What are Pond Filters Used For?

Pond filters are the most important part of owning a pond that will support aquatic life such as fish, frogs and turtles. They are the key element in keeping water clean and safe for the inhabitants. Water is pulled from the pond via a pump and routed into a filter where it can be cleaned. Depending upon the type and size of the pond filter, there can be various modes of filtration from mechanical, whereby pieces of debris and waste are caught in pads where they can be broken down or manually removed. Most filters also provide biological filtration. This means the inside of the filter supports colonies of beneficial bacteria which help with breaking down toxic chemicals such as ammonia and nitrites to keep the water safe. Additional types of filter media can also be added into a filter to also filter out chemicals like medications, dyes and even chlorine. Finally, pond filters can also be outfitted with UV filtration. UV lights can be added to kill floating algae and harmful bacteria to further enhance the water clarity.

Pond filters need to be sized so that they can accommodate the total volume of water your pond contains. So if you have a 1000 gal pond, you would need a filter capable of filtering 1000 gallons of water…possibly even larger if you have many fish. You will also need a pump that can pump that much water per hour. Check the manufacturer’s specs on the box to determine the capacity of the filter and pump.

Remember, if you keep your water well filtered, your aquatic pets will love you for it.