Additional filter

[brokensword]

The problem is that food has phosphates and nitrogen in the form of dissolved organics. Fish eat it and it turns to ammonia and phosphate that algae uses. Plants also use it to grow. It's a closed system and the only way to remove these nitrogen and phosphates circulating is to a- grow plants and cut them so they can grow more or b- grow algae and remove algae or c- constant water changes.

Clearly option a is what you want and occasionally option b or c.

To a large extent, I have to disagree re the level of maintenance you're suggesting. There are ways to do less and still not have major problems. I do believe my bog and plantings all contribute to having NO algae/green bloom period each year I've had my pond. Once I figured out my error in treating the bog like a huge super filter (which it did until time clogged the pea gravel too severely and I learned then proper cleaning + prefiltering techniques), all the problems re filtering and clear/clean water went away. People should pay more attention to addy's posts re her bog in which she's done nothing since establishing it, to the streams where plants do a lot of filtering. She's often mentioned how little she does TO the pond in the summer and it's the bees that force the most maintenance. I have similar (without the bees). I've never a) cut my plants so they grow any more than usual or b) grown algae and removed algae, or evenI c) done regular water changes. And most will decide I'm overstocked for what I have.

Plantings, imo, are your best friend along with ample aeration re water movement.


Sorry, but so many of these 'filter/algae/can't see my fish' threads make me shake my head since I apparently blundered into doing ponding in a way that is so much less stressful and more enjoyable. The worst problem I have is 'where to position put my over-wintered pond plants' in the pond THIS year.

Just saying that it IS a lot simpler and easy than most are making this. I figure it's all about how much you WANT to do, not NEED to do.

There, rant over.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

That's the whole point of cycling a pond is that once the bb gets going it removes the food source for algae and it goes away.

Beneficial (nitrifying) bacteria do not remove the food source for algae, they only turn it into a more easily assimilated form, Nitrate. What causes a pond to naturally clear in the Spring is the extant population of zooplankton which feed on planktonic algae. This is known in Limnology as the CWP (clear water phase).

 

[sissy]

Lava rock is old fashioned but it works and my dad used it when we built a pond when I was a small child .Yes the swish method saves water and my veggies love the water from it .I keep my plants in my filters in pots and trim the roots every 2 weeks or so and it really makes it easier to divide them also

 

[Faebinder]

lava rock is one of the best growing medias for beneficial bacteria, making it one of the leading filtration methods.. But for example Bio Balls are even better.
Water changes should be done 25 percent a week (very uncommon ik) imo, and in my experience it works with, everything. does not kill off bacteria, rids water of "junk and gunk" and if you have proper matching water to pour or redirect back into your pond, increases the fishes happiness (temporarily), clears water, gets rid of unwanted algae, many other factors to take in and that's just a tiny amount of them.

Disagree with the lava rock. It filters but it ain't the best. There was a thread one of the other forums that showed the filtration capabilities of different material like lava rocks and regular sponges etc. Lava rock is porous but the additional surface area ain't near a matching matala piece or a bioball. Are you just gonna keep adding more lava rocks when you can simply have a sheet of matala?

Here is the thread.

 

[DutchMuch]

I didn't say it was the "best" I said its one of the best. And then I stated that bio balls is pretty much the top number one...
btw nice profile picture

 

[Faebinder]

Thanks

I didn't say it was the "best" I said its one of the best. And then I stated that bio balls is pretty much the top number one...
btw nice profile picture

 

[Magzire]

This sounds like an expanded clay material that will eventually clog over time, similar to lava rock.

Even if it does clog. There is still plenty of surface, right?

 

[MitchM]

Even if it does clog. There is still plenty of surface, right?

Yes, but once clogged any media will start to produce more nitrates than unclogged media will.

 

[mgmine]

If your main concern is the algae bloom then simply get a good uv light. It may be a band aid but it does the trick and you can have a green free pond all summer. If your concern is dirty water then add some secondary filter media inside the skimmer. When I open my pond in the spring I can't see a foot down. After a week with the uv light and the extra filter material I can see a dime on the bottom at 4 feet.

 

[sissy]

lava rock was good enough for my dad it is good enough for me .Plastic stuff for a filter just does not sound right to me .Just like everything they say you need for your pond and they just want to sell stuff that is why they are in business .Does not really mean it is better .No offense to people who like it but I will stay with my lava rock

 

[Gordo33]

I don't believe the lava rocks significantly impact the filtration after a while, you are better off with some of the plastic biofiltration options out there as the pores won't get clogged.

that depends on the set up.. like @sissy I have lava rock in a dollar store laundry bag .. then i line a plastic laundry basket with quilt batting and place the lava rock bag in the basket. i wrap the quilt batting around the laundry bag completly covinering it . Every 2-4 weeks i change out the quilt batting and rinse the laundry bag filled with lava rock.. this process takes less than 5 minutes. This has beeen running for 4 years and the lava rock looks brand new.

 

[sissy]

Even ponddigger likes lava rock filters .I crochet and am now using fishing line to crochet bags for the lava rock