Water Features, Ornamental Ponds & Water Gardens ~ The Pond (part 2)

Water Features, Ornamental Ponds & Water Gardens ~ The Pond (part 2)
     Expanding on Part 1 of this series gets a little more technical and is one of the areas where I deviate from "conventional wisdom". These thoughts are based on my 8+ years of practical experience. Ponds and water gardens need water circulation and filtration especially if you have fish. There are two paths to travel, bio filters or bog ponds. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
     Bio Filters.  Bio filters are large containers that house filter pads, lava rock or some type of porous media. Water is pumped in through the bottom of the media where sludge and contaminants are collected and bacteria in the media digest these wastes. Bio filters can be likened to the septic tank for the pond. The size of your pond (gallons) and the number and size of fish will dictate the size of the bio filter.
     Bog Pond.  Bogs have the same function as the bio filter. They filter the water through media such as rocks, small gravel, lava rock or other media, to purify and clean the pond's water. The main difference is that a bog incorporates plants into the design.

Some Pros and Cons of both systems:
     Bio filters are compact, require only one pump and will need annual maintenance.
     Bog ponds are larger, require require more than one pump but do not need annual maintenance. Mine has been working well for the past 5 years. I have yet to do anything to the system other than routine pump maintenance.
     Bio filters do not consume excess nitrogen - a common cause for string algae - every ponders nemesis.
     The plants in bog ponds will keep string algae at bay by consuming nitrogen and other nutrients needed for growth.
     Bio filters will need to be thoroughly cleaned annually. In the spring, new bacteria will need to be added to the system.
     Thin or introduce new plants in your bog pond the same as you would any garden plot. Because a bog pond incorporates a more natural environment, the introduction of bacteria is not needed.
     Bio filters are less expensive initially and can be placed almost anywhere in the system.
     Bog ponds need more thought and planning as to how they will augment your outdoor room. This is a pond with its own unique ecosystem. The initial costs in excavation, materials and planning will be be more. IMHO, the return on this investment is well worth the cost. It will save you money, time, maintenace, and add another dimention to your garden.
     I hope that you have found this information helpful. In my next post on this series, I will discuss some of the elements you will need to incorporate in your main pond.
   
     Intro into series = Water Features, Ornamental Ponds & Water Gardening...
     The pond (part 1)  = Water Features, Ornamental Ponds & Water Gardening ~ The Pond (part 1)...    
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