Every fish pond needs a biofilter to purify the water in which the fish live and thrive.
The fish in a pond eat and metabolize the proteins in the food and then excrete nitrogen chemicals (ammonia) which if allowed to build up in the water will ultimately poison the fish. It is therefore necessary to install a biofilter in an artificial pond mainly because the pond is overstocked and fish are overfed compared to conditions prevailing in a natural lake for example.
Here's what happens in the biofilter ... water containing ammonia is pumped into the biofilter and as it passes through the filter bacteria residing inside the biofilter (these build up naturally on all the media surfaces contained inside the biofilter) convert the ammonia to nitrates which are far far less poisonous than ammonia itself. The water leaving the biofilter is thus purified and returns to the pond "clean".
To keep the filter bacteria alive the pump supplying water to the filter must run 24/7 otherwise the bacteria will die from lack of oxygen and food in the form of ammonia.
Selecting the right filter involves choosing between gravity fed and pressurized filters. It's important to understand the volume of the pond system to make a correct decision. You can learn how to select the right filter by clicking the link.
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