My Neighbour Gave Me A Fish Pond Kit! I Am New To Pond Keeping - Please Help!
Today, I would like to share an email I received from Tony, a subscriber to my newsletter, who lives in the UK.
Tony is new to pond keeping and was looking for some advice relating to a fish pond kit that had been given to him by a neighbour.
"Sean,
I have just registered with your organisation and I need help and hope you can advise me. I would be most grateful for any assistance whatsoever as I am a complete novice in respect of ponds.
Last year as a birthday present I was given a complete pond kit after my neighbour, having a clear out, gave me an unused but shed soiled fibreglass pond. Now that I have got this pond liner in place I plan this spring to set it all up. I am not sure if I need a pond filter (I will eventually have fish) or whether the pre filter in the pump (part of the kit) will be adequate to deal with the water capacity which I have calculated to be 1500 litres.
The kit I have got is a Gardenline PLU 481 by Heissner UK who I am unable to contact as I presume they have gone bust or closed down. So I am struggling.
I am a pensioner so not a lot of dosh is available but I would like to get things up and running so my grandchildren and the rest of the family can enjoy this feature which forms an integral part of my small but rescued garden and is adjacent to an old concrete pond, put in buy a previous owner that is being converted to a marsh area; to attract wildlife.
I am getting older so I need to get this sorted soon otherwise I will have to abandon the project and fill the pond in.
If I do need another filter Argos have some in stock and wonder if a Fishmate 2500 litre pond gravity filter UVC will suit? (But what does the gravity description mean?)
Please help.
Regards,
Tony.
NB 1500 litres equals 396 US gallon or 330 UK gallons. Dosh is a slang term in the UK for money.
This is my reply to Tony...
"Hi Tony,
Thanks for signing up to my weekly newsletter series. To date there are 72 articles that cover many of the water gardening questions that I am frequently asked about. The news letters are sent out weekly.
Before I say anything else it is important to understand that a pond filter is essential in 95% of ponds; particularly if they contain fish and other aquatic life.
Let me quickly explain the dual purpose of a biological filter:
- A biological filter removes solid waste, such as excess fish food, twigs, leaves and other pond debris.
- A biological filter converts ammonia and nitrite into nitrate. Ammonia, released in fish excrement and also by rotting vegetation is extremely poisonous. If it is allowed to build up it will eventually poison fish and other pond life.
The pre-filter in the pump is not actually a biological filter. It is a mechanical filter, designed to prevent leaves, twigs and other pond debris from damaging the pump impeller. A pond is quite a harsh environment and broken impellers are common place.
I've searched Google to see what information I can find, regarding the "Heissner Gardenline PLU 481" pond kit. I haven't been able to find anything whatsoever.
In the UK water gardening market, pond kits are quite common, particularly for smaller ponds. Buying a complete kit is not only cheaper for the consumer but also makes it far less difficult to choose non compatible pond keeping equipment. This leads me to believe that you already have everything that you need for your pond, including the pond liner, pump and biological filter.
Heissner, by the way are a leading European water gardening manufacturer. They most definitely haven't gone bust or closed down.
If you discover that you don't have a biological filter then you should consider purchasing either a gravity discharge filter or pressurised pond filter. Both these biological filter systems are designed to be situated outside of the pond. The Fishmate 2500 litre pond gravity filter UVC, mentioned above will be more than adequate.
Before choosing a model, take a look at the energy consumption and warranty supplied. You want a warranty of at least 2 years.
One other aspect to consider is that many modern pond filter models also come with an ultraviolet clarifier built in. A UV clarifier (UV or UVC) kills microscopic algae cells, responsible for turning pond water green. The algae cells (miniature plant life) are bombarded with ultra violet light. This kills them, causing them to clump together. These large clumps are easily removed by a pond filter.
Here is a short overview of the difference between the two. Towards the end of the article I've included links for you to peruse. The links point to pages on my website where you can gain further information, as well as review UK pond filter models that I recommend.
Gravity filters aka gravity discharge filters - these filters are sometimes known as box filters and are usually rectangular. They are referred to as gravity filters because water passes through them and back into the pond under the influence of gravity. They need to be situated at a higher level than the pond, to allow gravity to feed water back into the pond after purification; they are often camouflaged behind plants or artificial decorative rocks.
Pressurized pond filters - these filters are very popular these days and can be buried up to their lid, below the ground. This makes it easier to disguise them from view. Due to the pressurised operation they don't have to be located at a higher point than the pond. They are also easier to clean because the pressurised operation allows you to expel waste, simply by pressing a button or turning a valve.
Fishmate are one of the best in the world when it comes to both gravity filters and pressurized pond filter systems. I would recommend that you go for a pressurised pond filter system because they are easier to clean, are easier to hide from view and are more compact. They are more expensive, but not significantly so.
Take a look at the link below, Tony, for further advice relating to pond filtration...
A Backyard Pond Filter Is An Essential Piece Of Pond Keeping Equipment...
Hope this helps
Regards,
Sean."