Filtration and Water Quality

Some notes on Koi pond Filtration:-

Filters should operate as efficiently as possible at all times. Because it is unlikely that all solid waste will be trapped in settlement, the biological part of a filter system must be well designed to minimize blockage of the media. If a blockage occurs in a filter then it must cleaned out, and a lot of the valuable bacterial bed that has built up over a period of time will be lost in the cleaning process. When the filter is subsequently returned it will have a greatly reduced capability.
Water quality will therefore be lower and some form of corrective action must be taken to avoid or minimize this potentially dangerous time for the Koi.
Using 'open' filter media is a good way to help prevent biological filters blocking. Another way is to direct the flow of water through the filter media such a way that so that they are easy to clean. Modern filter systems incorporate both these ideas to minimize the risk of blockage. Flow through the media in all types of filter systems is usually upwards, but where aquatic foam is used in a chamber the water should normally flow downwards. The aquatic foam filters are often graded for their void size and are stacked to provide for both mechanical and biological action.  Void size is the size of the holes, within the body of the foam. Make sure you can remove the foam layers easily for cleaning.
An advantage of 'up-flow is that in a properly-designed chamber floor, the settled fish poo waste rests at the bottom of the chamber, rather than lying of the surface of the media.  From this low position it is much easier to flush the waste through the chamber's own bottom drain to sump. If necessary, you can 'back flush' the filter media by isolating the chamber standpipes or valves. Once isolated, open the bottom drain valve, Most of any accumulated fish poo waste stuck in the filter media will wash away down the drain and away to sump without too much effort. Any stubborn waste can be gently removed by hosing down with pond water.

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