TOOLS FOR BIOREMEDIATION:
• Stable bacterial preparations that are inexpensive make for the best products.
• Spore forming gram positive bacteria (Bacillus species) are the best candidates. Selected strains should have the properties that one is interested in.
• Ponds and animals already contain high levels of bacterial populations com posed of hundreds to many thousands of species. Typically in pond water and pond bottoms natural bacterial counts are in the millions per ml or gram. Similarly in the gut. Trying to change these through the use of generic low count products is not likely to be successful. Higher count products are essential for increasing the chances of the product doing what it can.
• Powdered products that are added to pond water are all plagued by a number issue. Adding high levels of cultured bacteria is costly and has little proven efficacy. Simple mathematic analysis suggests that it is not possible to cost effectively add meaningful levels of bacteria. Feeding living bacteria should only be done through the use of top dressing using bacterial species that are known to be shelf stable only when kept cold, although high titer Bacillus products may survive milling.
• Most products do not contain the types of bacterial species at the loads that are claimed. Many products contain bacteria that are in the product for the user and not for the fish or shrimp.
The first clue that things are not what they appear to be is when vendors make claims based on a standardized addition of product (i.e. add one kg per ha, 5 liters, etc.). Each pond is different and effective programs need to take this into account.
Repeat applications are essential for the benefits noted and optimum levels and frequency of delivery depends on the environment and desired impact. These are not drugs or biologics.
The fact that the vast majority of purveyors make drug claims does not change the facts.
These products act by impacting water quality.