What is Beneficial Bacteria and Why Does My Pond Need it?

Greetings from the world of waterscapes. I have water feature customers come to me with all kinds of problems. What I have found is that the most common answer to these problems, at least in part, is that the water doesn’t have enough Beneficial Bacteria.

Some people may make the mistake of thinking that these water treatments we sell are chemicals, which is far from true. Others may underestimate what a couple pumps or scoops of bacteria can do for their water quality. So, I am going to tell you a little about what these bacteria are and their role in keeping water clean and clear.

What are the bacteria in my pond?

Simply put, there are lots of different microscopic organisms, both good and bad, that exist in your pond naturally. These are mainly broken down into two categories, aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic bacteria are beneficial. As the name implies, these organisms thrive in well oxygenated water. Anaerobic bacteria are the opposite. They are harmful to your water quality and thrive in still water with low amounts of dissolved oxygen. This type of organism produces toxins that are harmful to fish and cause unsightly water conditions and odor. It is important to have plenty of aerobic bacteria to combat the negative effects of anaerobic bacteria.

Why are aerobic bacteria so important to my pond?

These helpful little guys produce enzymes that break down organic waste. This basically means that they eat the fish waste and dead plant debris. Reducing organic waste in your water does several wonderful things for your water quality. It helps reduce muck buildup in the bottom of your pond. It also reduces the number of nitrates released into your water, which in turn hinders algae growth. The water treatment we use contains eight different strains of aerobic bacteria. This helps to balance your ecosystem without harmful chemicals, keeping your pond, stream, waterfall, or fountain as natural as possible.

I hope this has helped you understand why it is essential to your water feature to keep it well oxygenated and maintain a healthy number of beneficial bacteria in your pond to keep your ecosystem well balanced and healthy all year long. If you have question, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Catch you downstream.

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