Labratory conditions can reflect the exact same climate of our ponds without issue as long as the envrionmental parameters match our freshwater pond's climate. However, the problem with labratory conditions is they are assuming " X " presence of microorganisms and thus discounting other " Y " microorganisms that they do not understand when a synergy is created with these other microorganisms.
I bet the bottled bacteria products have a greater chance of success if able to purchase directly from the source, that is avoiding packaging and warehousing and shipping. Once put into packaging, warehousing, shipping, then the environmental parameters change. I know these products suggest there are chemical suppresants present to ensure viability, but, after various trials with multiple products, I do not find them as effective as their sales pitch. When it comes to the sensitive bacteria converting inorganic chemicals, which is what is needed in our context, the only bacteria I have heard of being effective is incredibly expensive and refrigerated or is transported with its own incubation device and delivery system.
I know everyone wants to believe their own pond is quite unique and so this is the reason why particular products do not work, but I think it is mostly the change in the environmental parameters and changes in these parameters has a dramatic impact on effectiveness. Whenever someone says "x" bacteria product worked for them, I instantly ask 20 questions involving their water's environment, materials used, and filter construction instead of asking them for the name of the product.
From what I have experienced, the environmental parameters, that is water temperature, degree of temperature fluctuations, volatility of inorganic chemical concentrations, pH, salinity and other contanimants, other inorganic carbon, and construction of the filtration, these parameters will have much more impact on bacteria growth rather than the dosing of a bacteria product.
Septic systems and wastewater treatment facilities use a different speciation of microorganism that are acclimated to consume complex organics and extremely high concentrations of inorganic chemicals. These type of microorganisms are much easier to culture, transport, and are often the first ones to appear in the biological filtration. So, if there is any fast results seen in a reduction in inorganic chemicals (i.e., ammonium and nitrite), then it is quite likely due to these faster replicating microorganisms until they essentially starve them self so to allow other microorganisms, that are more efficient at lower stable chemical concentrations and other environmental parameters, to take over the biological filtraiton. So, when people try to carry over research from the wastewater treatment or septic facilities, I kind of cringe since that industry is not our context and is only "relevant" in the loosest sense of the term.
