There is more to building a Koi pond than simply digging a hole in your backyard and filling it with water.
And while the idea of spending countless hours enjoying a private paradise at home is appealing, care should be taken to help prevent this dream from becoming a nightmare.
Unlike swimming pools, which can be easily maintained by adding chlorine, a backyard fish pond is an ecosystem unto itself.
Without a persistent fresh water source, this environment must be maintained in order to ensure healthy water for Koi and other pond fish.
There are several important areas to consider when designing any backyard water feature.
Arguably, the most important of these factors is pond filtration.
A suitable pond filter serves to critical roles.
The first of these roles, mechanical filtration, involves removing fish waste, leaves, and other debris from the pond water.
Without a filter, this debris would quickly start to deteriorate in the pond and result in poor water quality.
This poor water quality would then result in parasitic outbreaks, fish illness, and in extreme cases, Koi fish death.
The second role played by a pond filter is known as biological filtration.
This explains why many pond filters are commonly referred to as bio filters.
This type of filtration involves creating a sufficient environment to facilitate the nitrification process.
In short, this process involves the transformation of ammonia, which is toxic to fish, to nitrites, and ultimately to nitrates.
In order to achieve this process, many bio filters utilize a media type designed to provide high surface area.
This surface area provides an ideal environment for beneficial bacteria growth.
Often disregarded as a "rich man's hobby," the recent growth in popularity of water gardening and koi keeping has resulted in several commercial pond filter systems being introduced which can fit within virtually any budget.
With so many options available; however, it can be difficult for many new pond owners to identify the best Koi pond filter for their specific needs.
Many pond filters are rated based on total pond water volume (gallons), or fish stocking rate (total fish weight).
To varying degrees, all of these systems tend to offer both bio and mechanical filtration.
In order to minimize costs, many new pond owners attempt to build their own pond filters using 55-gallon barrels, old Rubbermaid containers, or even old paint buckets.
These do-it-yourself pond filters can do an adequate job for smaller ponds with low stocking rates, but are often difficult to maintain and are generally ineffective when used for larger ponds.
In many cases, pond owners with DIY filters ultimately decide to upgrade to a commercial pond filter system within a few years once they have grown tired of the daily maintenance required for most DIY filter designs.
There are basically four types of commercial pond filter systems available to hobbyists in the USA.
These options include pressurized filters, sequential filters, moving bed filters, and bead filters.
Below is a summary of the features inherent in each of these systems.
Pressurized Filters Pressurized Filters, which are similar to canister filters commonly used in aquariums, are a popular choice for smaller fish ponds and water gardens.
Many of these systems feature an integrated ultraviolet clarifier, which helps to achieve clear water while preventing algae blooms.
Some of these systems are also offered with a submersible pump, which is an added convenience for the pond owner.
Laguna ClearFlo Filters, which include a bio filter, UV, and pump, are one example of this filter type.
Sequential Filters Sequential filters basically operate by having water pass through a sequence of chambers, with each chamber featuring a different bio media type.
As water cycles through each chamber, debris is removed, biological filtration is achieved, and water is polished on its way back to the pond.
Matala Filter Media, a bio media specifically designed for use in outdoor fish ponds, is commonly used for many of these systems.
Moving Bed Filters Moving bed filters commonly utilize a floating bio media which floats in water.
This media is kept in a chamber which is connected to an air pump.
This air pump is then used to push a constant flow of oxygen into the chamber, which keeps the media constantly moving.
This oxygen rich environment with high surface area creates a perfect environment for the nitrification process to take place, resulting in excellent water quality.
Bead Filters Also known as pressurized bead filters, from the outside these systems resemble sand and gravel filters commonly used to achieve clear water in swimming pools.
On the inside; however, bead filters are very different.
Designed specifically for use in Koi ponds, these systems utilize bio media to ensure maximum surface area for beneficial bacteria growth while also removing fine particulates from your pond water.
Offering a compact footprint and easy maintenance, these systems are extremely popular for use in larger ponds with high Koi stocking rates.
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