Pond Algae Treatment: Target The Source, Not the Symptom
(Japanese Koi Pond exhibiting Green Water)
Algaecides - The Quick, Dirty Method
The problem with adding algaecides or similar products is that they only kill algae. They do not treat the source of the problem, which is nutrient overload in the pond.
Pour it in, say bye bye to the nuisance. That’s the logic behind algaecides, and in that respect, they work. But what happens next? When the algae dies, it sinks to the bottom and creates a sludge. This sludge has a variety of negative issues associated with it, such as aesthetics and odors. But from an ecosystem approach, this sludge is a huge nutrient (fertilizer) source for subsequent algae growth.
Bio-Based Treatment with BZT - The Sustainable Method
A simple, ecofriendly method of pond algae treatment is to assimilate its food source before it has a chance to grow. This requires no chemicals with “Danger: Poison” labels, no permit to handle toxic substances. Instead, through the addition of BZT, one can achieve pristine water conditions and MAINTAIN them. Naturally.
BZT contains targeted, all-natural microorganisms that consume excess nutrients in the water, thus ‘starving out’ other organisms, such as algae. Over time, this battle of attrition causes the algae to die off. When it dies, it sinks, and rather than the dead material building up into yet another nutrient sludge, BZT breaks up the dead material faster, using up the nutrients more quickly.
In addition, BZT eliminates odors, oxidizes ammonia, and improves fish health by providing a cleaner, biologically balanced environment for them to thrive.
BZT Koi & Pond is designed exclusively for small, backyard-type decorative and koi ponds, while BZT Aquaculture is designed for larger bodies of water with heavier organic loads (aquaculture farms, municipal ponds, etc.).
The Importance of Custom Treatment Protocols
United-Tech offers free technical service to customers, which includes custom protocols for unique and difficult situations. Though our standard instructions tackle everyday pond situations, occasionally a pond will exhibit extreme symptoms of nutrient loading and/or other factors which may need to be addressed. Available Monday-Friday, 8-5 CST, the United-Tech Support Team is here to serve our customers.
In summary, we propose that all-natural treatment with BZT is safer, more sustainable, and more sensible than adding chemicals known to provide quick results of symptoms without targeting the cause of the algae growth. United-Tech has conquered these issues for decades in agricultural, municipal and commercial water features, as well as residential applications. It is what we do.
Previous Stories Associated with Algae Treatment:
Backyard Water Conservation - The BZT Method
Springtime Pond Treatment - Prevent Algae Blooms Before They Start
Featured Project: Rasti-Land Amusement Park
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Backyard Water Conservation - The BZT Method
(Happy Koi swimming in clean water - they can help reduce your water consumption)
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, "more than 1,100 counties, 1/3 of all counties in the lower 48 - will face higher risks of water shortages by mid-century as a result of global warming." (http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/watersustainability/)
Skeptics abound, but even discounting the NRDC warnings, many US cities already face water shortages and have implemented rationing to try and curb this phenomenon. The Permian Basin in Texas, for instance.
What can we do now to contribute to conservation efforts in our own back yards? Build a decorative/koi pond! A well-maintained pond is educational as well as aesthetically pleasing, but also "it takes very little water to top off a pond. It takes hundreds of gallons of water to keep a lawn green." (Goldfield, Jan. "Water Conservation and Your Backyard Pond.")
Of course, eventually the pond will begin developing organic waste, such as bottom solids, scum, fish waste, excess feed waste, nutrients from runoff, algae etc. The common method of dealing with these problems is water exchange, which many Koi pond enthusiasts recommend on a bi-weekly basis. However, there is a more responsible, conservational method we would like to share.
BZT(R) Koi & Pond, manufactured by United-Tech, is a proprietary, all-natural formula containing beneficial microbes and enzymes. These organisms attack and degrade organic waste, from the water column to the bottom sludge. By spending about 77 cents a week on maintenance applications (per 1,000 gallons), BZT(R) Koi & Pond controls/eliminates bottom sludge, oxidize ammonia, reduce nitrates/nitrites, and improve fish health by outcompeting 'bad' bacteria for nutrients. This, in turn, significantly reduces the need for water exchange, thus reducing your water bill and improving your conservation efforts.
Ideal for Koi ponds, decorative ponds, neighborhood or commercial ponds, BZT(R) Koi & pond concentrates the recycling power of nature to clean aquatic systems, reducing dependance on environmentally questionable chemical and antibiotic treatment ‘solutions.’
If the idea of water conservation appeals to you, we invite you to join us in the effort. You may think that one person cannot affect change, but inspiring minds have proven time and again that living by example creates ripples in global awareness. If everyone pitches in, we will make a global impact. Begin your backyard ecosystem today!
(Bruce Rich, CIO)
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