the microbial market is full of many snake-oil products. And, the information-gap is so clouded with smoke-n-mirrors and technical-fluff that it is hard to tell a really good product from a mediocre product that is primarily designed to part one from their money.

Bill - my knowledge-level in the microbe department is relatively shallow, but slowly deepening. So, anything that you can contribute to expand on the above issues would be greatly appreciated. In instances like this, the best sources of information need to be "unbiased" (such as yourself).