The pumps and pond filters that are installed in garden ponds play a major role in keeping the ecological balance of the water in check. Not only do the pumps and filters remove debris, but they also work at keeping the ponds looking pristine and algae-free.
Keeping the Water Clear in the Garden Pond
Products that feature precision technology can aptly handle the additional demands placed on garden ponds by the nutrients and by-products that are produced from the introduction of food to fish. For example, pond filters are specially designed to handle the large quantities of waste that are produced by several varieties of fish, such as the Koi carp. To maintain a crystal clear pond, a specialised pump and filter is a necessity.
Flow-through Filtration
Some categories of filters are made with a high-performance flow-through filtration system which features a gravity return. These kinds of effective systems display integrated pollution indicators and thermometers. The systems are made with filter foam media so the water can be properly filtrated from the waste that is produced by goldfish and Koi carp.
Ultraviolet Clarifiers
Smaller UVC models under this filter classification are made with integral ultraviolet clarifiers. The filters cannot run without a pump to deliver flow-through. The addition of the clarifier and pump optimise the system efficiency. If you include an aerator set, the filter performance works in collaboration with aeration to provide the cleanest and most sparkling pond.
Self-cleaning Filters
Some filters that are used in landscaping for garden pools are self-cleaning and, therefore, are produced with a self-cleaning filter and UV clarifier. This state-of-the-art filtration system is made to automatically get rid of organic waste, nutrients, phosphates and toxic compounds from the water, all which enables fish and plants to reside in a healthy and debris-free pond environment. The current self-cleaning filter systems usually feature a temperature-controlled UV, which can shave off the money spent on power by as much as 40%. A pump is required for flow through.
Most users of German-engineered superb OASE ponds filters and other similar garden pool upgrades are happy with the efficiency of these kinds of filters and pumps. If you want to keep fish or Koi in a garden pond, you have to make sure that all your fauna and flora are in good health. After all, it defeats the purpose of having a lush yard or garden by overlooking the maintenance and upkeep of a garden pond.
Cutting Edge Filter Systems
Koi carp enthusiasts can avail themselves with filters that are made especially for Koi ponds. Engineers of these types of devices have developed special ground-breaking pond filter systems that are designed expressly for ornamental Koi ponds. The filters can handle the waste and residue that is produced by Koi fish as well as marine life in even larger bodies of water, especially swim ponds that contain hold as much as 200,000 litres. Drum filters screen debris in such ponds down to 60 microns. The filters are typically made in modular styles so they can be incorporated into a variety of ponds. The filtration systems are considered to be cutting-edge cleaning technologies.
Algae – The Reason Filters Are Made
The ultraviolet (UV) clarifiers that work with pond filters are made so the sun’s UV light can pass through the water in a pond and kill any unwanted germs, bacteria and algae. Algae are indeed one of the reasons that engineers work at producing premium filtration systems and UV clarifiers. These devices are meticulously crafted, so algae do not have a chance to overtake a body of water and impact its appearance.
Planktonic Algae
Various kinds of algae exist. Therefore, making sure the water is filtered and cleaned is utmost in the minds of scientists and engineers who craft algae-killing and filtering equipment. One of the kinds of algae that can invade a backyard pond is planktonic algae. These algae are made up of exceptionally small particles that tint the water in various colours of green, olive, brown, and sometimes, orange. Tree pollen and similar terrestrial plants are mistaken every now and then for planktonic algae. However, pollen typically floats on a surface before it finally sinks.
Filamentous Algae
Filamentous algae are sometimes given the derogatory description of string or hair. This unsightly algae usually grow close to the bottom of a pond and is stirred up to the surface, if it does not float first. The algae are just as much of an eyesore as it is aggravating. Filamentous algae live up to its name, as it is known to clog filters and pumps as well as skimmers and foul screens. However, that being said, if you have to be beset with algae, the filamentous kind is simple to control as it is easier to eliminate. The string can be raked out when required.
Periphyton
Any algae that attach themselves to stone or submerged items are known as periphyton. The thousands of algae that invade the waters in garden ponds or lakes and streams have a distinct characteristic or personality. However, all the plants are similar in their use of chlorophyll for the process of photosynthesis. Nevertheless, all the species still require differing degrees of light, nutrients and water. Typically, there is no shortage of these offerings in a fishpond that features Koi or goldfish.
Various Algae Can be Seen in One Body of Water
Generally, over a five-year period, you won’t see a dominant type of algae in the water. Different algae can appear from even a slight alteration in the water chemistry – nitrogen/phosphorus (N/P) ratio, hardness, pH, etc. The sunlight, turbidity, seasons and amount of shade will cause one type of algae to surpass another species.
Algae grow because they have ready access to the nutrients in the pond – sustenance that is represented by dust, pollen, skin cells and the food left by feeding fish. Therefore, a filter and pump are required to keep the nutrient level under control. The same device trumps the use of commercial algaecide. While an algaecide, in the proper dosage, can kill selective algae without harm to fish or plant life, the effect is usually short-lived. As soon as you kill one crop of algae, a new crop is born.
