Odor Control for Ponds, Aquaculture, Water Features
Ponds, whether commercial, decorative, or agricultural, occasionally exhibit some rather foul odors. Most pond odors are caused by hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell), sulfur, and ammonia. Odors are also caused by algae, such as Chara (skunkweed), as well as cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).
BZT® Aquaculture is formulated with beneficial bacteria selected for the ability to outcompete hydrogen sulfide producing microbes. Sulfur thrives in pond bottom solids (dead algae, organic matter, feces etc). BZT Aquaculture breaks down bottom solids where sulfur producing bacteria thrive, accelerating the nitrogen cycle naturally and enhancing the rate at which ammonia is converted into nitrite. Ammonia is the principle cause of odors when high stocking densities or populations of fish are present.
Lastly, removing odors caused by algae is simple: BZT Aquaculture outcompete the algae for nutrients, thus preventing it from thriving. We covered this in the following article: “Pond Algae Treatment: Target the Source, Not the symptom.”
In summary, by insuring high populations of beneficial microbes and enzymes, BZT Aquaculture can alleviate most common odor problems. If your pond or water feature exhibits undesirable odors, we can help.
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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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Springtime Pond Treatment - Prevent Algae Blooms Before they Start
However, with higher temperatures, organic runoff and the increased use of fertilizers come the dreaded algae, driving mad the human caretakers of backyard ponds and water features.
(farm pond exhibiting algae bloom)
Rainwater carries animal waste, fertilizer, agricultural waste, and decomposed material straight into ponds. This concentration of nutrients intensifies the algae population; they’re on a superfood kick, and there’s no stopping photosynthesis. Suddenly, the place is a wreck.
As vegetative life ends, it sinks to the pond bottom, adding to the nutrient reserve for future aquatic growth. This is called “Nutrient Cycling,” a necessary process for maintaining ecological balance. However, a pond with organic overload is like eating every meal at the burger joint – super sized fries and all. It just isn’t healthy, and the life of the pond succumbs to the greed of the algal cells. Silt (the sludge or sediment at the bottom of a pond) builds up to six inches per year, and naturally-occurring bacteria in ponds simply cannot decompose and utilize all of these excess nutrients and organic sediment. So the algae snatch it up instead.
What are the dangers of Algae Bloom?
Algae bloom is an eye sore, and it detracts from the quality and enjoyment of your favorite water feature. If the animals in your farm depend on this pond, they may embrace a “thirst strike” rather than drink the green soup. Milk production and weight gain are seriously affected when animals cannot drink enough water. In addition, fish and other aquatic animals suffer, because more stress is placed on their bodies and their appetite. In the aquaculture industry, a single algae bloom can wipe out an entire harvest if not controlled timely. In a more natural feature, a steady decline in the aesthetic quality of life occurs until the pond is no longer suitable for sustaining life.
How to Prevent Algae Bloom:
A teaspoon of prevention is worth a ton of cure. Preventing organic build-up before it happens is much easier than trying to eliminate algae after the bloom has occurred. Just like brushing your teeth before a big date, a good, healthy pond needs regular hygienic maintenance to attract visitors and live a long, productive life.
In order to “stop” an algae bloom, you must prevent the excessive nutrient and organic build-up in the first place. Starve the algae! Adding highly concentrated, active microbes and digestive enzymes will kick-start the process and help to maintain the proper balance. BZT® Koi & Pond, for instance, promotes faster nutrient depletion in pond water, starves algal cells for their basic nutrients, and maintains aesthetic and recreational values.
It is also important to maintain a proper pH balance (between 6.5-8.0). Simple pH test kits can be purchased from your local pet shop or agricultural store.
Aeration (adding dissolved oxygen) is also necessary in levels of > 2.0 ppm for optimum performance of the BZT® microbes. This can be achieved through various means, depending upon the pond size. Mechanical aeration, wind and wave action, air stones, paddlewheels and waterfalls are some examples.
(same pond, after treatment with BZT® Aquaculture, a United-Tech product specially formulated for large water features)
Prevention of algae bloom is easy, and it’s less time consuming and less expensive than waiting until you have a problem. It’s ok to put off some things, like paying the cable bill or calling the in-laws. But if you have a pond in need of some tender loving care, do the right thing and take preventive measures - before your pond falls prey to the costly, disastrous and messy effects of the Algae bloom.
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