Garden Equipment
Ponds and Fountains
FILTERS
Pond and fountain water is cleaned and maintained
using a filter. Filters mechanically remove
particles from the water by trapping them in
filter pads or using other media. This is done
biologically by converting ammonia to nitrites
and then to nitrates. Aquatic plants will then
consume the nitrates.
An external pond or fountain filter will work
best when compared to a submersed filter. They
receive needed oxygen for nitrifying the bacteria.
Without bio-filtration, the ammonia level will
often become too concentrated and unhealthy
to support your fish.
Bio Filters provide all three types of filtration in ponds up to 2,400
gallons. Bio Filters, give the best bio-activity compared to submersed
filters.
External filters allow oxygen to feed the beneficial bacteria that adhere
to other choices of bio-media such as the popular Bio Balls.
TREATMENTS FOR FOUNTAINS AND PONDS
Treatments purify ponds and remove harmful agents of different kinds.
A tap water treatment, also known as a conditioner removes the chlorine
from your water so that this does not become harmful to your fish.
Algae Pads - Four way action pond pad used to clear pond Algae. Algae
Pads works four times better than Barley Straw and clears most ponds
in four days. Algae Pads offer environmental, biological, chemical and
mechanical control on over 80% of all known Algae species. This treatment
can be used directly in your pond or preferably in external biological
box filters.
Among other good treatments:
Pond & Fountains Start - this stimulates the
natural protective slime coat on your pond
fish and neutralizes chlorine, copper and
other heavy metals present in tap water.
Stops chloride shock and reduces stress in
ornamental fish.
Pond & Fountains Water Clear - clears suspended
clays and silts in new ponds within a few hours.
Also removes discoloration and wastes in ornamental
fish ponds.
Clear Zyme Block - this treatment has billions of beneficial bacteria
and enzymes that quickly break down waste which are caused by uneaten
food, fish waste, decaying plants and dead algae. Ideal for setup of
a new pond, and spring start up or fall shutdown of established ponds.
Helps to maintain a natural biological balance.
PONDS AND FOUNTAINS: PUMPS
Pond and fountain pumps are re-circulating,
and most often submersible pumps that power
your Pond Filters. Pond pumps should be chosen
with care. Pond pumps run continuously and
so must be energy efficient and durable. A
magnetic drive pond pump is considered a good
investment as they are energy efficient, compact
and durable. Pond pumps are rated by the gallons
per hour (gph) or per minute (gpm) produced
at various heights. Your pond pump should be
able to circulate at least half of the volume
of pond water every hour. When your fountain
filter will be powered with the pump, then
the height and width of the flow rate of the
pond filter must be taken into consideration.
When a very high or powerful waterfall is desired,
it is best to power the pond filter and the
waterfall with separate pumps. A pond pump
powerful enough for a large waterfall may be
too much for the pond filter.
OXYGENATING DEVICES
Providing sufficient oxygen for your pond
fish to breath should be a critical concern
to successful pond enjoyment. Your primary
concern will be transferring pure oxygen gas
into fountain water and this is called the
process of oxygenation. The respiration of
fish and bacteria in the biofilter will deplete
oxygen supply very quickly and that is why
you need to replace it very quickly using an
oxygenation device for your pond.
A system that is designed to transfer pure oxygen into water is made
up of the following: a source of oxygen enriched gas, a control unit
able to regulate gas flow and equipment to transfer the oxygen into the
water.
Fountain Oxygenation Devices are designed
to maximize both absorption efficiency and
transfer energy costs. Some examples of Oxygenation
Devices are: u-tubes, pressurized spray towers,
down flow bubble contractors, side-stream oxygen
injectors, pressurized packed columns, and
multi-stage, low-head oxygenators.
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