We sell Bio-Clean Microbial Pond Clarifier but I have never tried them. So I did alittle research on them and thought I'd share the information.
They contain beneficial microbes (bacteria and mold cultures), which eliminate excess problem-causing nutrients from your pond. They also contain microbes, which provide the comprehensive removal of bottom sludge. The microbes will not only degrade cellulose (one of the primary components of plants wastes), but will also eliminate pectin (fibrous materials also found in plants), xylanase (found in various parts of plants also), and most importantly lignin (the heartiest component in leaves and stems of plants).
Bio-Clean microbial pond clarifiers include two very specific cultures for removing excess, problem-causing ammonia, urea, nitrites and nitrates from the pond water. Bio-Clean contains microbes for achieving odor control, by eliminating the dead and decaying organic wastes causing the odors.
Water Clarity - Bio-Clean also utilizes microbes to achieve water clarity. Water clarity is accomplished when the microbes eliminate the dead and decaying organic wastes, which float in the water as suspended solids. As these organic wastes are removed, water clarity drastically increases (from virtually no clarity, up to 6+ foot depth of clarity after only a few treatments.
Usage: One 3 oz Bio-Clean tablet per 2500-3000 gallons of water or 20 per surface acre of water per month. You apply around the edges of the pond. You can purchase it here.
Add a little fun to your pond, while protecting your fish from predators. The alligator is a natural enemy of all fish eating predators. The hinged body allows natural movement to deter predators as it floats along the surface of your pond.
Floating Alligator here
Adding beneficial bacteria is essential for the water garden and seeding of pond filters. Once established the bacteria lives by eating fish waste and other organic matter in the pond. Bacteria converts ammonia into nitrites which are then converted into nitrates. This process known as the Nitrogen Cycle is an important part of water maintenance. It is essential to the health of your pond inhabitants.
When cleaning your filter pads, lava rock or bio blox, care should be taken as to not kill the beneficial bacteria living there. Never use chlorinated water to clean filter pads, or if it is necessary to do so, try to stagger cleaning different pads at different intervals. Rinsing the filter media in a bucket of pond water will allow some of the bacteria to remain alive. We recommend adding beneficial bacteria after cleaning, and monthly to keep a thriving colony of bacteria in your filtration media. Bacteria is available in either liquid or dry.
Microbe-Lift makes a bacteria for each season. Each is formulated to work in the water temperatures of spring, summer and fall/winter. Microbe-Lift Spring/Summer Cleaner is a seasonal approach to the proper organic balance in your pond. It contains cool weather bacteria that will help to jump start your pond to a healthier environmentin the spring. Once the water temperatures have reached above 55 degrees, Microbe-Lift P/L (liquid bacteria cultures) or Microbe-Lift Tac (dry bacteria cultures) can be added. Both are specially formulated for water gardens to promote clean, clear pond water. Adding bacteria to your pond this season will significantly improve water quality and appearance.
Barley is a natural approach to eliminating string algae, improving water clarity and naturally balancing pond water. Barley is one of the few pond additives that will work at any temperature.
Barley is available in three different forms. The Barley bale, once placed in your pond, will slowly decompose and as it does so, it will release gases that aid in the elimination of string algae. One 8 oz. bale will treat an 800 to 1200 gallon pond. It will take several weeks for the barley to start decomposing and will continue to work for about 3 months. Microbe-Lift Barley Straw Pellets will break down faster than the bales, plus they are rich in organic peat which softens pond water, reducing the negative effect of phosphate and generally improving the environment for your fish. Two pounds of barley pellets will treat a 400 gallon pond for 4 months. Last, but not least, and my favorite is the Microbe-Lift Barley Straw Extract. The extract goes to work on contact. Decomposition starts immediately and one bottle is equal to a multiple of barley straw bales.
Barley will not kill algae, but it will prohibit it from growing and help eliminate it from your water garden. When the water temperatures are still cool, this is one product that will immediately go to work for you.
A Dragonfly Aquatics Best Seller! The Muck Vac does not cause turbulence in the pond because all the muck, dirt and fish waste are vacuumed out of the pond into your yard or garden. If you place the out-take hose in a flower bed, it is great fertilizer for your surrounding flower beds around the pond. The Muck Vac requires 50 PSI garden hose pressure to work effectively. It comes with a power head, a telescoping pole, a waste hose and a vacuum head brush. The Muck Vac sure makes Spring cleaning your pond simple!
Check out Pond Vac here.
Now is the time to switch to Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep. This will help break down organic material in the pond before winter sets in. Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep will help accelerate the decomposition of leaves, scum, sediment and other organic matter during the fall and throughout the winter months. Also, Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep helps to maintain a healthy immune system for your fish during the winter months. Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep will help jump-start your pond to a healthier environment in the spring. For those of you with large ponds, we have now have the Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep available in the gallon size.
MicrobeLift Autumn/Winter Prep available here.
Some of you further north of us, are already getting some chilly nights. The leaves on your trees are already showing the colors of fall. Here, in Ohio things are just beginning to change. In the past week, I've noticed a few splotches of color. Before the leaves begin to fall, cover your pond with one of our pond covers. The goal is to try and keep the pond as clean as possible for the winter months. Leaves will sink to the bottom of the pond and rot, causing excess carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. After the first frost, take out any floating plants, as these will begin to decay. Trim back hardy lilies and place below the freeze line. Trim foliage back on your hardy bog plants. Not all bog plants need to be submerged, some will be fine where they are. Check out each plants individual needs to ensure they re-appear in the spring for you.
Get your pond cover, de-icers here.
We have been waiting all winter for spring to arrive and can hardly wait to spend time enjoying our water gardens again. The transition from winter to spring can bring new challenges in the water garden. However, with a little work and a lot of patience, your pond will again return to its sparkling, clear magical state.
In the winter, your pond and its inhabitants sleep. With the onset of spring, fish wake up, begin searching for food and the dreaded algae re-appears with a vengeance. The water we had sparkling clear in the fall, soon turns murky green.
If you were diligent in the fall, by keeping most of the leaves and twigs out of your pond, your task this spring will be much simpler. (unfortunately for me, I was not diligent enough!) If not, the first thing you will want to do is net out as many leaves and debris as possible with a net. Re-start your pumps and filter systems. If you have a skimmer and a puri-falls, now is a perfect time to clean them out thoroughly. Either clean your filter media or replace with new. If you clean your filter media, it is always best to rinse it in pond water, so as not to kill the "sleeping bacteria" from last year. After you have removed as much debris as possible, you can vacuum the rest with a Muck Vac or where vacuuming is impractical, such as in ponds with rock or gravel bottoms, adding Microbe-Lift SA will help speed up the biological removal of slow to degrade organic waste matter from aquatic pond bottoms, that may become toxic to fish and plant life. Microbe-Lift SA removes bottom organic sludge and helps clarify your pond water at the same time. Another option at this time would be to add Microbe-Lift Spring Summer Cleaner, it helps jump start your pond to a healthier environment in the spring, by reducing buildup of dead leaves and organic sediment. Microbe-Lift Spring Summer Cleaner is a seasonal approach to the proper organic balance in ponds. The main thing you want to achieve is to get the bacteria started and growing again in your pond. As the water warms, the species of bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite slowly awaken as water temperatures rise above 55 degrees. The species of bacteria that convert deadly nitrites to harmless nitrate are slower to start in the spring, usually 2 to 3 weeks behind, depending on water temperatures. As your fish awaken from the winter, begging for food, it is best to refrain from feeding them at this time. Food eaten at this time will become toxic by products until the bacteria can catch up. The higher the protein in the fish food, the more ammonia will be produced. If you feel you must feed your fish, it's best to feed Microbe-Lift Spring/Fall formula fish food, or Tetra Spring Diet, which consists mostly of wheat germ, and do so sparingly.
Many people, when their ponds are full of sludge, leaves and algae, are tempted to drain the pond and start over. Try to avoid this method, if at all possible, especially if you have a large pond. When you completly drain a pond and start over, you destroy all of the good bacteria you have been growing and stress your aquatic life. It is always preferable to work with "aged water". Although at times, a partial water change can be beneficial. I would change no more than 10% to 30% of the pond though.
In Ohio, we are still experiencing some unusually cold days, the greenhouses are warm though, plants are growing and blooming and I'm sure within the next two weeks, I will be out tackling the leaves and muck in my pond. Hopefully I will learn my lesson, and next fall, leave the pond netting on all winter! Hang in there everyone, Spring is just around the corner!
A seasonal approach to the proper organic balance in ponds. Microbe-Lift Spring/Summer Cleaner accelerates the breakdown of leaves, twigs and other accumulated dead organic waste. Microbe-Lift Spring/Summer cleaner helps to jump start your pond to a healthier environment in the spring, by reducing buildup of dead leaves and residual organic sediment. Microbe-Lift Spring/Summer cleaner is pre-measured, easy to handle and cost effective. It is the natural, non-toxic, noncaustic way to jump start your pond in the spring.
