Frequently Asked Questions (Updated as of July 20th 2008):
1. Is BeneKoi® safe? BeneKoi® is a mixture of natural microbial strains that are NOT genetically modified. It does not affect pets, beneficial insects, fish, tadpoles, birds, other animals, plants, or human. It is neither a poison nor a pesticide. It does not contain the Bacillus cereus or hydrogen sulfide-gas-producing strains. 2. How fast does BeneKoi® work? BeneKoi® begins working as soon as it is applied to your pond. BeneKoi® will multiply in your pond and filtration system to digest toxic fish wastes and maintain fish health without expensive chemicals. In warmer water conditions it is a good control of soluble wastes and it reduces cloudiness in a few days to a week depending on the condition of your pond. 3. Is BeneKoi® compatible with other bacterial products? No, it is not compatible with other bacterial products. You may notice your pond water turning brown with a drastic increase in turbidity. This is a normal reaction. If other bacterial products were used, you need to continue treatment with BeneKoi® at full strength once a week for the next three weeks to restore ecological balance in your pond. 4. How does BeneKoi®clarify your cloudy pond water? BeneKoi® works by combining suspended particulate matter including organic and inorganic particles for easier removal by a filtration system. 5. How does BeneKoi® keep fish healthy? BeneKoi® works by quickly removing the toxic biological wastes produced by fish and rotting materials to greatly improve water quality. With better water quality, fish secretes much lower quantities of stress hormones that may otherwise reduce the ability of fish to fight disease. As a probiotic, BeneKoi® also helps the speedy recover of fish from minor scrapes, wounds, injuries, and acute stress from new fish additions and changes in the pond environment, by boosting the immune system of the fish. Please see BeneKoi Usage for different Booster condition. 6. What about oxygen levels in the pond? BeneKoi® can help improve oxygen levels in the pond by digesting accumulated pond sludge from fallen leaves, fish and bird wastes, and other organic and inorganic nutrient runoff from surrounding watershed. BeneKoi® remains active at zero or low oxygen levels especially at the bottom of ponds where other nitrifying bacteria fail to work. 7. My pond is always murky, smells bad and I cannot see my fish? Inadequate filtration, high fish loads, bacteria blooms, too much rotting leaves, overfeeding, too much fish wastes, can all contribute to murky ponds and bad smells. BeneKoi® can help you fix these problems quickly. However, in addition to the BeneKoi® treatment, it maybe wise to removed excess rotting materials, reduce the number of fish, and/or upgrade your filtration system. 8. Can I use BeneKoi® indoors in my fish tank? BeneKoi® does not produce hydrogen sulfide (toxic sewage gas) when digesting waste products and therefore it is safe to use indoors to jumpstart any aquarium filtration system. The product also does not require sunlight to be effective. 9. Why do I need booster applications? High waste and ammonia conditions allow microorganisms to feed and reproduce. When excess waste in the pond is eliminated, majority of these microorganisms will start to go to sleep. When organic waste does not return to the original high levels, microorganisms will reduce their population to levels that equal to the amount of organic waste produced by the fish. When sudden increases in waste materials occur and to control the pollutants as quickly as possible, we need to add booster applications of microorganisms. 10. What is the shelf life of BeneKoi®? When properly stored, BeneKoi® will remain viable indefinitely. However, it is most active when used within 2 years. 11. How do I store BeneKoi®? Store sealed in dry place at room temperature not exceeding 105 0F (40 0C). Do not allow product to become wet or moist prior to use. Do not freeze. 12. How should I handle BeneKoi®? BeneKoi® is not toxic and completely safe. However, BeneKoi® is a microbial product and simple hygiene practices are recommended with use. Do not ingest this product. Inhalation and direct skin contact should be avoided. Dust protection for eyes, nose and mouth should be used. In event of direct skin or eye contact, flush the affected area with water. If irritation persists, contact your physician. 13. Is BeneKoi® affected by salt? No, BeneKoi® will continue to be active under marine (high salt) conditions. 14. Should I turn off the UV system? Yes, it is recommended that you turn off the UV system during treatment for at least 4 hours. 15. Do I need to do a partial water change before adding treatment? No, you can add BeneKoi® directly into your existing pond water. 16. What is the dosage? Please click to view BeneKoi Dosage. 17. Can BeneKoi be used on natural ponds and lakes? The ecosystem of natural ponds and lakes (non-manmade) involves many environmental factors such as billions of natural species of bacteria, fungi, viruses, diverse living organisms from single celled creatures to animals such as fish to humans, and many species of plants. All these living things interact to form a natural balanced pond habitat. Adding BeneKoi to this kind of environment may help to create a better living environment for your fish by helping to digest sludge and other biological waste products. But you may not achieve a better appearance and greater aesthetics of your natural pond even when BeneKoi is applied according to directions. BeneKoi works best for man-made water gardens and ponds with goldfish, koi, and other aquatic animals and plants. BeneKoi is not recommended for manure pools for live stock. 18. Is this product safe to use with water fowl - as geese, ducks and swans. Yes. BeneKoi contains a water soluble blend of odorless microbes found in nature and is harmless to pets, plants, people and the environment. So it is safe to use around animals or pets 19. How often do I need to clean the filters when I use BeneKoi? With BeneKoi you can afford to delay rinsing out the filter system every 6 months or 1 year unless you have had a heavy feeding or after the Fall cleanup. If your filter is clogged (reduced flow), you can try to reduce feeding. By rinsing the filter too often you will remove the beneficial bacteria in BeneKoi and the life sustaining factors from your filter. 20. Is there any danger of using too much BeneKoi? No, there is no danger of using too much BeneKoi as it is naturally occurring bacterial and will not harm pets or animals.
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