What is a Bio Filter and Why is It a Better Water Filter?
If you have a pond on your property, you might know that keeping this ecosystem thriving can be a difficult task. In naturally occurring streams and rivers, the process of maintaining such a complex ecosystem is relatively straightforward, as nature provides the correct setting for good bacteria and other organisms to keep the water clean (not CLEAN, clean, but…”clean”). But in a stagnant pond, harmful bacteria can populate and cause the water to become murky and algae-ridden. This is why the use of a bio filter is so essential for residential ponds…but, what is a bio filter?
What is a Bio Filter?
A bio filter is a device that uses the scientific process of biofiltration as a way to control pollution within a pond. Biofiltration is often used in processing wastewater and eliminating chemicals from surface water runoff, but the process and end goal remain the same — remove harmful contaminants to achieve cleaner water. Going back to the concept of good bacteria in rivers and streams, this is precisely what a bio filter attempts to emulate. By helping the pond remove these contaminants and keep the water clean, fish and other pond inhabitants can survive and contribute to the ecosystem that keeps the pond in a balanced state.
How Do Bio Filters Work?
Bio filters enable good bacteria to grow and colonize so that they can positively affect the pond water at a molecular level. The same process occurs naturally in rivers and streams where good bacteria grows on the rocks and small pebbles at the bottom. As the water flows, the good bacteria break down harmful contaminants and other bad bacteria. In a pond, the use of a bio filter acts as a helping hand to allow the right conditions for this good bacteria to grow. As water is pumped through a skimmer and then through the bio filter, toxins in the water are broken down just as they naturally would be in a stream or river.
How to Incorporate a Bio Filter into Your Pond
We often think of skimmers and filters as pool equipment, but consider this: your pool would get pretty gross if the water just sat there, stagnant, right? The same goes for ponds — the lack of moving water creates a breeding ground for bad bacteria and algae (and likely mosquitoes, too). Incorporating a bio filter into your pond can be achieved by looking at how a pool is set up. For your pond, you’ll need a skimmer to remove any large debris before the water is pumped into the bio filter, where it will mix with good bacteria colonies and have any contaminants broken down.
Purchasing a bio filter with a built-in UV sterilizer (such as our Ultima II series) or adding a standalone UV sterilizer to your setup will provide the added benefit of eliminating harmful bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms to help the bio filter operate more efficiently.
Why Choose Aqua Ultraviolet?
Life depends on water, and our goal is to help you keep your water clean. From advanced solutions for drinking water and aquariums to swimming pools and ponds, we understand that when it comes to water, clean is good. We’ve been developing innovative products for over 30 years, and we’ll continue to leverage cutting-edge technology to offer simple solutions to our customers and partners. Shop our products today and keep your pond clean with a UV bio filter from Aqua Ultraviolet.
