Description
Mechanically dredging wastewater lagoons and ponds is an expensive process that stirs up nutrients that are trapped in the anaerobic layer of sludge and puts them into the water column to fuel algae growth. Aquafix is dedicated to providing the best biological and biochemical technology to remove wastewater sludge. This in turn saves wastewater departments and cities thousands of dollars.
VitaStim Sludge Reducer is part of a proactive approach to lagoon treatment that promotes healthy biological activity in both the indigenous and added bacteria. These gram-negative cultures set to work in every area of lagoon health to balance the biological BOD-degrading processes. This reduces compacted sludge, clarifies the water, and reduces odors. VitaStim Sludge Reducer is used in the transition times between extreme seasons, containing bacteria that are highly active in temperatures between 65-78° F.
Product Pairings
Pair with OxyPaks XL, a granular oxygen source and sludge digestion accelerator that really kicks the bacteria into overdrive to chew up sludge. It frees up sludge from the anaerobic layer to allow bacteria to easily access and digest the sludge BOD.
For extreme sludge removal, use Sludge Rx. This revolutionary tablet will turn a foot of nutrient-filled sludge into a few inches of bacterial biomass while dramatically reducing nutrients.
Case Studies
48 Acre Lagoon System
Challenge
A three lagoon system in central Illinois receiving 25,000 gpd was getting bad odors every spring during “turnover.” Turnover is when the water warms in the spring, lifting the compact sludge up. Their large lagoons were about 6ft deep with around 2ft of sludge. They have no aeration but enough wind action to give it white caps. They need to minimize the sludge buildup, but like every city they were on a budget. Hank, the public works director, began with skepticism, but that quickly turned around as his lagoons did.
Solution
They began adding 1 lbs a day of VitaStim Sludge Reducer per cell (VitaStim Polar in the winter).
Results
After a couple of months the odors started to subside, and within the first year they reduced 40% of sludge buildup, an equivalent to 3,000 truck loads. They continued the treatment with another 1,000 truckload reduction the following year. They continue to produce a superb effluent and have done a phenomenal job turning the system around.
10 Acre Lagoon System
Challenge
Greg and his team have a 3 cell system, one 6 acre lagoon and two 2 acre lagoons, that were becoming inundated with sludge. The ponds were about 30 years old, not aerated, and have never been dredged or treated to remove sludge.
Solution
They began using VitaStim Sludge Reducer to add new cultures and to stimulate existing bacterial cultures.
Results
The combination of new cultures and existing bacterial cultures produced a rapid and progressive decline in their sludge levels. During the progress Greg kept saying, “The ponds keep taking on more water, but we never had to discharge.” VitaStim Sludge Reducer worked to degrade the sludge and create more capacity. Progress of sludge removal was measured by performing sludge depth measurements prior to treatment and then again one year later.
Product Resources
PDF Downloads: Product info, SDS, and white papers
VitaStim Sludge Reducer Product Sheet
VitaStim Sludge Reducer SDS
Kaleb G. (IL) –
Love these products, use them every year
Kaleb G. (Il) –
Great product, use it every year on our lagoons
axelelisterio3 –
I inherited a 22-acre pond that was incredibly overloaded – had enormous amounts of sludge, was in effluent violation, and odors had residents very upset, to say the least. VitaStim Lagoon Sludge Reducer really helped us degrade over 3000 truckloads of sludge and control odors. Aquafix provided excellent technical support.