Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

MICROBE-LIFT products can be used continuously all year, even if used under the layer of ice. If there is a layer of ice on the pond a heater or de-icer should be used to maintain a hole in the ice for gas exchange. Otherwise stimulating biological activity can be detrimental. If the products are under icy water they will continue to work, however they will not proliferate at the rate they would at 65-70�F.
The MICROBE-LIFT products, such as the liquid bacteria, will remain viable once they thaw, if frozen. However, they will lose some viability, about 10%, with each freeze/thaw cycle, so it is better if they do not freeze at all. The bigger problem is excessive heat in storing live bacterial products. You should be able to store the products in the garage for the winter. The ideal storage temperatures are between 40-105�F.
MICROBE-LIFT/PL & Special Blend have been called an ecosystem in a bottle. By establishing and maintaining a healthy balance in the pond/ aquarium, and by removing soluble and particulate organic waste matter, the water will obtain clarity otherwise not available. Any small or microscopic debris in the pond or aquarium will add to turbidity, clouding of the pond/ aquarium and detracting from the overall appearance. With MICROBE-LIFT at work, this is removed by the bacterial action.
All of our dry biological products , and the dry bio-products with added enzyme and other support material have an extended shelf life well beyond our two year stated claim. The dry formulations consist of multiple strains of spore forming microorganisms and these microorganisms can stay in the spore form (dormant state) for an indefinite period of time when properly stored.
The method of microbial activation is twofold: a) the addition of water; b) the presence of waste organic matter. Both of these factors are required to activate the microbes and get their biological oxidation process going.
Approximately 2 years in unopened container, 1 year after being opened if stored properly.
Products should be protected from extreme heat and direct sunlight. It can withstand heat up to 105�F before starting to die. A cellar, garage or shed (but not in an attic in the shed) should provide the necessary protection during summer months. The ideal storage temperatures are between 40-105�F.
NOTE: Nite Out II and BMC need to be kept at or below 72F and can be refrigerated to achieve the best shelf life.
Yes. We recommend that you turn off the UV light for a 48-72-hour period after the initial application and for 24-48 hours after each subsequent application. This is when the organisms are growing most rapidly and when they are the most sensitive to the UV light. UV lights are sterilization units and kill bacteria and single-celled plants as they pass through. Ozonators (not to be confused with oxygenators or aerators) will do the same and should be shut down until the Microbe-Lift bacteria become established.
MICROBE-LIFT products can be administered together. They are perfectly compatible with each other. Simply follow the directions for usage on the side of the box for each product you use. They are doing different jobs in the pond or aquarium.
Introducing a live bacterial culture to a pond is like introducing any other life form, such as fish. Your pond should be adequately aerated, especially in warm weather, to provide the oxygen needed by your fish and aerobic bacteria. Oxygen uptake by the bacteria will be higher if there is a significant buildup of organic waste in the pond or aquarium. You should begin to see results in 7-10 days and in 25-30 days you should see complete results. Unlike chemical products which work almost immediately when added to a pond, but become diluted, the active bacteria in MICROBE-LIFT multiply to provide the populations necessary to give the desired effect. Some time is naturally required for this growth to occur. When you plant grass seed you wouldn�t expect to mow it right away, would you?
The biological filter will benefit from a bacterial inoculation to get it jump started in spring. The bacteria in MICROBE-LIFT also do many targeted chores in the pond or aquarium, some of which are in areas that do not traverse the filter, such as bogs or the bottom of ponds with no bottom drain. The answer to this would be yes, you cannot have too much �good guy� bacteria in the pond or aquarium. Any excess of the beneficial bacteria will simply die off when the food supply is gone. We recommend the maintenance dosages to preserve the optimum numbers and distribution of bacteria for the best results under the changing conditions of your pond or aquarium.
Concrete and cement ponds have residual lime and acids in them. The lime may leach out of the concrete for years adversely affecting the bacteria�s results if not properly washed and prepared at time of installation.
Microbe-Lift/PBL is a professional product and should not be sold/used by the home owner. It contains 80% PL, 10% Ensure and 10% TheraP. Now, if the customer is a homeowner and not a pond service person, they will get the same results from using these three products separately since they will be using more like 40% of the Ensure (for plants) and 40% TheraP (for fish health), not to mention 100% PL for a nice clean pond. (Service persons can get away with the PBL because they put more muscle into the weekly treatment for their customers.) Besides, as a retailer, you will notice the PBL has no bar code for resale.
The Basic Beneficial Bacteria is the least of all our products. It is the spore-based bacteria we made so people with lakes or ponds containing a million gallons could afford to inoculate their systems with some type of bacteria, whereas the PL would be very costly to them. On the other hand, here is a run-down of PL versus spore-based bacteria products (which is what all the other products on the market consist of, by the way) and none of the deleterious effects is likely to occur in a million gallon water feature, but is very possible in a 3,000 gallon pond.
MICROBE-LIFT/PL
Goes to work on contact, where spores take up to 8 to 12 hours to activate
Degrades slow to degrade matter such as fats, greases, protein, and long chain fatty acids (from fish food) that build up in ponds and filter media, PL offers a significantly greater oxidation rate than spore based cultures for these compounds
Superior enzyme and bio surfactant production (vegatative vs spores)
Functions in aerobic, anaerobic and anonic path-ways, exceeds spore oxidation functions
Works better bio films and bio filters than spores � reduces maintenance
Contains no chemical inhibitors, spore formulation contain from 1,000 to 2000 ppm inhibitors, these may be harmful to marine life with over use
Contains no surfactants, spores contain for 1 to 5% � these are known to be harmful to marine life and fish, can be deadly to fish with over treatment
Controls hydrogen sulfide production, eliminats odor and toxic gas production form pond bottoms � spore can not control H2S
Assist in achieving the nitrification cycle � by removing repressive slow ot degrade organic matter that inhibits and slows nitrification
REMOVES NITRATE VIA DENITRIFICATION � KEY TO POND HEALTH
With HC and Golf, it is the market, not the product. Golf is a professional product, not for general homeowners, no matter the size of their ponds. With golf courses, we don�t have to be concerned about fish care, just the state of the pond. They are both bacteria, heterotrophs, and may be similar, but are targeted to different markets.
MC+ contains everything MC does, plus Barley.
The MC and MC+ are both spore-based. That�s got pros and cons. The pros are that it doesn�t smell and is easy to store. The cons are that it cannot compete with the live bacteria in PL and no amount of pluses (+) can equal the accelerating power of Sludge Away when used in conjunction with PL. The live bacteria goes to work immediately and has the ability to �diversify� in ways the spores can�t even imagine. The PL bacteria will also build up (bio-film) and begin to de-nitrify (nitrate removal). When it comes to balancing the pond, PL is the one.
If you want the best in this pond, use Microbe-Lift/PL. And since it has no bottom drain, use Sludge Away to prevent buildup of bottom solids. Between those two products you will be able to maintain a good environment for the fish (and lilies).
The key added benefit of the Xtreme over the Dechlorinator Plus is that it removes any ammonia that may be released in the breakdown of chloramines.
This is important as a few people said that we should put a warning on the Dechlorinator Plus labels telling the user to monitor ammonia levels when using the Dechlorinator Plus with chloramines.
If you have chloramines in your water source, you will want to use AquaXtreme instead of Dechlorinator+. If you don�t know, check with your city water company. Most cities are now adding chloramines to water because it is more stable than chlorine alone. Chloramine is a bond of chlorine and ammonia. If you break the chlorine bond you would be left with ammonia.
Yes they can. I use the Master Media Bag for mine. In fact, I heartily recommend using this method of containing them, rather than just distributing them into a pond where they can be visible on the bottom as they biodegrade. Some people choose to put it into the waterfall or the skimmer, but it will swell up, initially, and could block the skimmer. So, I hang mine over the side of the pond �near� the skimmer. I have bottom drains and want the pellets to remain in the pond, too.
Unlike chemicals, the live bacterium will not harm the pond/ aquarium or inhabitants.
MICROBE-LIFT is beneficial to sick fish in many ways. All products were formulated specifically to reduce stress and some are to treat sick fish. The bacteria in MICROBE-LIFT products will target organic debris in the pond or aquarium and have been proven safe for use with fish, plants and other wildlife. (Use the MICROBE-LIFT chemical treatments, such as ML/Ich-Out, ML/ Protectant, ML/Restore, etc, to promote healing in sick fish.)
It reduces ammonia levels, nitrogen levels, reduces noxious odors caused by urine, fecal matter, algae, overfeeding, etc., reduces hydrogen sulfide odors, improves dissolved oxygen, reduces buildup of bird droppings and organic sediment. Also reduces nitrate nitrogen levels and most potential sources of fish toxicity.
No. Plants have benefited from use of MICROBE-LIFT products in the pond and aquarium. Certain products, such as MICROBE-LIFT/ENSURE and ML/BLOOM & GROW are formulated especially for healthy plant growth.