Selecting the best filter and pump for your pond is essential to ensure a clean and healthy aquatic environment. To determine the right filter and pump size, there are a few key factors you should consider:
1. The Volume of Your Pond:
To determine the correct filter and pump size, you must first calculate your pond’s water volume. The formula for calculating the volume is straightforward:
Length x Width x Depth x 1000 = Pond Water Volume in Litres.
For example, if you have a koi pond measuring 3 metres in length, 2 metres in width, and 1.5 metres deep, the calculation would be:
- 3m (Length) x 2m (Width) x 1.5m (Depth) = 9m³
- 9m³ x 1000 = 9000 litres
So, your pond holds 9000 litres of water.
2. Choosing the Right Filter:
To ensure maximum effectiveness, the filter should be able to process 150% of your pond’s water volume. This ensures the water is filtered adequately for optimal clarity and health.
For the example of a 9000-litre pond, you multiply the pond’s capacity by 1.5 to calculate the required filter capacity:
- 9000 x 1.5 = 13,500 litres per hour.
Thus, you will need a filter that is suitable for ponds up to 13,500 litres.
3. Choosing the Right Pump:
Once you've selected the right filter, the next step is choosing a pump with an appropriate flow rate.
To keep your pond water clean and healthy, it’s ideal that the entire volume of your pond water passes through the filter at least once per hour. This is referred to as the pond turnover rate.
In our example, with a 9000-litre pond, the pump should have a flow rate of 9000 litres per hour. This ensures the water flows through the filter once every hour.
You can choose a pump with a slightly higher flow rate, but it’s important to keep the pump flow rate within the filter's maximum output capacity. For example, if your filter can process 13,500 litres per hour, you can use a pump with a flow rate between 9000 and 13,500 litres per hour.
4. Water Retention Time:
It’s crucial to ensure that your pond water spends enough time in the filter to be properly processed. If the pump flow rate exceeds the filter’s maximum capacity, the water will flow through the filter too quickly, not allowing enough time for pollutants and debris to be removed.
For example, a filter should be able to process the water slowly enough to filter out organic materials like fish waste, food, and decaying plant matter. Retention time should be optimized based on the flow rate, filter capacity, and pond size.
5. Pond Turnover:
Your pond filter must process water faster than the pollutants can build up, which is known as the pond turnover rate. The goal is to make sure that the filter can handle the pollutants produced by fish, food, and plant matter.
- For heavily stocked koi ponds, water turnover should ideally happen at least once per hour.
- For lighter decorative ponds, the turnover rate can be less frequent, but ideally at least once every two hours.
In the example of a 9000-litre koi pond, a pump that can handle 9000 litres per hour is necessary to meet this turnover rate.
6. Selecting the Right System:
Based on your pond size and its stocking level (i.e., how many fish or plants are in the pond), you can select the appropriate system. For example:
- The PFC-20000 filter is ideal for koi ponds up to 10,000 litres, ponds with a small mix of koi and fish up to 12,000 litres, and decorative ponds up to 20,000 litres.
- The AquaECO-10000 pump has a flow rate of 10,000 litres per hour, which will not exceed the filter’s output.
7. Additional Considerations:
- Koi Ponds: These tend to have more fish and require higher filtration and circulation. As koi are large fish, they produce more waste, so you’ll need to upgrade the pump and filter capacity accordingly.
- Decorative or Smaller Ponds: If you have fewer fish and less waste, you can reduce the size of both the pump and filter accordingly.
By calculating your pond’s volume, turnover rate, and selecting a pump and filter that match these figures, you can ensure your pond has a healthy, well-maintained environment.