BioFilters For Ponds

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For small pond owners that have fish, a biofilter is a key tool for keeping the pond cleaner, and healthier for the fish.

If you’ve looked around at filters much you know they come in all shapes, sizes, and designs and it can be hard to figure out which one of these many configurations might work best. This leads to a lot of confusion, and on top of that, getting one set up right for your pond is important.

This week’s pond tip covers a lot on biofilters, how they work, and what they can do for your pond.

[youtube width=”425″ height=”355″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3A7jn7_soc[/youtube]

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12 thoughts on “BioFilters For Ponds”

  1. Thanks for the information about the bio filters.
    I doubled the volume of my pond a couple of weeks ago, and my old set up is not keeping the algea out, so
    I was just starting to do my research about them.
    You have saved me lots of time and energy with your information.
    I’m going to set one up this weekend.

    What type of “pre filter” is good for the bio filter intake?

    thanks for
    great videos
    Gwen
    Malibu, CA

  2. Thanks for the info! I will rework my filter. I have had tremendous problems keeping my pond water from over heating this summer. The rocks in the waterfall were acting as a water heater, so I rerouted the flow around it. Any other suggestions? I enjoy your videos. Thanks.

  3. I went for years constantly cleaning my pond and doing partial water changes to try and get rid of green water and algae with less than acceptable results. At the beginning of this year, I built a Skippy filter and added bacteria and within a month I saw my water clearing up. I could finally SEE my fish and they seemed much happier too. I love that I no longer have to maintain my pond, just sit back and enjoy! Thanks for all your videos, they are very informative and have helped me enjoy my pond more!

  4. Hi Gwen,
    The answer somewhat depends on what type of filter you’re working with. For a diy project like the skippy the pads serve as both the filter and the biomedia. In other units the pre filter simply removes some of the big stuff before it goes into the bio chamber. If you look around you’ll find premade filter media for replacing in various models and if you can find one of these that would fit your design, that would be great to go with.

    Hi Sarah,
    I’m not sure what to suggest here other than maybe adding some surface plants to the pond itself so you can at least keep that shaded and cooler. Unless you’re able to block the sun exposure to the waterfall, what you’ve described probably won’t change much, but if the pond get’s a lot of sun too, then plants could very well help.

    All the best,
    Mark

  5. Mark,
    Thanks for all the great information. I love the idea that if the biofilter is working correctly, I don’t have to use chemicals much at all.
    Todd

  6. i just bought a uv/filter system combo for my pond. just love it and has really helped with green water proublem. question is when i add bacteria do i need to shut off uv for 24 hrs after it is added..i think i read or you had said something in the past about that. thank you

  7. My pond water is pretty clear. But, my three waterfalls get alot of string algee. We’ve been pulling it out by hand and power washing them every other week. Got another suggestion?

  8. I have a small 3′ x 5′ 18″ deep pond , comet goldfish AND a Red Eared slider (bout 9″) This information has helped me make a beautiful shangri-la out of pea soup !! bio filter ,water hyacinths and a fish fountain spitting into roots of a giant papyrus have made a real mini ecosystem !! Turtle pond sites said it couldnt be done !! thankyou !!

  9. I absolutely love reading the posts and watching the videos! You have been my primary resource for pond care since i started my pond! I have a question about the biofilter cleaning. Should I not clean the filter pads? If I have a sludge build-up in my filter pads, does that indicate that i need additional separate filtration?

  10. Hi BJ,
    Thank you for the kind words. I would clean the pre-filter pads if you like…those would take out much of the bigger debris. The main thing is to leave the biochamber, wherever that may be on your filter, as undisturbed as you can.

    All the best,
    Mark

  11. Hi MSendor,
    For waterfalls, beneficial bacteria may not work very well…for these I’ll use something like Algae Off which is a granular algaecide that’s very low in residuality. Turn the water flow off, apply the product to the algae, and in about 10 minutes you can turn the flow back on. Most of the algae should be dying off shortly.

    Take care,
    Mark

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