Set up and filtration of a fish pond

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When a fish pond is first designed, it is often a common mistake to incorrectly add the wrong pond filtration systems with incorrect media inserted. The design of this part of the fish pond has to be right for it to be effective. Drawing a diagram of the filtration system and how it fits into the pond often helps research which media is the most effective and the material that is used for the filtration system casing is also important.

It is easy to think that to keep high the water quality of a pond is easier than controlling an aquarium, due to the really higher amount of water present inside. Surely a great quantity of water avoid dangerous fluctuations of chemical values, temperature and pollution; anyway this is not enough, ponds unlike aquariums are not kept in neutral environment, but being outside, in gardens, terraces etc, make them susceptible to external interferences.

For this reason a pond filtration system is just a point to start to keep the pond clean. Various other factors can influence the result of a well working pond.

Fish pond filters



Fish pond and pond plants



Fish pond pump

The location

Before starting to build your fish pond plan and design the place where your pond will be situated, drawing a diagram of the area will also help. Bear in mind the finished pond not only for the beauty of it but for practical reasons as well. Work out the cost of materials that are required and draw up a budget that you have to stick to.

- Sun. A good idea is to place the pond in a sunny place so the winter temperatures can be milder. Anyway the direct sunlight for long time each day can cause the development of dangerous algae and a fast water evaporation during summer.

- Dark. To place the pond in a dark place to avoid algae and not to raise high temperatures during hot periods can be a good solution. Anyway you have to choose plants that support this poor light presence and be sure that the winter will not be excessively cold.

- Trees. The presence of a tree can solve the direct sun problem better than placing the pond in a dark location. Anyway specially if the tree looses leafs seasonally, it can corrupt the water quality and help the development of bacteria infections in the pond. You can solve this problem taking off these big refuses daily or putting a net under the tree when loosing leafs.

- Electricity. A mechanical filtration system with the correct media and pump requires power to run it so ensure that a power supply is available, include this in your initial diagram.

The filter and pump

The filter will do the most of the job cleaning the water, as aquarium filters do. Pond filters look usually like big external aquarium filters. Even if the shape is the same, buy a filter designed for ponds, because aquarium filters, even of big sizes, are not thought up to work outside, since rain and bad weather conditions can damage it.

The pump is even more important than the filter. Having a constant water current, the number of insects larvae (i.e. mosquitoes) decreases, because usually live in firm waters. Moreover a constant current make water not to freeze. Anyway when buying do not take pump too much powerful compared the pond size, because a strong current not only cause algae proliferation but damage fish health as well.

Fountains and other similar objects, that you can find in shops in various shapes and sizes, have not only a beauty function but can interfere with the pond balance. Their jet can do the same damages of a too much powerful pump, that is algae growing and health problems in fish that can be really stressed by it. Choose a not powerful fountain or calm its jet putting a rock or another decoration under it, so it will not hit directly the water surface.

Fishes and plants

Due to sizes of fish ponds it is common to think that overpopulation is not possible. This is not true! Fish suitable for pond life usually reach great dimensions, think about goldfishes and koi carp. Since you surely take them when they are young, plan their number thinking about the higher size they can reach. Moreover often fish breed in the pond so you have a growing number of animal living in the pond.

Plants are not only a decoration but are the first help to the filter job, purifying water. Choose strong plants that can live in the clime conditions where you are and can survive to fish attacks.

Natural helpers

Not only plants are useful to keep the pond working fine but there are a number of other animals that living with fish can increase the cleaning. Usually they live and care about the ground, this is important because the ground of a pond is really difficult to clean and often is full of refuses.
There is a great number of species, choose those that can live well in your pond.

- Freshwater snails. They eat algae and other small natural refuses like leafs, uneaten fish food etc. due their small size they can easily become food for fish, but they also breed in high number.

- Freshwater shellfish, like freshwater clams. They eat rests of foods and refuses present on the ground, moreover filtrate the water. Thanks to their shell they usually can not end eaten by fish.

- Crayfishes. There are various species, too much small crayfishes can be food for fish, while too much big ones can damage fish fins, even if usually they are shy animals. They live in the ground and eat uneaten food and larvae.

Other products

In shops you can find a lot of chemical product thought up to solve problems of ponds, anyway these products solving a problem can have contraindications, so it is better to avoid their use if it is not necessary.

- Anti algae products. They kill algae, but can damage plants and kill small animals like snails and clams present in the pond. Algae usually are caused by high pollution (due fish overpopulation, too much food offered), small number of present plants, too much direct sunlight, too much high water current, not working filter; understand what your pond problem is and try to solve it before using a chemical product.

- Plants fertilizers. A fertilizer is almost necessary specially for water plants, anyway choose a light one, to avoid algae growing and animal intoxication. Avoid to choose delicate or not right plants for your fish pond, because they need special products that can be too much strong for the pond balance.

- Disinfectants (i.e. metile blue). Disinfectants can prevent and heal bacteria epidemic dangerous for fish. Anyway their massive use can kill invertebrates and filtering bacteria present in the filter. If you see a sick fish take it off the pond and in case of massive cures take all the invertebrates off. Remember to add again filtering bacteria after every disinfectant treatment.

Copyright note: This article is originally written by Michela Ferretti. Aqua-fish.net owns the full copyright of this article.

Fish pond filtration and set up

has been viewed times since June 30, 2009.