Pond Bacteria
A Brief Look At Pond Bacteria
Pond bacteria will be found in most any pond except those designed to contain only pure, and therefore sterile water. To keep water clear in a pond of standing water, or even an artificial pond fed by a small stream, agents such as bleach may be added to kill any pond bacteria that may emerge. Most ponds however, especially those found in gardens or landscaped areas are living ponds, filled with plants, fish, or both, and filled with bacteria, good, and sometimes bad.
There are both good bacteria and bad bacteria. We have both kinds in our body. The good guys help us digest our food, the bad ones are associated with disease, inflammation, or infection. Pond bacteria are no different, there are good bacteria and bad bacteria. A pond owner needs to do those things that will stimulate the growth of the good bacteria and kill off the bad bacteria. Good bacteria are usually added to a pond, for the purpose of combating the bad bacteria or keeping bad bacteria from becoming established in the first place.
Bad Pond Bacteria - Pond bacteria are too small to be individually seen by the naked eye, but are noticeable through changes in water color, the presence of pond scum and algae, and often by foul odors, especially methane. Among the most troublesome of these are algae, of which there are many different types, several thousand in fact. Algae are often classified as fungi rather than bacteria, but are treated basically the same as bacteria. Some types of algae, besides giving a pond an undesirable appearance, can be quite toxic. Wildlife as well as domesticated animals can become quite ill and even die when drinking from ponds infested with certain types of algae. Even in cases where algae may not be deadly, humans coming into contact with algae infested pond water can suffer from skin rashes and irritation, eye, nose and throat irritation, and often bouts of illness.
Good Pond Bacteria - Whereas bad algae often thrive on decaying plant material and animal waste, the good pond bacteria often thrive on the bad bacteria and the food sources of that bacteria. Good pond bacteria often are added periodically, as many strains tend to be rather fragile and can thrive only under rather limited conditions. Other types, especially the bottom-dwelling bacteria, known as sludge removers, are more hardy. The sludge removers feast on dead matter on the bottom of the pond, removing a food source important to some types of bad bacteria. Another type of good bacteria consists of nitrifiers. These types are less hardy and tend to multiply rather slowly. Their role is one of converting ammonia, largely a result of fish or animal waste, first into nitrites and then into harmless nitrates.
Periodic Waste Removal -The best way to keep harmful bacteria, especially muck on the bottom and algae, is to remove dead material periodically. A natural pond can't be “cleaned' like a swimming pool, especially if it is hosting plant life or fish, but you can be careful about matter falling into the pond, or overfeeding fish, which greatly contributes to bacterial growth on the bottom. One of the great promoters of algae growth is direct sunlight, and one can't do too much about that, but there are a number of products on the market which do a good job of inhibiting algae growth or eliminating it altogether.
Getting rid of undesirable pond bacteria can be a long process at times, particularly when the pond water is stagnant. Placing a fountain or an aerator in the pond, or anything that promotes movement of water can be a big help in cleansing a pond, and keeping it healthy. As has already been noted, pond bacteria are too small to be seen on an individual basis, but once you succeed in removing algae, pond scum, sludge, and clarify the water, you've more than likely won the battle, though the war may continue indefinitely.