EcoPond™ was born from a simple question: how can we make effluent ponds cleaner and climate-friendly without adding complexity for farmers?
Developed by Lincoln University researchers and supported by Ravensdown and Agnition, EcoPond™ is the result of years of scientific testing and on-farm trials. It’s designed to reduce methane emissions, improve water quality, and make effluent management easier.
We believe sustainability should be practical, affordable, and backed by real data—and EcoPond™ delivers on all three.
EcoPond™ tackles methane from effluent ponds by changing the pond’s chemistry.
It uses a patented mixture of polyferric sulphate and sulphuric acid to suppress methanogens (the microbes that produce methane) and promote sulphate-reducing bacteria instead. This shift suppresses the methanogenic bacteria and therefore reduces methane from the pond.
Over 90% less methane, plus 99% reduction in E. coli, less crust and odour and less phosphate leaching into waterways.
The system is automated, safe, and scalable. It’s been tested in lab and field conditions.
Think of it like giving your pond a supplement—one that makes it cleaner, safer, and better for the planet.
Extensive research shows that using treated effluent does not reduce pasture quality or affect the way cows graze. A four-year on-farm trial found no differences in dry matter yield or nutrient balance between pastures treated with EcoPond effluent and those treated with standard effluent (Che et al., 2023).
Other studies confirm these findings (Cameron & Di, 2019; Wang et al., 2019; Chisholm et al., 2020; Che et al., 2021), showing no meaningful changes in plant phosphorus uptake, trace nutrients, or heavy metals.
EcoPond treatment of effluent with iron sulphate and sulphuric acid has two main effects:
Adding iron sulphate and sulphuric acid increases the oxidation state (Redox value) above the value for methanogenesis
EcoPond stimulates the activity of sulphate reducing bacteria and iron reducing bacteria which inhibits the re-growth of the methanogens. Sulphate helps with the oxidation of any methane produced (90%)
The addition of polyferric sulphate to fresh effluent increases the acitivty of iron reducing bacteria as well as sulphate reducing bacteria which inhibit the growth of methanogens.
This stops the methanogens from producing methane