Microbe-Lift Pond & Aquarium Newsletter, January 2018
Microbe-Lift Pond Section
Happy New Year!
Winter is here now. Microbe-Lift/AWP is still being sold and can still be added to your ponds to help biodegrade leaves and particulates that blow in under your winter cover. The fish are still breathing, so there is ammonia in the pond in the form of ammonium (much less a problem!) in cold water, but wind-blown waste is going to accumulate through winter months. While biological metabolism is slower in low temps, without the fish to add to this buildup, the psychrophilic bacteria can handle it for a cleaner pond in spring. It's not too late to start using AWP. If you need more dry packets, buy our ML/Spring Summer Cleaner.

Microbe-Lift tips for January
 
Good ways to add your monthly dose of AWP:
  • If the pond is frozen, pre-mix the packet. Allow it to dissolve in warm (not hot) water and add to the area you are keeping open with a bubbler or deicer for gas exchange.
  • If you cannot reach that area, use warm water to defrost a spot near the edge of the pond and simply add the packet (whole) to the water. It will dissolve by itself or use the pre-mixed method described above.
What about winter storms or if the pond is frozen for extended periods??
  • Oxygen is at its optimum in winter, but without an opening for gas exchange (oxygen in, CO2 out) a heavily stocked pond can eventually become oxygen starved.
  • A deicer may be required to keep an opening for gas exchange. Buildup of carbon dioxide is cause of many winter fish deaths.
  • Power outages can cause icing over, damage to electrical pumps. A warning system and/or backup power will help defuse problems before any fish loss.
  • Trim dead branches near your pond and remove weak trees. Call the power company to remove limbs that can knock down power lines in an ice storm. It may be more than the pond you are saving. It could be your home.
Did you know??
 
Toxic plants:
Black Walnut tree (all parts); Choke Cherry (all parts) serious 'maybe'--koi ate the cherries that dropped in the pond; English Ivy (all parts); Honeysuckle (flowers, leaves) fish ate what dropped into the pond, with a lot of deaths, once removed & a water change, they were okay.
 
--Koi and goldfish do not hibernate; they go into "torpor" which is a semi-hibernation state for winter. They are quite alert, but their metabolism has slowed down conserving energies.
 
--Koi are opportunistic feeders, normally at the bottom. Hence, they are omnivores and will survive with whatever they find edible in their environment.
 
--For an experiment, set up two Aquaponic systems- stock one with 1" of fish/gallon of water and the other with 1/2" of fish per gallon of water. Observe the difference in plant growth. Use Microbe Life Hydro/Aquaponics in both tanks.

Microbe-Lift Aquarium Section
Question:
My fish are not doing well.
I cannot seem to lower the ammonia.
I started using ammo chips but have not seen much of a difference.
Does your ammonia remover work?
 
Response:
The Microbe-Lift/Ammonia Remover will detoxify 1ppm of ammonia per standard dose of 1 teaspoon (5ml) per 10 gallons.
 
If your ammonia is 2 ppm you can double the dose.
 
The ammo chips will help but it takes a lot longer and your fish may not survive the high ammonia much longer.
 
Your fish will not get better until the water quality improves.
 
You need to add nitrifying bacteria to your tanks; they are the ones that convert ammonia to nitrite and then nitrite to nitrate.
 
Our Microbe-Lift/Nite-Out II is nitrifying bacteria and is specially formulated for rapid ammonia and nitrite reduction. If you are feeding the fish, stop for a day or two to let the nitrifiers catch up.
 
Kind Regards, Karin Berke, 
Microbe-Lift Aquarium Expert [email protected]
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