Biostim is our range of 100% natural probiotic treatments. Within the standard Biostim range are Biostim Pellets, Biostim Tablets, Biostim Powder and Biostim Liquid. There are also specialty Biostim products: Biostim Accelerator and Biostim Nitrifying Bacteria.
All the above Biostim products are made of naturally occurring bacterial cultures, enzymes and stimulants that feed the “good” microbes (aerobic bacteria) in your dam, much the same way you might eat Greek yoghurt or drink Kombucha to feed the “good” microbes in your gut. These “good” (aerobic/oxygen-loving) bacteria actively produce enzymes, speeding up the breakdown of organic waste. In essence, these miracle microbes can take care of virtually any dam problem you can have: they eat the sludge on the floor, consume nutrients and thus starve out pests like algae and weeds, outcompete “bad” bacteria (aka anaerobic bacteria) that cause bad smells, and even clear suspended organic debris from your water.
Step 1: Which Biostim is right for me?
So you know you want to use Biostim, but which specific product should you use? Well, that depends on the issue you’re having. What best describes the problem you’re having with your dam? (i) Sludge, (ii) Algae, (iii) Weeds, (iv) Excess suspended organic debris, (v) Odour. Jump to the relevant section below for advice on which Biostim product to use.
i) Sludge
To reduce sludge in dams, we typically recommend Biostim Tablets or Biostim Pellets. On some occasions we recommend Biostim Powder.
ii) Algae
For algae below the surface of the water, we recommend Biostim Tablets or Biostim Pellets.
For algae above the surface of the water, we recommend Biostim Powder or Biostim Liquid. Which one you choose to use depends how you would prefer to apply the treatment. Biostim Powder comes in water soluble packs that are simply tossed into the dam. You could do this from a boat or canoe. Alternatively, you could use Biostim Liquid by diluting the solution and using a spray backpack (or similar) to apply the solution to the surface of the water.
For planktonic algae covering the entire waterbody (like pea soup), use Biostim Liquid.
iii) Weeds
For weeds below the surface of the water, we recommend Biostim Powder, Biostim Tablets or Biostim Pellets to grow high numbers of bacteria that will outcompete the weed for available nutrients.
iv) Excess suspended organic debris
For excess suspended organic material, use Biostim Liquid. Note: before applying Biostim it’s important to know the difference between organic material and inorganic material. Biostim is only effective against organic material. Organic means anything living or once living, e.g. leaf litter, sticks, duck poo, dead/living insects, dead/living algae etc. Inorganic means anything that is not living and never has, e.g. silt, sand, dirt. Biostim does not clean up inorganic material which causes muddy water. You will need to look at a flocculant instead. Follow this guide to clearing muddy water.
v) Odour
Having a specific problem with ammonia? We recommend Biostim Nitrifying Bacteria.
Not sure exactly what smell your dam is emitting but you know it smells rotten/hazardous? Before treating the odour, it’s good to know why your dam smells in the first place. Basically, bad smells are produced by “bad” anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic means oxygen-hating. These guys thrive in environments with little to no oxygen/aeration. This is why they often live in the sludge on the floor of your dam. You can kill off populations of these “bad” guys and eliminate the smells they cause in two ways: (1) add more oxygen to your water using an aerator, or (2) introduce high enough populations of “good” bacteria so they outcompete (and starve out) the “bad” bacteria. If you want to treat odour with Biostim, we recommend Biostim Powder, Biostim Tablets or Biostim Pellets.
Step 2: How much Biostim should I use and how do I apply it?
You should now know which Biostim product you want to use. Jump to the relevant section below to see how much of the product to use and how to apply it. Keep in mind, the following dose rates are guidelines that may need to be increased or decreased according to your individual conditions. Results will depend on factors such as sludge composition, water temperature, water movement etc. We recommend you treat your water, monitor the results and adjust your dose rate based on these results.
Biostim Liquid
Biostim Liquid should be diluted one part Biostim Liquid to nine parts pond/dam water. The solution can then be sprayed or poured over as much of the water’s surface area as possible. Benefits are usually seen after just a couple of weeks with sludge/organic matter being the most significantly reduced over the course of summer when bacteria are most active. Biostim is safe to use at higher doses.
Monthly Dose Rate—Large Water Bodies: 1L Biostim Liquid per megalitre (million litres).
Monthly Dose Rate—Small Water Bodies: 20ml Biostim Liquid per 1,000 litres.
Biostim Powder
To apply Biostim Powder, simply toss the water-soluble sachet/s into your water body at various locations and/or near an aerator. Benefits are usually seen after just a couple of weeks with sludge/organic matter being the most significantly reduced over the course of summer when bacteria are most active. Biostim Powder can be dosed at higher rates when required.
Initial Dose: 1.5kg per surface acre of water for 3 months.
Maintenance Dose: 0.5kg per month per surface acre of water. This can be adjusted based on individual results.
Biostim Pellets
Biostim Pellets are formulated to be tossed into your dam water. The pellets slowly break down over time. Benefits are usually seen after just a couple of weeks with sludge/organic matter being the most significantly reduced over the course of summer when bacteria are most active. Problem areas can be treated heavily without having to treat the entire water body. Biostim is safe to use at higher doses.
Initial Dose: 12kg per surface acre / per month. This dose rate should be maintained monthly until conditions noticeably improve, then the maintenance dose can be followed.
Maintenance Dose: 6kg per surface acre / per month. This can be adjusted based on individual results.
Biostim Tablets
Biostim Tablets are also formulated to be tossed into your dam water with the tablets slowly breaking down over time. Benefits are usually seen after just a couple of weeks with sludge/organic matter being the most significantly reduced over the course of summer when bacteria are most active. Problem areas can be treated heavily without having to treat the entire water body. Biostim is safe to use at higher doses.
Initial Dose: 10kg per surface acre / per month. This dose rate should be maintained monthly until conditions noticeably improve, then the maintenance dose can be followed.
Maintenance Dose: 5kg per surface acre / per month. This can be adjusted based on individual results.
Biostim Nitrifying Bacteria
How to apply: Dilute with 10-20L of dam/lagoon water. Pour around various sections of the dam/lagoon or close to aerators/fountains if present. In wastewater treatment plants, pour/dose at the head of the plant.
Dosage: As a basic starter, we suggest a dose rate of approximately 10mL of Nitrifying Bacteria solution per 1,000L of water. This said, there are many variables to consider, please contact us for a recommended dose based on your circumstances.