Pond filtration installation
Pond filtration design
Pond filtration maintenance
Installation, repair and maintenance
Filtration is required to restore or maintain the delicate balance of an aquatic ecosystem which is disrupted or placed under stress by high fish stock levels, fish feeding, ducks, lack of plants and so on. Maintenance of good water quality should be well thought out at the design stage of a new pond. Where water quality is poor in an existing pond, upgrading or retro-fitting of a filtration system is indicated.
Filtration units
There are filtration systems on the market for every conceivable application - for a small garden pond through to a swimming pond or small lake. As with most things, you get what you pay for. Every year the manufacturers strive to make their products more user-friendly and efficient. It is essential that all relevant factors are considered before opting for a particular filter and pump combination. Installation should be made to maximise the effect of the chosen system and in such a way that the workings are hidden from view and do not detract from the aesthetic of the pond or feature.
Reed bed filtration
Natural reed beds were used by the Chinese and Egyptians to purify water thousands of years ago. The first recorded “built” system was made around 1900. Applied to ponds and lakes, reed bed filtration is simply an augmentation of the natural system, plant life and beneficial bacteria servicing the nitrogen cycle requirement of the feature. Both vertical flow and horizontal flow systems are feasible allowing flexibility in design and full integration into the landscape. Reed bed filtration systems do, however, take up quite a lot of space - as a rule of thumb, approximately one third to one half of the surface area of the body of water to be serviced by the system.
