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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