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Pond filters
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Posted by KarenintheUK UK (My Page) on Mon, May 9, 05 at 8:52
| Hi all,
I haven't been around here for ages - but I'm cheekily returning because I need some advice.
I've got a 1700l pond, lots of plants, a LV pump and 4 x 5" comets (more tail than fish!)and 4 X 3" comets. 6 of the fish are new as we had a disastrous Heron visit a few weeks ago - the £$£^^% even left the tail of my favourite fish floating on the surface. Wiser now, the pond is netted.
I'm looking for some way of keeping the pond a little cleaner, it's about 2yrs old, doesn't suffer from too much algae/weed or green water (just a little in spring).But despite netting muck out of the pond, the pump seems to disturb silty stuff that clings to the plants and looks awful. I'm wondering about a mechanical filter - don't see the need for UV, but I'm not sure if my pump will be powerful enough and I don't want to switch to a mains pump.
Any advice - sorry if that sounded a little long winded. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Pond filters
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What pump do you have?
B&Q are selling the Hozelock 2000 ?stage filter for £30 here. I had a look at one last week, single layer of foam and I cant remember what else. I have spare filter foam from the equivalent of FME-182 on this page but bought from the local fish shop and a grid for it to sit on from an 4' x4' offcut bought for £5 from a local plastic grid/grating maker. So I bought a storage bin for £7.5 from B&Q along with 3 40mm tank connectors @£1.5 each and made a filter
If the link doesnt work the photo is in the thread http://www.fishcrazy.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=9230.0
I suppose the external plumbing would amount to about £1.5 but I had that lying about |
RE: Pond filters
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| value for money yamitsu black box! cheaper than i could make it! not the most up to date? nexus, trickle or bakki shower but it works d:) o/ jo |
RE: re Pond filters
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| locked out of the board sean show us here? or i'll have to join to look lol o/ |
RE: Pond filters
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RE: Pond filters
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| Hi, thanks for the replies and photo. Sean - the pump is a Hozelock Cascade low voltage, can't remember which model without pulling it out, but I'm guessing it's a 1500 or 2000. Will have a look later, when I get a minute. I had thought about those Adams type home made filters, but worried that it would strain the pump motor.I don't want to upgrade the pump, partly because I'm skint, but also because I don't want mains voltage. We have terrible trouble with field mice (live in arrable country) and have (despite conduit) had the cable chewed through on 2 occasions. The pond is raised, so it might be difficult to disguise an external filter.....will take a look at B&Q, we've also got a large garden centre near us, but couldn't even get on the car park last Sunday! Another question, do those sludge buster type chemicals work? - the ones that are suppossed to clump all the yacky stuff together and deposit it at the bottom of the pond. I don't really like chemicals, but use a barley straw extract made by Aqua-hydrotech which claims to be eco-friendly, have noticed that they make a sludge buster and I was wondering..... |
RE: Pond filters
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| If all you want to do is remove muck out of your pond then a pond vac might be a better option in the long run. No unsightly filter system, no chemicals and probably less regular maintenance. You could get one for about £150 off ebay which might sound alot but the cost of a filter system and the on going cost of sludge busters might be more. |
RE: Pond filters
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| Can you post a photo and by how much is the pond raised? |
RE: Pond filters
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| Chris - Can't run to £150 at the moment (baby on the way in a matter of weeks!). Does the sludge buster stuff actually work? Sean - will try to take a photo, need to either find my digital camera or re-install my scanner software, so it may take some time......Pond is set into a spit level piece of ground, it's around 50cm deep, but raised by more than than on one side and around 25cm on the other 3 - if that makes any sense whatsoever. BTW - just watching the weather forecast -2 tonight! |
RE: Pond filters
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Karen
'Mud Muncher' is an eco friendly pond product which is (and I quote) 'A special blend of selected pond bacteria which will break down sludge and dead algea on pond bottoms and in filters'.
This was recommended to me by a friend who has a pond maintenance business and it's by far the best product I have used.
It's in liquid form and produced by AquaHydrotech. Supposed to be used fortnightly but unless a pond is really dirty it can be used a lot less than that.
It can be purchased at most Aquatic Centres. Costs around £6.00 and lasts a long time. (I buy one bottle a year) Another 'bacterial' product is 'Sludge Buster'. This is sold dry in packets, is a LOT more expensive and doesn't work nearly as well.
Sue |
RE: Pond filters
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| Sue - Thanks, Mud Muncher was the one I was thinking of, may give that a try, must get some photos done though. |
RE: Pond filters
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| thx for the photo sean - ingenious! wd o/ |
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