Some people say not to add bacteria to the pond with such-and-such filter. Well, what exactly is the purpose of a bead filter? Is it not the same as any other filter media? Is it not to have plenty of surface area (beads) for bacteria to colonize? Of course it is. In fact, the biggest selling point for filter media is “larger surface area” and “takes up less room”. So, to dispel the myth that you don’t need bacteria with a bead filter system, go ahead and add the bacteria. It will help colonize the beads more quickly and with the right kind of bacteria, rather than leave it up to chance.
What types of bacteria are we talking about in a pond? That’s easy: heterotrophs to clean up organic waste, Nitrifiers to convert ammonia to nitrite and then to nitrate, and of course, there’s the Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and other nasty critters that are in everybody’s pond. There are autotrophs, chemotrophs, and bacteria (beneficial bugs) that work in aerobic, anaerobic and anoxic layers of your filter. In order to have a really healthy pond, you have to have them all. These bacteria produce enzymes, break down specific proteins, and clean up the environment for your fish in one way or another. You can’t see them, they are microscopic, but their presence will show in water quality and overall pond condition. But don’t be worried, these guys are in every mountain stream and desert oasis in which you may ever have quenched your thirst. They are in the ocean and lakes, mudholes and canals. Bacteria are the janitors of the world.
What about backwashing the filter? Sorry, but bacteria are not going to wash off the beads, or off the other filter media. You can kill bacteria with chemicals (chlorine comes to mind) but you won’t wash them off. So, go ahead and backwash the filter. It isn’t going to harm the biological workforce. It will clean off any extra debris that might be slowing down the biological progress, that’s all. That dirty water you see coming out of a backwashed filter is not bacteria, it is dirt. And we do not need to preserve dirt in our ponds. Just because some bacterial additives have a brownish color in the bottles does not mean it is brownish in your pond. It is not. The bacteria themselves are invisible (microscopic, remember?)… Am I prejudiced about bacteria? Perhaps, but I’m also educated. Adding beneficial bacteria can never harm your filter.
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There are live (vegetative) beneficial bacteria in our pond, and there are spore-based (beneficial) bacteria. The spore-based bacterium does not have the adaptability and competitive edge which our vegetative strains do, but at the same time, they will work better in the colder temperatures. All bacteria slows down in winter if the water temperatures are lower than 45-50F. But the vegetative, which is super-active during the summer months, when the organic loading is at its highest, are the first to slow down and “sleep” when the temperature drops. Being alive, they have a metabolism which, although they do not die, will slow down considerably.
For best results, add your live (odorous liquid) bacteria once the water temperatures have gotten back into the more hospitable ranges.
Q. How do I know if I have bacteria in there? How do I know it is working in my pond?
A. The first signs of bacteria working for you will be to lower ammonia nitrogen levels in spring, converting it to nitrite and then to nitrate. So, if you are doing water testing, you will see the levels fluctuating as the process begins to percolate.
Then, you can see without a water test to know the nitrates are forming by biological/chemical conversion by the perennial algae bloom and emergence of pond plants. If the bacteria were not functioning properly, your pond would not “come to life” each spring.
Q. So, if I get an algae bloom and have no measurable ammonia or nitrites, then why do I need to add more bacteria??
A. Bacteria take in nutrients until they are so fat they split in two. Then, there are two (or more) bacterium where there initially was one. This can occur in as little as a few hours in the pond. The warmer the water, the more speedily they will divide (multiply). Ah, but, the catch is that after about 4-5 divisions, they lose some of their original potency. So, by adding a larger initial dosage, followed by smaller ones on a regular basis, you will keep a sufficient quantity to maintain the integrity of your pond system.
Q. What about the powdered bacteria? Is it as good as the smelly stuff?
A. It has pros and cons, but overall, it can never do what the live bacteria will. It will contain a limited number of strains, producing limited types of enzymes, so the job may remain half-finished. Whereas, by using the vegetative (live, liquid) bacteria blends, you will assure whatever your fish, food, and pond surroundings throw at it this year will be oxidized (broken down).
Q. Is there a limit to how much the beneficial bacteria can do for my pond?
A. Yes. Your pond is part of a complete system, containing filtration, circulation, and maintenance. The amount of fish, the volume of food supplied, and even weather conditions, if in excess, will overwhelm the pond to the point where the bacteria alone cannot clean it up. Your responsibility is to stock carefully, feed prudently, maintain the filter and skimmer, and do water testing. You need to do water changes to lower the pollution levels if you notice too high organic loading. This will be obvious by the look and smell of the pond, or the health of your fish. Bacteria will grow at the rate of the “food” supply, but it can become overloaded without proper maintenance.
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Where is it written that pond water is supposed to look like a swimming pool, or drinking water? Is a mud pond clear? Of course not, but it produces the largest, fastest growing fish every year. It is algae-filled, un-shaded, unfiltered, sitting out in the heat without the “requisite” depth for a koi pond. It is out there where our koi are sitting ducks for predators. It is not treated for parasites or algae. Hey? So, if clean, clear water is the ideal then why do fish fail to thrive in our ponds, yet grow to their full potential in a MUD pond? Are we being too picky with our water or do we think a dirty pond reflects on us as bad fish parents?
My own pond never ceases to amaze me. It will be clear one day and so cloudy the next, I can hardly see the fish. And yet, they have clearly grown since last year in this pond. I do lots of water changes but am never sure about the incoming well-water. Well-water is totally un-pure, full of minerals, alkalinity, and bacteria, which is why we go to such lengths to filter it before drinking or washing in it. I have a reverse osmosis system under the kitchen sink so I can drink it. The shower sometimes smells so bad I’d rather swim in the canal! And that water, the shower, is softened with salt. The water I put into my pond is not filtered, not with an R/O system or even salt. It is pure unadulterated filthy ground water. But my fish seem to love it. It has no chlorine or chloramines. It contains no fluoride for strong healthy teeth. It is not potable.
I throw some good stuff into the pond to make it better. I keep adding Barley Straw Pellets to soften the water (without salt or chemical salt preservatives such as YPS). It buffers the pH a little, but at 8.6, there’s not too much anybody can do. I like the pellets because they are fairly easy to use. Just toss some in a flow-through media bag and away we go! Sure, there’s some small fibrous material that remains for a few weeks, as it finishes breaking down, but it also ties up phosphates in the process, another good thing. My filter should be able to remove the little pieces that remain. It clouds the water a little, but it does “so much!” I throw in beneficial bacteria too. I want as many bugs working for me as there might be working against! Aeromonas and Pseudomonas are ubiquitous, everywhere. Parasites exist in almost every pond, if not every pond, whether we want to believe this or not. Generally, our fish have plenty of built-in immunity to things like this and can coexist nicely. To even up the odds a little, I want my pond as clean as possible. The beneficial bacteria will work hard to remove any organic waste before it can build up and give house and home to the bad bugs.
But does any of this guarantee clear water? Not really. Clean is not necessarily clear. And clear is not necessarily safe for fish. Something to think about…
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There is more to that green stuff in your pond than you realize. First, it is part of your biological filtration, believe it or not. Beneficial bacteria will colonize on anything and everything in the pond, since it really can’t discern the filter from the bog. Bacteria are not really that “smart”. Next, it may be home to the water clarifiers, such as rotifers and nematodes; the things responsible for you being able to see the fish. And, it is a food supplement for many fish. If that’s not good enough, you know those oxygenating plants we all love to add to the pond, so there’s plenty of oxygen for our fish? What do you think algae are doing?? Same thing as the oxygenating plants: making oxygen during sunlit days and taking it in, giving off carbon dioxide during nights and days without sun.
But when it becomes really ugly to look at, since we all want to enjoy our fish and lilies, not the algae, there are a few things you can do to control it. I lean toward the natural treatments, so I put Barley Straw Pellets or liquids into my pond to take up some of the excess nutrients from the water. This helps. Algae only need food (nitrates and phosphates), sun and a reasonable temperature (which might be colder than you think.) Salt doesn’t deter algae growth. What about the food? If you have other plants in the pond and use plant food, you are feeding the algae. Stop! If your plants are in a soil mix, you are adding more organics to the water. Stop! If you do not monitor the nitrate and phosphate levels and then don’t do anything about it (like, water changes) when they are high, you can do something about it.
Do you know that black slime coat on the sides of your pond? That’s your bio-film. Please don’t remove it. It is actually removing nitrates (denitrification) for you. If you wash or scrub it off, you will have more algae. If you have a rock-lined bottom with no bottom drain, you are, without doubt, collecting debris. Rocks, as other impediments, will trap and hold dirt. There are bacteria you can add (Microbe-Lift/Sludge Away) that target this sludge so it will not contribute to unnecessary algae growth, too. Everything makes a difference, but algae is not necessarily the enemy.
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Some people say not to add bacteria to the pond with such-and-such filter. Well, what exactly is the purpose of a bead filter? Is it not the same as any other filter media? Is it not to have plenty of surface area (beads) for bacteria to colonize? Of course it is. In fact, the biggest selling point for filter media is “larger surface area” and “takes up less room”. So, to dispel the myth that you don’t need bacteria with a bead filter system, go ahead and add the bacteria. It will help colonize the beads more quickly and with the right kind of bacteria, rather than leave it up to chance.
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