Garden Pond Filters And Essential Water Gardening Products
Choosing Industry Leading Garden Pond Filters And Water Gardening Products Will Save You Money And Guarantee Less Hassles
The secret to maintaining a beautiful, crystal clear pool, whether it be to keep goldfish, ornamental Koi or other fish species is to ensure that the water is kept free from ammonia, nitrites, suspended algae, parasites and harmful bacteria.
Do not make the mistake many new pond keepers make!
Follow the advice and recommendations on this site and you will not only save $$$ but provide a healthier, safer place for your fish and aquatic life to live in ...
Choosing the right product the first time around will save time, effort and money!
There are 3 essential pieces of equipment needed to ensure that you achieve your goal of a crystal clear, clean and healthy environment for all your fish to live in:
Firstly a biological filter, also known as a Biofilter, a UV Sterilizer, also known as a UV clarifier or simply as a UV and a reliable Pump, but not a swimming pool pump or sump pump. Adding Aquatic Plants will provide additional benefits ...
Is Blanket Weed Getting You Down ... Viresco Is A Revolutionary Prevention ...
How many pond keepers have asked themselves this simple question "How do I get rid of blanket weed from my pond?"
The answer has always been the same ... Wish I Knew! ... Now, thanks to John McLauchlan we all know. John McLauchlan, is the owner and developer of Viresco Aqua and Viresco Koi.
All Viresco Blanket Weed Cures are sold is in a dormant state that has an infinite life span.
To bring it to life, simply mix with water, according to the instructions. The healthy living active microbes are then added to the pond to get on with their job of removing nitrates, other nutrients and pond debris.
Types of Fish Ponds
Warning ... Before you go ahead and install a fish pond there are several important issues you should be aware of if you want your project to be a success .... Please read the following articles ... Pond Building Hints & Tips and What Are Some Of The New Problems Encountered? ...
There are basically 3 types available and the final choice of construction material will depend upon several factors, including: The size of pool needed, the amount of money you are willing to pay, the amount of space available for your project, the climatic conditions where you live and the flexibility needed should you decide to relocate from the original position.
Click here to see Wildlife Pond Benefits...
Success can be attained with any of the following choices. The choice is mostly personal preference, as your future goals will indicate the proper choice.
Rigid Preformed Ponds - These are the easiest to install but are usually fairly small in size and are only suitable for
specific pond designs.
Another disadvantage is the available shapes. There isn't that much scope for a
personalized shape.
A major advantage however of a preformed fish pond, apart from it being the cheapest to buy is the simplicity of installation. Unlike flexible pond liners and concrete ponds you don't need to mess about creating a rock edging. The chance of a leak or puncture are also significantly less than a liner pond or concrete pond.
If you have a small backyard and only intend to keep a few small koi and goldfish then this may be perfect for you ...
Flexible Liner Ponds can be fashioned to suit any style of
design that you require.
Firestone PondGard EPDM Liners and Laguna liners, manufactured from EPDM rubber are popular construction materials in the USA due to them being low cost and fairly puncture proof.
Both Laguna and Firestone Pond Liners are supplied with long life 20 year warranties.
UK
Pond Liners
The preferred liner in the UK is LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) Liners ... These flexible liners can also be reshaped. If you intend to add shelves to accommodate aquatic plants then they are a great choice for flexibility and wildlife eco friendliness ... Pondkeeper LDPE Flexiliner Pond Liners - UK's LOWEST PRICED LINERS
Concrete Ponds
- Concrete is without a doubt the toughest and sturdiest of the 3 methods outlined. It is however extremely labor intensive and costly to build.
This material is also extremely inflexible in that once constructed it is very difficult to relocate a concrete pool.
Having said this it will last for a very long time. Although concrete in colder climates can be susceptible to cracks it is a good choice for larger koi ponds.
A Pond Filter Is Critical To Pond Keeping Success in 99% of Cases
Click to Review Pond Filters on this site...
Biological pond filters (Biofilters) ensure that your water remains clean, clear and free from high levels of toxic chemicals such as ammonia and nitrite. These toxic chemicals are the result of excess fish food, decaying leaves and metabolic fish waste. It is important to control the build up of these ammonia compounds before you end up with sick or dead Koi, goldfish, orfe etc. Modern biofilters fall into one of the following categories.
New
Professional Pressurized Bead Filters For Koi Keepers
Although a backyard pool is a hobby for the vast majority of water gardeners there are of course the professional koi keepers, whose large ponds require specialized biofiltration equipment. These professional systems need to be capable of dealing with large volumes of water, fish solid and liquid waste, large fish loads, while still offering economy, reliability, low maintenance and high performance. The best choice for the majority of large koi ponds is a Biological Bead Filter. Brands such as The Aqua Ultima Filter system is highly recommended due to its patented biomedia. The GC Tek Aquabead Bead Filter models along with Aquadyne Bead Filters and GC Tek Biotek Filters are amongst the best available ... Lifetime Warranties are standard with many of these systems.
Gravity Discharge
Garden Pond Filters (Box Filters)
How Do I Choose The Right Model? The choice for the majority of small to medium sized water gardens is a combo biofilter + UV sterilizer (UV filter).
Avoid the hassles and problems associated with making the wrong choice ... always buy the best you can afford and from reputable, industry proven manufacturers. Many pond keepers choice of system is the traditional gravity discharge filter.
The Fishmate Gravity Discharge Filter with Fishmate Supra biomedia is a world famous industry leading model that ships with the best low cost biomedia available (see picture opposite) ...
Pressurized
Bio-Filter
The pressurized bio-filter which is perfect for the vast majority of water gardens and normally incorporates a UV light. The pressurized operation allows water to be pumped to the top of a waterfall or fountain. Unlike box filters (gravity discharge operation) pressurized biofilters can be situated at a distance from the pond. Routine maintenance is reduced to a minimum with the self cleaning facilities offered by many brands ... simply press a button or turn a lever and pressure forces trapped dirt and debris out of the unit.
The Fishmate Pressurized Biofilter and the Oase Filtoclear Pressurized Filter are excellent examples of low cost, compact and reliable pond pressure filters ... All models guarantee healthy water.
Pond
Skimmer Filters
As the name suggests pond skimmer filters skim water from the surface of the pond. This helps to drag floating leaves and other pond surface debris into the skimmer unit, where it is trapped by a skimmer basket or net. The skimmer basket is easily accessible and easily emptied.
See my Introduction To Pond Surface Skimmer Filters article here...
A major advantage of this type of pond filter is that it significantly reduces routine pond cleaning maintenance and makes servicing of the pump easier, as the pump is often housed within the skimmer filter itself. Some models incorporate a filter mat to reduce filter maintenance.
Popular models include Aquascape Skimmer Filters, Cal Pump Compact Skimmer, Laguna Skimmer Filters, Savio Pond Skimmer Filters, Oase Skimmer Filters and Little Giant Bio Waterfall Filter.
Waterfall
Filters
These filters incorporate a weir to create the waterfall effect. Water usually enters the waterfall filter at the base of the unit and flows up through the biological filter media. Many models incorporate filter mats for mechanical filtration.
Waterfall filter models are becoming more popular for those pond keepers looking to create a waterfall focal point. A waterfall also aids oxygen absorption into the pond which is a major benefit to any pond and its inhabitants. Leading models include Atlantic Waterfall Filters, Cal Pump Spillways, Laguna Filter Spillway, Little Giant Waterfall Filter.
Pond
Filter Media - Improve your biofilter significantly at a low cost
A pond filter media with a large Specific Surface Area (SSA) allows much large colonies of nitrifying bacteria to form in your pond filter. This means a more efficient biofilter and less toxic ammonia and nitrite in your pond water.
Any BIOLOGICAL POND FILTER is ONLY AS GOOD AS THE BIO MEDIA USED. The higher the number of beneficial bacteria living on the pond filter media the purer your pond water will be. By selecting a Pond Biomedia with a high SSA you will in time save yourself lots of $$$.
Why Do You Need A Pond Pump?
Click here to Review the Pond Pumps on this site...
A pond pump is the heart of any pond. It is responsible for supplying critical oxygen to your biofiltration equipment and to supply water to the top of a waterfall or fountain. There are many different types of pond pump models available. For the vast majority of fish ponds a Submersible Pumps is the preferred choice. As the name suggests this type of pump is submersed below water level, usually resting on a brick at the bottom of the pool. They are cheap to buy, dependable and use small amounts of electricity on the whole ...
Large pond applications will often use an External Pond Pump which provides the extra power required but at a price. They cost more to buy and in many cases are more expensive to run.
Many new pond keepers believe that they can use a Sump Pump as the preferred choice ... You must under no circumstances do this ... Sump pumps are exactly that; used to empty water from cellars or basements. They are designed for intermittent use and in a water garden will eventually collapse, allowing water to mix with the electrics ... we all know what happens when electricity meets water ...
How to choose a Solar Garden Pond Pump ... Solar pond pumps are eco friendly and offer low running costs. Over the period of two years they will have paid for themselves in terms of electricity (energy savings).
When choosing, several factors need to be considered and various parameters also need to be known ... This site will guide in how to choose the Correctly Specified Pump ...
Pond
Air Pumps Add Much Needed Oxygen To Fish Ponds
Pond air pumps add much needed oxygen and water movement to your water garden or fish pond. They help to prevent the formation of stagnant areas within your pond as well as supplying pond fish and biofilter bacteria with much needed oxygen.
Choose high quality, reliable Pond Air Pump and Fountain Aerators from leading manufacturers such as Oase, Easy Pro, LD, Aermaster, Typhoon, Laguna, Pondmaster, Tetra Pond, Hako and Scott
Prevent Green Water By Installing A UV sterilizer Or UV Clarifier!
Click here to Review the UV Clarifiers / Sterilizers on this site...
Are You serious about keeping a clean environment for your
fish? If so then UV Sterilization
is critical as it prevents the build up of green water.
The green water, caused by algae bloom grows rapidly and if not controlled will eventually cover the entire water surface, leaving you with an unattractive "pea soup" like hole and most probably dead fish, due to the lack of oxygen ...
The majority of backyard pools don't require the high intensity UV equipment that are needed by the professional koi keeper and will find that UV clarifiers from industry proven and reliable manufacturers such as Aqua Ultraviolet, Tetra and Cal Pump are perfectly suited for permanent green water algae control. Aqua Ultraviolet UV sterilizers offer the industry's longest lamp life and come with a life time warranty ...
For large koi ponds in excess of 12,000 gallons then high intensity UV units such as those from Zapp Pure, Lim UVP and the higher end Aqua UV sterilizers range are ideal, due to the phenomenal amounts of algae bloom killing power ...
These products will be superior to cheaper costing alternatives when it comes to reliability, efficiency, energy saving and longevity. Many of the products reviewed on this site come with a LIFE TIME WARRANTY or LOW PRICE guarantee ...
Quality
Fish Food Reduces Disease & Pond Sludge
Click here to Review Fish Food Brands on this site...
There are a myriad of fish food brands on the market. Plenty are of poor quality and contain fillers which are not digested by your pond fish but instead only help to increase the metabolic waste content within the pond water i.e. increased ammonia levels.
High quality fish food contains all the necessary ingredients required to ensure maximum growth, color and health of your pond fish.
Read this article to see how How Koi Digest Their Food ...
Quality fish food also contains Vitamin C, needed to aid the immune system, encourage healing and repair and to increase resistance to possible disease or illness.
Click here to see Koi and Pond Fish Related articles...
Fish
Food Feeders - Feed Your Fish Whilst You Are Away
Pond Fish Feeders ensure that your pond fish are fed at regular intervals whilst you are on vacation or away from home.
Many models are fully waterproof, easy to install and operate. While some pond fish feeders are moisture controlled units designed to prevent pond flakes, pond pellet and other fish foods from clumping, other models include electronic/digital timers that allow fish food to be released at specific time intervals.
Click here to see How To Choose An Automatic Pond Fish Feeder...
This is ideal because it reduces the amount of fish food that is wasted i.e. uneaten and allowed to fall to the pond floor where it subsequently starts to decay; releasing toxic gases and encouraging unwanted bacteria colonies to form.
Pond
Vacs Are Best For Pond Sludge Removal …
Are you looking to quickly and efficiently remove decaying, bacteria ridden pond sludge from your pond floor? If so then consider using a Pond Vac also known as a Pond Vacuum Cleaner.
See my Introduction To Pond Vacuum Cleaners article here...
A pond vacuum cleaner is ideal for removing leaves, uneaten fish food and filamentous string algae, including blanket weed from your pond before it has chance to decay and pollute the pond water.
Choose from industry leading Pond Vacuum Cleaner models including Oase Pond Vacs, Laguna Pond Vacs, Matala Pond Vacs, Easy Pro Pond Vacs and the continuous cleaning Pond Monsta Pond Vacuum Cleaner.
Pond
Heaters Are Ideal For Severe Winter Climates...
Keep your fish alive this winter by preventing your pond from freezing over. Large ponds would benefit from a pond water heater which when submersed in the pond heats a large volume of water and maintains a thermostatically controlled water temperature.
Ask yourself the following: Do I want my Koi to hibernate over the winter period and therefore stop growing or do I want to maintain a suitable pond temperature and encourage them to continue to eat, grow and develop?
Take a look at Pond Water Heaters Keep Koi Ponds Warm And Safe To Feed and the Advantages and Disadvantages of A Pond Water Heater for further information about the importance of a pond water heater...
Stainless steel Aquabead Thermakoi Pond Water Heaters offer industry leading performance, reliability and are easy to install.
Pond
De-Icers Prevent Your Pond From freezing Over
A low cost alternative for small to medium sized ponds is a floating pond de-icer that maintains a small hole in the ice cover through which toxic gases can escape. Choose from popular Pond Water Heaters from industry leading manufacturers such as Oase, Thermo Pond, Farm Innovators, Pondmaster and Oasis.
Pond
Lights Add Beauty To Your Pond After Dusk
Whether you are looking to simply view your pond at night or are looking to add spectacular effects to your water garden then the addition of pond lighting will certainly enhance your pond, fountain, surrounding area or water features.
Click here to read about choosing pond lights in my Pond Light Selection Guide
There are a myriad of shapes, colors and types of pond lighting available including underwater lighting, floating lights, spot lights, solar lighting, LED lighting, halogen lights and radiance lights.
Choose from industry leading Pond Lighting suppliers such as Atlantic, Alpine, Cal Pump, Game, Laguna, Oase, Pondmaster and Savio.
Popular
Pond Fish Species
In general allow approximately 2sq feet of pond surface area for to every 6” (15cm) of pond fish. Remember that the fish will grow in size
Click How To Choose The Pond Fish Most Suited To Your Garden Pond ...
When it comes to choosing the best type of pond fish then as a beginner I would recommend the good old faithful goldfish. Avoid the fancy varieties, however, and go for Shubunkins, Sarasa Comets or Red/Yellow Comets. They are tough, resilient, cheap and are capable of surviving in a well balanced pond with no filter or moving water.
How
To Avoid Common Fish Disease Health Problems
A new section has been added to cover common fish diseases and how you can reduce the chances of your Koi, gold fish and other fish varieties from becoming infected by fish parasites and bacterial infections. This is a very important section that will help you to understand how to ensure that fish stress is kept to a minimum by ensuring you eliminate many of the common causes that often lead to fish fatalities and poor water conditions ...
You will find information and advice relating to common parasitic infestations and bacterial infections and useful advice on how to treat them and spot the tell tell signs that your fish might be infected.
You will find information relating to Anchor Worm Infestations ... Costia & Chilodinella Parasites ... Gill Flukes and Skin flukes ... Dropsy Or Pine Cone Disease ... White Spot Or Ich ... Bacterial Ulcer Infections ... Aeromonas and Pseudomonas Bacteria ... Pond Salt and its application in treating many common fish parasite infections.
You will also find an important section on the purpose of a Biological Pond Filter and why this piece of water gardening equipment is vital ...
Koi
Carp & Pond Fish Articles
Are you looking for excellent articles relating to all things Koi?
If so, then take a look at the extensive range of articles relating to Koi Care & Koi Fish in general on this site.
The articles on this page have been written to provide pond keepers and Koi keepers with answers and solutions to some of the common problems and hassles that they may face from time to time.
Goldfish
And Koi Fish Medication
Pond Medications unlike human treatments actually treat the pond water and not the infected fish. The dosage applied to the pond water is determined by the volume of the pond or aquarium rather than the size of or number of fish.
In this way, when using a long-term bath treatment it is necessary to know the precise Volume of Your Pond or fish tank rather than the size or weight of the diseased fish.
Pond fish medication is big business with a myriad of pond treatment medications available from a plethora of suppliers. This paints a picture of just how big a problem certain types of bacteria, fungi , virus and parasites can be to your pond inhabitants.