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Cleaning ponds is usually a big task, considering the size of the water body and the amount of time consumed to transfer the plants and living beings that live in the pond. Furthermore, unlike the other water bodies, ponds do not get cleaned by themselves and to filter the debris manually is necessary here. With all the weeds, dried leaves and debris, fish waste, and food waste, the pond becomes dirty very quickly. If this is left unattended, then it can cause harm to the plants, fish, and other aquatic beings in the pond.
Filters are one way of clearing all this debris, and pond filter media bulk is the ideal filter to remove the dirt and clean the pond to make it safe for the living beings in the pond. This article discusses the types of pond filter media and how they are distinct from each other in terms of their performance.
Divisions In Pond Filter Media
There are three divisions in pond filtration. It includes filtration of physical wastes, then clearing of chemicals and microscopic wastes. All three following pond filters are the ideal ones that are to be used to make the pond clean for the fish and other beings to be healthy.
Mechanical Pond Filter
This is one of the most commonly used filters. This variant helps physically collect and later remove the dirt and debris from the pond. This filter is usually used to clean massive or physical dirt that stays stagnant in the pond. Even Though these filters collect a lot of waste and have a significant role in filtration, they need the most maintenance. They need to be cleaned often.
This filter uses a sponge or foam to absorb most of the dirt, and hence these things are to be cleaned often. The drum filter is a type of mechanical filter that many pond owners use. Furthermore, some mechanical filters work using gravity. They work efficiently in ponds that have a waterfall-like design.
Biological Pond Filter
This pond filter works just like the aquarium filter. This filter works by using beneficial bacteria to eliminate and purify the water so the aquatic beings can breathe easily. The wastes that get filtered by the bacteria include excess food, fish and other beings' wastes, and other organic materials. Some chemicals also get removed with the use of these filters. These filters come in different shapes and sizes and the bacterias colonize inside the tiny pores of these filters. Even sponges can be used as both biological and mechanical filters.
However, before using this biological filter, the user must first use the mechanical filter to get rid of all the physical wastes that have high chances of clogging the pores which will result in a decrease in the number of bacteria. And fewer bacteria lead to an increase in fish deaths in the pond.
Chemical Pond Filter
The filter as its name goes by does not use chemicals to purify the pond water. The use of any chemicals would clean the water but can cause a threat to the fish. Hence these filters commonly use activated carbon to purify the pond from the color change in water due to the biological filtration, fish food or algae, and the odor in the water.
This filter is not commonly used by many but is a perfect solution to the color change and bad odor in the ponds. Activated carbon is specifically used in this filter as water goes over and through the carbon and hence will not pollute the water which can cause a threat to the fish. Even Though activated carbon can purify most of the chemicals, it cannot completely purify ammonia and nitrites in the water. This is why biological filters are also used along with chemical filters.
Types Of Pond Filter Media
UV filter
This type of filter is the most essential filter that can be used to get rid of algae. This filter targets only algae and destroys those harmful weeds, but makes sure that the fish are not harmed. Since these filters can be used in small ponds, they are also ideal to be used as aquarium filters. Along with the UV filter, the user could also try connecting led lights to make the pond lit and provide light for both plants and fish. The LED lights also should be red, green, or blue, since the others are not safe for the fish.
Ceramic Rings/Noodles
These types of biological filters are used to eliminate harmful chemicals like ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates with the help of beneficial bacteria. Since these ceramic rings/noodles contain both nitrifying and denitrifying bacterias, they destroy all the chemicals in the water and thus completely purifies it. These filters are also affordable and easier to maintain
Waterfall Filter
These filters, as mentioned earlier, are a type of mechanical filter that works based on gravity. These filters are set up above the water level of the pond and the water is filtered and purified. The purified water goes down back to the pond and this works like a waterfall. Not only this filter purifies water but also oxygenates the water constantly due to the continuous motion of filtration.
Skimmer Filter
These filters are mainly used to trap all the external materials like leaves and other weeds and filter them. These filters make sure that these external wastes do not reach the button of the pond and cause harm to the fish.
How To Keep External Wastes Away?
Since they are outdoors, ponds are usually prone to debris being formed due to internal as well as external factors. Even Though the filters set up in the ponds filter, purify, and remove dirt from the water, there are chances of the water getting dirty quickly. So just like how a baby playpen keeps the child away from injuries while playing, the ponds also has a similar setup, which is a fence like playpens, to avoid external wastes from falling into the pond
Conclusion
These filters work simultaneously to make the pond filtered and purified for the fish and other beings to breathe easily and maintain good health. It is advisable that every pond have such filters. Using a single filter will not work efficiently in large water spaces like ponds. Hence one must use mechanical, biological, and chemical pond filters to get rid of the unwanted toxic wastes and filter the pond.