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Cecil - the manufacturing, labeling and marketing of "pond microbes" is significantly more mysterious than the lake dye business. I was tempted to chime in several months ago when you posted the brand that you were using - but held my tongue.

First off; I'm not a microbiologist by any means. But, I've learned that many of the so-called "microbial treatments" on the market are nothing but packaged enzymes - which are basically intended to boost the level of existing microbe-types that are already in a pond.

Logic (not education) tells me that the existing microbes in a filamentous algae-infested pond may not be the type of microbes that can effectively compete for the same nutrients that are used by filamentous algae - otherwise, the filamentous algae probably wouldn't be thriving so well. Therefore, I would generally discount the use of enzyme-only products (most of which require the user to "brew" a culture by adding the product to a bucket of pond water and letting it sit for a few days - stirring occasionally - before adding the concoction to the pond).

Now we get to the dry-packet microbe blends - and there's a bunch of them! They all say they're a "proprietary blend" of specific microbes. That may be true, but the question to ask is WHO holds the patent....

Cecil, the patent for the brand (no names please) that you use/used was originally held by the actual manufacturer of the product - not by the source from which you were acquiring it. Awhile back, due to some "issues", your source was no longer able to purchase that producer's proprietary blend. Your source subsequently switched to another blend - touting it as "new and improved" (the actual producer of which is unknown to me). I know this because I used to distribute that product from your source, until I was contacted by the patent-holder. Now, I carry it under our private-label (the original version).

I don't recall the specific microbes found in the two formulations that I carry (one is an blend of aerobic microbes that focus on N and P in the water column; the other is a blend of anarobic microbes that focus on bottom-dwelling organic matter). But, I do know that we've had several lake management companies using these microbe blends on urban lakes for several years. These professionals are not known for repeatedly investing in something unless it works for their purpose. I'll leave it at that.

One final comment: no microbial treatments, of which I'm aware, make a claim of reducing algae. To do so would present the product as an "algaecide", which would then require an EPA registration for the product - and disclosure of the product's contents. To avoid content disclosure and EPA registration expenses, all of the microbial products that I've encountered are marketed as "water quality enhancement agents". Now you know why they avoid saying much, if anything, about reducing/controlling algae.

My second "final comment": I would be cautious toward, if not conceptually against the use of microbes in ponds where phytoplankton blooms are pursued or desired. I would think that microbial treatments could be counter-productive in such situations - but I'm not positive.

I suspect Bill Cody may have some experience and/or knowledge on this subject - and would welcome his input. BC - I'm open to correction if any of the above comments are inaccurate.

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I will ask the question I have asked before, what is the difference between these high dollar "pond microbes" and the microbes I buy at Home Depot to put in my Septic tank

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Bill - that is something we're never likely to know unless we fork over the dough to have the microbe strains specifically IDed by a qualified lab.

There may be several hundred, possibly thousands of microbe species - each feeding on various types of nutrients under a wide variety of environmental conditions.

To theorize that the same microbes which survive and thrive in a septic tank may do the same in a pond environment might be stretching the concept.

You pose a good question, for which I don't have an answer - just my opinion.

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Kelly - I agree with your comments about this topic. I think your comments are accurate. I curently do not know much more facts about the topic than you have presented. I am familiar with the history of the product/s you described. I do know that your two blends have been tested for number of bacterial species present in each. I don't have the details with me at this time. I will do a little more investigation with more knowledgable people this next week and see what I can find. I am pretty sure I have met the main man who supplies/mfgs the current product you describe and use.


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Thanks guys. All I know is it is expensive! And in the past when I thought I got rid of the excess filatmentous algae in the trout pond, it was actually due to competition from chara that apparently outcompeted the filamentous algae later in the season as I didn't purchase it this year. Filamentous algae disappeared at the same time as last year without bacteria.

Just can't justify paying that much for my larger ponds for something that may or may not work, although I have bought small quantities of Bioclean recently from Stoney Creek and put it in a small holding pond where I am growing out small bluegills and feeding them heavily. But buying a bucket at a pop it too expensive for me.

BTW, I no longer purchase anything from that original company. I got a letter one day that said they though I owed them $160 dollars from a few years back. I did not, and found it odd I was asked to prove I did not after a few years had passed. They lost my business permanently.


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all that info great ,but for algae under controll , I want to know about keeping my treasure from buliding up with bottom sludge. you can buy powered or liquid bacteria and enzymes to tackle the stuff mother nature (leaves) every year. with proper air will the stuff that is naturally occuring , be enough or do we need to supplement adding additional stuff


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Cecil - Aeration and some regular bacterial additions (sludge reducing blend) into your small ponds that have high feed inputs and stocking densities should help with decompostion of fecal material. Additions may not need to be at recommended rates. Use your scientific method experience to observe and determine what amounts work best.


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Thanks for this interesting thread, folks. My method is not very scientific, but I can contribute a bit of experience. I used one powdered microbe mix for three years, and switched to another this year. I have noticed a significant improvement in both clarity and (crossing my fingers, knocking on wood) lack of fil. algae this year since I started using them. Of course, it's still only mid-June, but we have had a batch of 85-90 degree days and I expected more algae than I've observed. I am also pleased with what seems to be a decline in bottom sludge, although I can't fathom any way to evaluate that except by feel and smell, so it's totally subjective.

Further diluting the observations, I did use an enzyme slurry one time at the beginning of the summer, just for fun, and don't know whether that contributed or not--but anyway, on the whole, the current microbe treatment seems to be making a difference.

It also appears that the Aquamats I put in three and four years ago are behaving more as advertised than previously; each has a nice circle of algae at the surface. I'm willing tentatively to give the microbes credit for this performance improvement, as the Aquamat folks stress microbial treatment as part of their recommended regimen.

That said, the expense of using microbes in a bunch of ponds or a big pond would be extremely prohibitive.

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Cecil - your "old debt" experience doesn't surprise me. We encountered the same accusation - and ceased doing business with them shortly thereafter. Desperate measures for desperate times??

As for expense: at full "retail", a 14-week full-dose regimen treatment would average out at less than $25/acre per week. Definitely not cheap in my book. But, if a pond has developed a nutrient overload problem that needs correction, it may well be a worthwhile investment - at least until the situation has been corrected to a tolerable level. The alternative remedies may involve less desireable algaecide treatments, lots of manual labor or a risk of fish problems due to severe O2 fluctuations or crashes.

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What might be the downside to adding the low dollar microbal additives available for septic tanks to a pond? Besided the possible complete waste of money and zero results.


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Randy - any reply to your question would be pure speculation. First, it isn't known which microbes are in the septic tank product, nor what they primarily feed upon, nor whether they're aerobic or anarobic types - or both, nor if they may negatively impact or possibly depredate upon your pond's naturally occuring desirable microbe population.

One thing is for sure; once you put 'em in - they're there, for better or for worse. Procede with caution, if at all.

Personally, I find it hard to believe that the commercial producers of septic tank microbial products would overlook such large-scale uses for their products IF they were viable pond treatment options.


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