"Gareee©" wrote in message
...
Just saw Gardening by the yard on HGTV today, and they had 1/2 the show on
ponds and care.. they recommended using a weekly dose of beneficial
bacteria, and rock salt.


Every surface on this planet is covered with a mixture of beneficial and
undesirable bacteria. When the system is balanced, you don't need to
continually inject additional beneficial bacteria to the system.

Take for example bad breath, the leading cause is an imbalance, and
excessive anaerobic bacteria which release sulfur compounds. Proper dental
hygiene restores the balance. You don't need to brush your teeth with
beneficial bacteria paste, because the beneficial bacteria are already
there.

Same with your pond, properly aerated, good water flow, and proper plant
balance is all that is needed. I have never added beneficial bacteria to my
pond, and I have acceptably clear pond water, no algae problems (except the
spring algae bloom) and no swamp smells.

Realize that the almost every show on HGTV is really an advertisement,
they're an endless series of product placements. At least when you watch
powerblock on SpikeTV, they're upfront about getting all their parts from
JEGS.

-S