How to Continue Muck Reduction in Cold Water

As water temperatures increase (over 60° F), microbial activity in the water column and sediment will also ramp up and begin to decompose leaf litter, fish waste (ammonia), dead plants, algae, and other sources of detritus. The type and number of microbes within a lake are essential for organic matter decomposition and nutrient uptake. This is why probiotics (beneficial bacteria and stimulants) are used regularly in aquatic management to boost microbial activity, improving organic matter decomposition and nutrient uptake above a lake’s natural level. They can also help rehabilitate a lake after excess pollution or herbicide use. Selecting the right probiotic depends very much on temperature and whether you are treating the water or sediments. For example, Natural Lake Bioscience has engineered three different probiotics based on water temperatures, Summer Slam (72° – 120° F) and Nature Blend (58° – 78° F) , which will treat organics and nutrients in the water. As you can see in Figure 1, pond water added with each of the three probiotics provides more microbial activity than what you could naturally get from your pond and can be further improved by adding the right blend of probiotics for the specific temperature.

The Need for Cold Water Probiotics

Temperature is one of a lake’s biggest drivers for excess organic matter accumulation. This is because most of the aquatic ecosystem’s microbial community slows down or stops completely when water temperatures drop below 60° F. For every 5-degree drop in temperature, microbial activity is cut in half. As a result, the organic particles that settle on the bottom of a lake stop decomposing, leading to an increased muck layer during these cold periods. Left unchecked, excess organic matter will contribute to oxygen depletion and ammonia release, negatively impacting fish. Also, accumulating organic nutrients will foster cold water algae blooms (almost entirely cyanobacteria), which can grow even under the ice! Allowing cyanobacteria to dominate during cold periods sets the stage for what will happen when the water warms up: the prevalence of harmful algal blooms during the warmer season.

So, how do you manage the excess nutrients (leaf litter, dead plants, algae, etc.) when the water temperatures get cold? Can you keep muck from building up and causing issues?

Introducing the Natural Lake Biosciences cold water probiotic lineup featuring MuckBiotics Zero and Polar Blend. These innovative cold-water formulations thrive when other probiotics can’t. They keep the microbial community active in temperatures as low as 34° F. Use these probiotics for early and late-season treatments in seasonal climates or continued year-round treatments in warmer climates.

MuckBiotics Zero is new for 2025! It is the first and only probiotic tablet (beneficial bacteria and stimulants) designed specifically for cold water applications. Like the original MuckBiotics, MuckBiotics Zero sinks down to the sediment layer and targets the muck. The tablets add powerful beneficial microbes and stimulants to boost biological activity and aid in the breakdown of excess nutrients and organic matter in the sediment layer. The tablets can be used to target specific areas of concern like shorelines or used to target the entire sediment layer of a lake or pond.

For more specific information on Natural Lake Biosciences cold water probiotics or if you need help with specific treatment recommendations, please call 888.757.9575 or email info@naturallake.com.