Has anyone used bacteria in a bag. If so, how has it worked for you.

Yes, I use Keeton Industries Aquatron for my trout pond. It really cleared it up. I started with suspended algae which it cleared up and then filimentous algae showed up due to the increased clearity. However that didn't last and the water cleared up again. Unfortunately the stuff is really expensive and I wasn't able to order more when I needed it right away. So I'm back to suspended algae but it is not that bad. I look to see the water clear again soon now that I have bought some more.

Points:

1.)It's expensive stuff

2.)It seems to work

3.) Other brands may not work as well or even better(don't know as I haven't done a scientific study with a control)

4.) I need to add more than they suggest probably due to all the nutrients I add to the water (feeding about 300 lbs of trout in a 1/10 acre pond), and I have u to 45 gpms of water flowing through the pond possibly diluting the bacteria).

4.) It seems to take several week to see results

Eric - Lots of bacteria products out there for ponds, many of them are from the sewage/septic industry and designed primarily for bottom sludge reduction. Often they are sold with false promises of working miracles in your pond. Buyer beware. Many have only a few different types of species in the blend. The GOOD ones have many more species which do numerous different jobs.

Bacteria are very specific and do only one very simple job per specie; no multi tasking here! Bacteria for ponds have gotton a bad name/rap due to a lot of the "snake oil" types which are still out there with "wild promises" to clear up every pond.

Bill, bacteria in a bag is a new one on me. I know that I get a lot of oak leaves every fall in my pond. Is this something I may want to consider to break these down in the future? My pond is in it's second year so I'm not concerned with excessive bottom sludge at this point.

Bill Morris

I'll "second" Bill Cody's comments. This market is an easy entry for many manufacturer-wanna-be types since an EPA registration isn't required and performance-complaints are difficult to press.
However, based on the sustained use of Keeton's products by our commercial lake management customers, I suspect these specific products are working for the desired purpose - otherwise, they wouldn't continue to be utilized.
Keeton has two primary microbe blends: AQUATRON and WASTE & SLUDGE REDUCER. AQUATRON is a blend of aerobic microbes, which target suspended nitrogen and phosphorus in the water column. W&S REDUCER is a blend of anaerobic microbes that focus on digesting bottom-dwelling organic materials.
Neither product makes any overt algaecide claims - since doing so would prompt the need for an EPA pesticide registration.
One comment to contemplate: Planktonic algae, which form the base of a healthy food chain, require nutrients too. Be certain of your objectives and possible repercussions before initiating a nutrient-management program.

Bacteria in a bag, I have used it with good results. It is called greenex. We put it in about 3 months ago and the algae was all gone in a week and is still gone. The neighbors put it in their pond and it worked for them . You can buy it on line at greenex.com for 80 dollars a kilo plus shipping . I put 6 kilos in 3 acre pond, running aereator 24/7. helps. Will not hurt fish, plants, wildlife. Troll

I can't comment on their product, but I think I'll buy some stock in Greenex.

Couldn't find anything under Greenex.com except for a plant exporter. Can you give a more specific address? I just curious to see what they have to say about their product.

Want to buy Greenex (bacillus subtilis) it is used for alage control in farm ponds . I lost my supplier , also used in cattle feed for milk production, any one who makes in the U.S.A. I can buy it over sea.

If anyone is still interested in B.subtilis in a bag, research a product called Serenade OPTI by Bayer corporation. It is 10 pounds of active cultures of that bacteria. Be careful, that bacteria when loose in the human body can cause serious problems, not sure how likely that would happen without ingesting the bacteria, and good handling precautions and hand washing is always in order.

It is listed as a 'organic fungicide'. It is pricey, $10 bags for about $280. I see it listed in organic web pages and on ebay. It is listed by several chinese suppliers on alibaba.com. You could probably arrange a large volume shipment from there.



B. Subtilis