Choosing the right filtration system for your pond

CHOOSING THE RIGHT FILTRATION SYSTEM FOR YOUR POND Pump or gravity fed? The filter you decide to use will initially depend on whether your pond is pump or gravity fed. A 'pump-fed pond has a pump that supplies water to the filter. A'gravity-fed pond has a filter that gets it's water from the bottom drain which is then pumped back to the pond. Fiter PUMP Water to the fitoe Water to the fhor It is essential that a good filtration system provides a healthy environment for fish to live and thrive in. Not only does a good system need to fiter out solid waste (mechanical filtration), the biological part of the filter also needs to break down ammonia and nitrite, converting this to much less harmful nitrate (biological filtration). Filter types Trickle Showers Water is pumped up to the top of the chamber(s) where it's dispersed via a spray bar over a tray of media. The water percolates through the given media and then trickles down to the next tray of media where the process is repeated until the water returns by gravity into the main filter system or pond. Multibay Filters Multi bay pond filters generally have 4 chambers, the first chamber would usually be a settlement chamber, followed by a chamber of brushes (the mechanical stages) to further eliminate solid waste before moving into the 2 biological areas. Vortex Filters A Vortex unit, used as primary chamber, should be placed at the front end of the filtration system. Normally the water from the bottom of the pond - together with waste and other debris is fed directly into this via the the bottom drain. It then adopts a 'spiral' motion inside the vortex chamber to settle out solids before passing the water to the secondary filter unit. Combi Filters The combination filter combines both the aspects of the multibay and the vortex filter. The combi filter can save space and cost. Other pond filters Black Box Filters Drum Filters Nexus Filters The Black Box filters are ideal for smaller Drum Filters trap solids, preventing dirt ponds. They have been designed to enable partial burial if required. They are to produce clear water. As the filter screen compact unit creating an effective often supplied complete with media and gets dirty the electronics inside recognise filtration system delivering to a small offer an all in one 'plug and play' system. this and start an automatic wash cycle. The Nexus is a combined vortex, from entering the biological filter and help mechanical and biological filter in one footprint. Pressurised Filters Bead Filters Bakki Showers The pressurised filter allows the water to be pumped to a higher exit point to create plastic beods. These beads float and relaxing waterfalls, for example. It is pre-assembled for easy installation with a enormous surface area of these beads new pond or an existing filtration system. provides biological filtration. These fiters can also be placed above or below water level. Bead filters are filled with millions of small Bakki Showers offer high levels of biological filtration and great mechanical filtration. The bakki showers are "stand alone" filter systems for ponds and need to be pump fed. provide mechanical filtration and the Considerations when choosing your filter 1. How involved do you want to be in the maintenance of your filter? 2. How many fish do you want to keep in your pond and how much food will they consume? 3. How much water do you want to turn over per hour? (turnover rate) 4. The space you have to keep your filter One key point to highlight when choosing the correct filter for your pond is your budget: people may wish to cut costs on certain areas to help facilitate others. Filtration however is one area that you need to get right. If anything, you should over-filter a pond as it's false economy to buy a smaller (possibly cheaper) filter, for this to then be replaced retrospectively, as this can cause problems in the future. Koi can be sensitive to their environments and water quality can have a substantial impact on their health. If your filter is inadequate, your water quality will be poor and your fish will be prone to heightened stress levels, loss of appetite and possible illness. KCFibreglass KC Fibreglass. Unit 10, Oaks Business Park, Oaks Lane, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S71 IHT. Koi Pond & Commercial GRP Specialists KC Fibreglass manufacture pond filters, quarantine systems and fish holding tanks as well as fibreglass pond lining services throughout the UK. Tel: 01226 344567 Mobile: 07788 877 798 Email: [email protected]