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  • If you want to ensure your pond always stays crystal clear then an ultraviolet light must also be installed since without this the risk of a pea-soup coloured water developing is great. Fish and biofilter bacteria need large amounts of oxygen to survive so a reliable pond pump which will operate 24 hours per day every day must be obtained. A biofilter even the very best (vortex type biofilters are the best but are difficult to install and are only necessary on large sophisticated koi ponds) koi filters

  • The maximum flow through a normal gravity (box type) biofilter is governed by the size of the outlet pipe from the box. Try to pump too much into the filter and you risk pumping your pond completely dry because what cannot come out of the pipe will overflow from the lid. This has happened many times. Where such a possibility exists let any overflow find its way back into the pond (eg by placing the biofilter on a slope above the pond and placing a plastic sheet between the filter and pond where possible. This will allow the water albeit maybe a bit dirty to flow back into pond ... this will save the lives of your fish. using pond filters for clean ponds

  • To buy two pumps, if selected correctly, is often no more expensive than buying a single larger pump. However being able to switch off the waterfall pump (normally the bigger of the two pumps) can save an enormous amount of money over the lifetime of the pond. The fish do not mind the waterfall being switched off most of the time and if you are at work you cannot enjoy the sights and sounds of the waterfall - so why waste electricity. Furthermore if one pump does break down you can keep your biofilter alive by using the second (spare) pump. In one of my calculators you are shown how to calculate how much you will be able to save by using two pumps in your pond. In the example I use in the calculator $309 is saved over 3 years http://www.practical-water-gardens.com/art2pumps.htm all about pond pumps

  • If you want to ensure your pond always stays crystal clear then an ultraviolet light must also be installed since without this the risk of a pea-soup coloured water developing is great. Fish and biofilter bacteria need large amounts of oxygen to survive so a reliable pond pump which will operate 24 hours per day every day must be obtained. A biofilter even the very best (vortex type biofilters are the best but are difficult to install and are only necessary on large sophisticated koi ponds) koi filters

  • Plants in a pond also help to reduce nitrate levels ... the nitrate is formed naturally by he action of bacteria on the excreted waste products from the fish and other aquatic animals. Nitrates are rich in Nitrogen and there is a process of conversion from ammonia excreted by fish to nitrite then to nitrate. Always spray water onto the pond surface when filling with fresh tap water ... any chlorine in the tap water will then be reduced. pond pump supplies

  • Pond pump don't stop for more than about 60 minutes because,if you keep fish, the biofilter is starved of oxygen. For this reason two smaller pond pumps are often a better choice than a single larger pond pump. The main reason for a biofilter in a pond is NOT to filter the solids out of the water. It is to purify the water by removing offending chemicals. These chemicals are actually produced by the fish themselves by virtue of their normal breathing, eating and toilet behavior. Biofilters need a continuous supply of oxygen sourced from that dissolved in circulating pond water. Beware low oxygen levels in summer. all about pond pumps

  • UV light for green murky water control ... The most effective method of planktonic algae control is ultraviolet sterilization. The many advantages of UV sterilization make it a very attractive option for algae control. First, it is a physical treatment, so it does not change the water chemistry of the pond. Second, it is very easy to install. Third, the treatment takes place outside the pond, away from the fish and plan. Chemical treatments can be successful, but they can be expensive, temporary and potentially harmful to plants and fish ultra violet lights for pond algae

  • Must the UV be placed before the biofilter? In theory it does not matter at all but in practice if you have a simple box type filter is must be before the filter. Reasons are: The UV works under small pressure - water must be forced through it while the biofilter drains under gravity. In sand filter systems (which I do NOT recommend) the UV light comes after the pond filter because the whole system is under pressure. Not applicable in many cases but you can also split the flow from your pond pump - part through UV light and part through biofilter. all about pond uv and algae

  • Pumps ... most small submersible pumps have impellors designed to turn in a single direction. This type normally have curved rotor blades for improved pumping efficiency. To make sure they do not start up in the wrong direction when you switch them on this type of rotor can only be turned by hand about 3/4 of a turn before it comes to a deliberate stop. If and when your pump suddenly stops pumping this is the first and easiest test to do to find out if the rotor needs changing or if something more serious is wrong with your pump. If the blades go round and round and round you probably just need a new rotor. pond pump flow rates

  • Oygenators, pond plants ...The best by far for the pool or pond. is also often referred to as "Curly Pond Weed" but is most rightly called aragasiphon major or more commonly Elodea crispa (South African native). This has a tendency to take advantage of highly nutritious pond environments by filling them up, but at least you don't get algae. It is easy to control by just snapping handfuls of it near to the source of growth. Fish love to spawn on or near it and it is dense enough to provide protection for the eggs and the subsequent fry. For indigenous plants to the UK: Water Starwort, (Callatriche stagnalis), rampant but easy to crop to its source. marginal pond plants

 

Never switch off your pond pump for more than about 60 minutes

Make sure the delivery pipe from the pond pump is not kinked

Must the UV be placed before the biofilter?

A waterfall adds oxygen to a pond by creating a large surface area

Submersible pond pumps can operate against a closed valve

It is a good idea to pump out about 10% of your pond water

Lighting in and around ponds creates a brand new dimension

Sick and tired of looking at debris on the bottom of your pond?

Do not feed more food than what you fish can eat

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