H2Organic™
Frequently Asked Questions

Is there any change in pH by using H2Organic?

Sometimes the use of biological blends of microbes will adjust pH towards neutral. However, this would be more of an issue in a grease trap or in a waste retention holding tank, than in a decorative or a golf course pond.

What is the life span of bacteria in H2Organic after being used in a pond?

The bacteria in H2Organic become active as soon as they are exposed to water. If there is ample food (organic waste) and oxygen, along with the correct temperature and pH ranges in the water, the bacteria will begin to multiply (double in number every 20-40 minutes). Please note:

When you first begin to treat the pond with bacteria, there is more food (organic waste) than there are bacteria in the pond water, because of what has naturally accumulated over the years. Then as the bacteria digest this food, they quickly multiply in number (under favorable conditions). This means you eventually end up with more bacteria than food. At that point, the excess bacteria begin to die off, leaving you eventually with fewer bacteria than food. Then the bacteria begin to thrive on the food supply once again, and the cycle starts over. The goal is to keep a constant supply of fresh aggressive bacteria in a pond throughout the entire Season. At the beginning of every Season, you will also need to reapply bacteria and continue with a consistent dosing program throughout the Season, because the bacteria left over from the previous year will not be sufficient enough to handle the problems in the current year.

Does H2Organic have a slight effect on plankton?

The answer is a definite NO! You will NOT be able to out-compete planktonic algae or duckweed with our bacteria. Nor will you be able to out-compete floating lily pads or rooted plants. Do not use H2Organic for these purposes.

Are you producing or planning to produce bacteria to get rid of planktonic algae?

Our testing confirms that to date, we DO NOT have bacteria that will out-compete plankton. There are a few Companies here is the U.S. that make the claims that their bacteria will control planktonic algae as well as duckweed, but it is a misleading sales pitch. They make their claims based on the fact that the bacteria will take up phosphorus and nitrogen from the water, and because phosphorus and nitrogen feed the plankton as well as the duckweed, the bacteria will out-compete the plankton and duckweed, just as they do the filamentous algae. However, plankton and duckweed will not be affected by the bacteria, because the plankton and duckweed are far too aggressive for bacteria to out-compete. If we find a blend of microbes that can out-compete these things, you will be of the first to know.

How long should you wait after treating a pond with an herbicide before using H2Organic?

You should always wait at least 48 hours before starting the H2Organic Program. This gives the herbicide, algaecide, insecticide, etc. enough time to dilute out in the water, before our microbes are exposed to it. There will still be a small percent of kill, but if the environment is suitable for our microbes, they will quickly reproduce anyway. It is not recommended to wait any longer than 48 hours. Any longer of a wait, after using an algaecide on existing algae for example, just allows more time for new algae to get a head start again on the nutrients in the water. Do not wait any longer than 48 hours.

Is there a residual benefit from using H2Organic from one season to another?

There may be a residual effect of sorts, because some of the microbes will have remained in the pond throughout the winter, but not enough to handle the problems at the beginning of the next Season. We need to re-build the bacterial population at the beginning of every spring and maintain the population of microbes throughout the year, with consistent dosing.

There may be less organic wastes in the pond water starting out the Season this year (recognizable by the degree of clarity in the water, over last Season), but you can not visibly see phosphorus and nitrogen in the water, and these problem nutrients are the cause of the algae. Remember, if the nutrient levels are high enough in your Customer's pond to support algae, then that algae can appear at any given time. So although clarity and / or any odor problems are less this year, because of last years H2Organic Program, the nutrient problems will still exist, if not get worse, every consecutive year. This is very important.

What are the effects of Agricultural Chemicals or Pesticides on H2Organic?

The agricultural chemicals used for turf grass maintenance will NOT affect H2Organic. The only time they are worth considering, is when rain water causes the chemicals to flush into the pond. But even then, the concentrations of chemicals are so low that they will NOT affect H2Organic's overall performance.

The use of pesticides in a pond is a separate issue, however a few points to know are: If you need to apply any pesticides (algaecides, herbicides, insecticides, etc.) directly to the pond water, we recommend you use all of them at the same time. Wait 48 hours before beginning the H2Organic Program. This way the chemicals will not be concentrated enough in the water to affect H2Organic. If you want to use a pesticide after starting the H2Organic Program, you must do so 48 hours before application of weekly maintenance dose of H2Organic. (For the same reasons as above) It is not recommended to wait more that 48 hours after using an algaecide. Any longer of a wait, allows more time for new algae to get a head start again on nutrients in the water.

What are the effects of Chlorine on H2Organic?

The level of chlorine found in drinking water and the hydrants that supply most golf course water will NOT affect H2Organic. Do not worry about these low levels of chlorine.
However, the extreme levels of chlorine used in swimming pools to kill disease-causing bacteria will also kill the bacteria in H2Organic. We DO NOT recommend H2Organic for swimming pools.