Stratification is an important factor in choosing an enzyme treatment for lake water. However, it is not the only factor that you should consider. The following factors should be considered when choosing an enzyme treatment for lake water: costs, efficacy, and maintenance. The following is a quick list of things to consider. If you are interested in learning more, read on!
Stratification
The stratification of lakes is essential to aquatic life. Fish thrive in cooler temperatures at the bottom of lakes and need oxygen to live. In lakes with excess nutrients, oxygen is in short supply, and thermal layers do not mix, leading to poor oxygen availability. To increase oxygen content, the lake must first be treated with enzymes that do not disrupt the natural stratification process. Stratification occurs during the spring and early summer seasons and has several beneficial impacts on aquatic life.
Lake stratification occurs when water in a lake divides into distinct layers due to different temperatures. For example, air temperatures increase in spring, creating more definition in thermal stratification. Because mixing is impossible, oxygen is trapped near the surface and is less abundant deep in the lake—a lake’s stratification results from the lack of dissolved oxygen in the deeper layers. In addition, sediment and bacteria can be deposited on the bottom of the lake during a summer storm, which clogs the lake’s filtration system.
Costs
The use of bacteria and enzymes in lake and pond management has been gaining ground in recent years. Public pressure and increasing regulatory requirements force the industry to offer more environmentally friendly solutions. These techniques use beneficial bacteria and enzyme products, which reduce organic matter in water bodies. By reducing the organic matter level, these products improve water quality and reduce algae growth. These techniques typically cost $100,000 or more per year. However, they can save you thousands of dollars each year.
Biological Digester Treatment: Biological Digester Treatments contain trillions of beneficial bacteria that multiply in contact with water. Once activated, the enzymes multiply in size at an incredible rate, doubling in number every 20 minutes. These bacteria aggressively digest decaying weeds and leaves in the water. As a result, the enzymes can help restore the quality of infested lakes.
Efficacy
There are many ways to test the efficacy of a lake enzyme treatment, but one of the most straightforward is to measure sediment thickness. Enzymes work by releasing muck-eating bacteria into the lake’s water. These bacteria will stay in the treated area and consume the muck. As a result, the bacteria will not harm aquatic plants, waterfowl, or people. However, a lake enzyme treatment product may be more expensive than conventional methods.
Regardless of the application method used, enzymes and bacteria work best when the environment is friendly for the products. To be effective, a bacteria product must satisfy seven requirements:
- The bacteria must have access to food.
- It must be applied in a lake with the right population and species of bacteria.
- The lake must be in an environment where bacteria and enzymes can thrive.
- The product should meet the conditions of the desired treatment.
Maintenance
Adding cultivated microorganisms to the subsurface with the goal of biodegrading certain pollutants in the soil and groundwater is known as bioaugmentation. A weekly or bi-weekly maintenance schedule is ideal for the most effective bio-augmentation products. While most bio-augmentation products require weekly maintenance, regular maintenance prevents bacteria from degenerating, causing their interbreeding to produce a strain with the least energy. In addition to weekly maintenance, regular testing of the lake’s water quality is essential to determine the effectiveness of bioaugmentation. A simple test can identify the appropriate bio-augmentation products for your specific lake.
