| Keeping a clear pond in the warm or hot | | | | bio falls combination, or a pressurized |
| summer months involves these key ingredients | | | | filter- sponge filter combination.[3] Plant |
| for proper filtration:[1] Adequate water | | | | Filtration (Often called Veggie Filters)This |
| circulation and movement.A general principle | | | | is a very important part of pond keeping and |
| (not a rule) of about 100-200 gph per 100 | | | | filtration. A well planted and diversified |
| gallons can work for this. This can be | | | | planted pond is VERY important for clarity, |
| achieved with more than one pump and even a | | | | pond and fish health, and even fish breeding. |
| large aeration device (air stone). As for the | | | | Any plant with a good root structure that |
| air stone, I find they are excellent for | | | | grows fast and has the majority of their |
| vertical circulation, often better than water | | | | leaves above water is a good candidate to |
| pumps of greater gph. A large double air pump | | | | start with. I recommend water iris for their |
| such as a Million Air 600, Whisper 800, or | | | | strong root structure, fast growth, great |
| Maxima with two air stone can circulate at a | | | | nutrient absorbsion, and a great place for |
| rate up to 500 gph. A way to check this is to | | | | baby fish (fry) to hide feed and grow. There |
| place the air stone down a narrow PVC tube or | | | | are many other excellent plants as well such |
| aquarium lift tube, then place the top of the | | | | as bull rush. Make sure these types of plants |
| tube just above the water level and measure | | | | (plants with roots in water and leaves above) |
| the rate the water fills up a gallon | | | | are planted in an area of good, but not |
| container (one gallon in 15 seconds= 240 | | | | strong water movement. This ensures that they |
| gph).A good water pump is the Via Aqua 2600, | | | | will do their job as plant filters.Other |
| 3300 or 6500 hydrant pump. Both have sealed | | | | plants such as lilies and hyacinth are |
| electromagnetic motors and ceramic shafts.[2] | | | | excellent for nutrient removal too, but not |
| Good Filtration.I prefer pressurized pond | | | | at the rate of iris and similar plants. They |
| filters for their efficiency and ease of | | | | are useful for shade, which will slow algae |
| hiding in the ground. But there are many | | | | growth[4] UV Sterilization.Although not |
| excellent filters available. For small ponds | | | | always necessary in a well planted, well |
| (and even medium-large), large sponge filters | | | | shaded, well filter aquarium; they are still |
| are excellent bio filters and reasonable | | | | very useful. UVs help with algae control, |
| mechanical filters. They are inexpensive, | | | | disease prevention, and the Redox potential |
| easy to service, and simple to attach with | | | | (which is important for fish health and |
| either a power head pump or and air stone. | | | | proper filtration). For the UV to properly |
| Bio falls are also excellent pond filters. I | | | | function in a pond, the flow rate should not |
| do not recommend the old style Becket or Pond | | | | exceed 20-45 gph per watt of UVC. In larger |
| Master Submersible filters; they clog easily, | | | | ponds with high flow rates I recommend more |
| are hard to service, and are not efficient | | | | than one UV sterilizer, with a by-pass from |
| filters. Multiple types of filtration are | | | | the main line, connected in PARELLEL not in |
| also excellent, such as a pressurized filter- | | | | line together. |