Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Water chemistry copper sulfate

There is a reason most states restrict copper discharge in NDPS permitting to levels less than 20 ppb. Copper is an indiscriminate algaecide and has detrimental effects on some animal enzymes production. Even the chelated copper products eventually result in elemental copper in the water that precipitates as a metal hydroxide salt, but at least the dissociation is controlled and so the impact of over-feed is lessened. What ever you choose, it is always advisable to start slow and add more as needed.

Mike that is really good advice especially if you don't know how your pond will react. First learn all you can about the product and be prepared before you treat. Then go slow.

Bad Boy, how deep is your pond?

I stopped using chemicals 3 years ago basically because I didn't like spending the money they want for some of them and resorted to raking a few times a year where access allows. The fl. algea seems to be less than it was 3 yrs ago, maybe this is why. I thought maybe the fact that the fish were helping keep the weeds in check, the watermeal and duckweed are considerably less. Do some fish eat the watermeal and duckweed?
My pond is doing well with no aeration but planed to add bottom aeration at some point. At what depth is bacteria able to survive without aeration?

Thanks
FH

Fishhead, you ask a lot of questions I don't know the answer to. Here's what I know. My pond is about 10' deep right now. It's only about a third of an acre and in the back yard. We also have frontage on a comunity lake about 15 acres and up to 25 foot deep. The community lake doesn't have a problem with FA. They have a problem with BG aleae from time to time. We have all of our ponds aeriated. Comments are based upon my property and my pond. I'm a work in progress as my pond clarity increased from 1' to about 6'. This past year I've noticed some watermeal. But 90% of the pond surface area is clear. If FA gets to floating too bad, I get the garden rake out and do some collection.

I don't know what depth the bacteria is able to work. It is aerobic bacteria so it must have an oxygen supply. It should not be applied unless the pond temp is at least 60 degrees, otherwise it won't grow. But I've noticed some significant increase in scum recuction and pond clarity.

My observations... Hope this helps.

I did just a brief search on the aerobic bacteria and anerobic bacteria, I can't give a disortation but like you said aerobic needs O2 to work and anerobic does not. Bottom aeration will be needed to supply the aerobic bacteria with enough O2 to survive below a given ponds level where the right amount of oxygen sustains it's life.

It would also appear by adding this aerobic bacteria one might get some benifit without an aeration system if the bacteria is not already present. My guess is that my pond already has it and that by adding an aeration system I could benifit immensely by lowering the level I currently have the correct O2 levels. However, by adding additional bacteria it probably couldn't hurt anything.

FH

I did just a brief search on the aerobic bacteria and anerobic bacteria, I can't give a disortation but like you said aerobic needs O2 to work and anerobic does not. Bottom aeration will be needed to supply the aerobic bacteria with enough O2 to survive below a given ponds level where the right amount of oxygen sustains it's life.

It would also appear by adding this aerobic bacteria one might get some benifit without an aeration system if the bacteria is not already present. My guess is that my pond already has it and that by adding an aeration system I could benifit immensely by lowering the level I currently have the correct O2 levels. However, by adding additional bacteria it probably couldn't hurt anything.

FH

Fishhead, Mario and others, great post on bacteria.

I attended a 3-day course for Bacta-Pur. Beautiful land there Mario. The strains are found in the ponds but at what amount and depth is depending on water quality. There are also different strains for different objectives as stated earlier, saltwater vs. freshwater, pelagic vs. bottom sluge digesters.

Obviously you have anerobic and aerobic forms and falcutative too. By providing the correct habitat for the form you desire (aerobic being the most effective) you will achieve the results you desire.

By adding the bacteria to the pond you are ensuring that the strains needed are introduced to the pond. Yes they will grow if the habitat is there. If you find that you are not achieving the desired results, Alkalinity and pH could be your damaging factor.

Keep in mind that efficient water purification is a funtion of balanced communities of bacteria, not single strains. Balanced strains are often lacking in nature and by enoculating (sp?) with a quality bacteria product that guarantees types of strains and counts of strains/g as Mario stated you are balancing out the bacteria communities in your pond.

Most of Bacta Pur products contain 12 strains to nitrify, denitrify and they even have the ability to reduce nitrate accumulation.

In a nutshell, if you provide the habitat and at least enoculate once a season, you are giving your pond that "flu-shot" for the season.

I think some strains when introduced take advantage of the available food which has accumulated over time, and grow and eat at an amazing rate. But I think they eat themselves out of house and home so to speak (unless you supplement their food supply) and they all die. So when the food (organics, nitrogen, what ever) builds back up, you need to put some bacteria in and again clean things up.

Also, like Cary says, there are so many other factors which affect specific bacteria's vigor and effectiveness.

We used bacteria to break down petroleum and chlorinated solvent contamination in soil and ground water. The bacteria are often there but they didn't thrive, so they weren't working at full potential. We would add food or air to the ground water or soil, and the bacteria would take off and work overtime. We would sample to see what bacteria were present before we added supplement obviously.

I've been impressed with that which I have used in my pond. Where I once had sludge on the bottom of the pond, I can now see a sand bottom. I've got one more bag and when the water temp gets to 60, I will add it to the pond. But I've lost my net link where I bought the stuff and need to do some surfing or look at past charges to the credit card to find the source (sorry I can't endorse that specific product at this time).

what about good old copper sulfate ? have you tryed that yet

http://cgi.ebay.com/AEROBIC-SEPTIC-SYSTE...VQQcmdZViewItem

I just found "ROEBIC" "AIR-O-PAKS" $39 for 4 - 8oz. packs. sold on ebay. Is Aerobic Bacteria, aerobic bacteria no matter how you slice it?

"The Pond Guy" web site has it for sale as well.

FH

Yes on copper sulfate as have several on this thread. Please read the earlier posts.

I did find my source, but my recollection of forum guidelines are this may constutate a from of advertising. I will leave advertising to the magazine editors / publishers. However, it's one of the largest supply houses for pond stuff and they are from Florida.

FH, I've heard of folks using the septic tank products. The brand I've been using has 12 different strains specifically for ponds. So, the answer is no, not all aerobic bacteria is the same. There are probably hundreds if not thousands of strains of beneficial bacteria, each with it's specific charecteristics. These products are expensive and if you have a large pond, price may be prohibitive in any form.

Thanks, Bad Boy, I figured there had to be different strains but haven't dug into it before now. I'll have to do a little reading on it, my interest is up now as I have trees around 75% of my 2.5 acre pond, and I had a lot of new dead trees drop in earlier this year due to the ice storm we experienced.

Great thread and thanks to all of you who have researched for sharing your knowledge!

FH