pond filter?

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jschall

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 9, 2009
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Chico, California
What filter for a 100 gallon pond? The pondmaster 190 I have now gets completely clogged with algae in less than 2 days.
The pond gets an automatic daily water change of probably around 50 gallons, give or take. I want the filter to last a month or so without needing to be cleaned.
 
If algae is clogging the filter... then lowering the quantity of algae is your solution...

If not the solution would be to get a filter that allows the algae to pass back into the pond instead of getting caught in the media, but this would also mean the waste gets put back into the pond...

Consider one with a UV light... or adding a UV light inline with the one you have (Danner UV lights work creat, are very well built and are fully submerisble).
 
It's not that kind of algae. It's growing on top of the filter. Anyway, I probably will get a UV one, because hopefully it'll help keep algae from growing on the surface of the water as well.

A skimmer would be wonderful, too, if it's possible. Not hugely important though.
 
If you clean the filter so there is no algae in it...

Then you add the UV light...

The UV light will kill any algae that enters the filter, thus not allowing it to grow once it's inthe filter...

If the filter takes in large amounts of algae and the UV kills it, you'll still have "dead algae" clogging up your filter...

Either way it sounds to me your problem is you have too much algae, not you have the wrong filter...
 
nc_nutcase;3436408; said:
If you clean the filter so there is no algae in it...

Then you add the UV light...

The UV light will kill any algae that enters the filter, thus not allowing it to grow once it's inthe filter...

If the filter takes in large amounts of algae and the UV kills it, you'll still have "dead algae" clogging up your filter...

Either way it sounds to me your problem is you have too much algae, not you have the wrong filter...
Click to expand...
The problem is the filter is insufficient to handle the amount of algae, plus the top of the filter (which is the intake) is exposed to direct sunlight and the algae grows on it.
I'm looking for suggestions as far as which filter I should get. Generalized responses like "get one with UV" are great, but most of them have that and I want to know which one I should actually get. Basically, I think the filter I have now is insufficient, since the filter clogs up almost daily and the pond is still full of gunk.
 
jschall;3436465; said:
plus the top of the filter (which is the intake) is exposed to direct sunlight and the algae grows on it.
Click to expand...


Now I understand a bit more about your current filtration...

I didn't mean to seem uncooperative... I just felt if we could improve what you already have, that might have been a better approach...

Is this something like what your working witha/ - http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/...r_Pondmaster_PMK1250_Pond_Filter_with_250.jpg

If so, in aquarium terms, they serve as a huge prefilter for a pump... with the tops exposed to sunlight... which would make using a UV in line non effective at keeping the media clear of algae...


While I've never used them it on an outdoor pond, I used a Bio Force 2000 for years on indoor applications. Most of that time it was on a 300 Gal Rubbermaid. I was highly impressed with it and would recommend it to a friend...

The downside to it, is it asks you to put your pump inline before the filter. Functionally this means any waste picked up must pass through the impellor of the pump prior to being 'filtered'. Which means a big prefilter is necessary to protect the pump, which puts you in the same place you are now...

For different reasons, in indoor applications, I put my pump in line after the filter and found this to work wonderfully. For me, it meant that if the seal on the filter leaked, the filter would suck air as opposed to shoot water... which was very very valuable to me. It also meant I could use the intakes to pick up fish waste and I didn't have to worry about picking up a bit of sand as I did. Since the water was pushed through the filter prior to ever seeing the pump...

The only downside was the pump moved a few percent less water. Since this was a Magnetic Driven pump (as most if not all aquarium & pond pumps are) this caused no additional wear and tear on the pump and used no additional electricity. Weighing the pros and the cons, I highly suggest running the pump after the filter...

As mentioned, I have personal experience with the Bio Force 2000 and was impressed. There are several brands of "Pressurized Pond Filters" that may be worth investigating... Some have a backwash feature which seems like it would be a great benefit for outdoor use...

Some models also have a built in UV light...
 
bitteraspects;3436488; said:
after you clean the current algae out, the UV will stop any algae from growing, even in direct sunlight. so with either a submersion or inline UV, properly sized to your pond of course, you will not need to change your entire filtration system. IME its the most effective answer to your dilemma.
Click to expand...
The current filter is insufficient to handle the waste load. Look up the pondmaster 190, it's tiny.
 
jschall;3436519; said:
The current filter is insufficient to handle the waste load. Look up the pondmaster 190, it's tiny.
Click to expand...
i dont know much about this specific model, but i figured it should be enough as its rated for ponds up to 300g, and you said your pond was only 100g. sorry, like i said. im not familiar with this particular system.
 
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