Nick Fisher

Koi Filter - What Works Best For Koi Filters

Koi are relatively fragile fish. As a result of the inbreeding involved in attaining the beautiful colours they have a reduced immune system so need top quality water to survive.    Bearing in mind that koi ponds tend to be much larger than your average garden pond it is essential to have a good koi filter system that can deal not only with the mechanical filtration needed to remove solid waste but can also deal with the biological filtration required to neutralise harmful chemicals.

Koi are relatively fragile fish. As a result of the inbreeding involved in attaining the beautiful colours they have a reduced immune system so need top quality water to survive.

Bearing in mind that koi ponds tend to be much larger than your average garden pond it is essential to have a good koi filter system that can deal not only with the mechanical filtration needed to remove solid waste but can also deal with the biological filtration required to neutralize harmful chemicals.

Koi are voracious eaters and in warm weather can need to be fed up to eight times a day. Consequently they produce a lot of waste, not only solid waste but also in the form of ammonia from their urine and produced by their gills. Add this to uneaten food and plant debris that finds its way into the pond and you can see the need for an effective filter system.

If there is one thing that will affect the health of your koi more than anything else it is the koi filter system and subsequent water quality so don't skimp on the koi filter system, it is one area where it is essential to get it right.

There are three areas which you need to focus on to ensure an adequate filtration system and I would always seek professional advice when planning your pond.

The pump needs to be of the right capacity. Big enough to pump half the volume of your pond every hour without straining but also not so big that it overwhelms the filter system and stops it from working correctly, so there will need to be some calculations in terms of pond size and pump capacity in gallons per hour.

The mechanical filtration system again needs to be big enough to allow gravity to do its job. If the chamber on your filter is too small, water will pass through so quickly that it will not be filtered effectively which is a s good as useless. It is important to get the mechanical filtration side right in order that the third stage of biological filtration can work effectively. Filter things out at this stage and your biological filter will remain clean and unclogged.

A good biological filter system when coupled with the right mechanical system should finish the job of maintaining water quality. Depending on your size of pond you may need up to four chambers within the system for it to work effectively. It will need to be filled with a medium that allows plenty of surface area for the friendly bacteria to grow on. Bear in mind that at the start of the season you may find that your water gets an algae bloom. This is not uncommon as it takes time for the biological filter to start up as the weather warms. Unfortunately your fish don't know this and continue to produce waste. You may need to see your biological filter with bacteria to help get it going at the start of the season.

Above all, always get advice from the professionals about your individual pond. No tow ponds are alike and it is essential to get a system that is tailored to your requirements.

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