When I build ponds I think of several things: the water clarity, structure, and the ecosystem. Lack of clarity is ugly and unwanted. Structure is very important for long term  as well as appearance. The ecosystem is how well dose the pond support life in a positive manner. 

You can keep fish in an ornamental pond with no filtration, but it severely limits the number of fish you can keep. Fish that have large amounts of water generally do not build up toxins to dangerous levels. Most people will want to keep more fish than their ponds will naturally support. Fish excrete waste into the water in the form of ammonia, primarily through their gills. Also adding to the problem are organic compounds from fish feces, plant matter as well as the outer environment.  

In order to create a desirable environment some form of waste removal must be provided. The methods used in the average ornamental ponds are mechanical filtration (skimmer), and biological filtration (waterfall area). Mechanical filters that physically remove solids from the pond by trapping the debris in some form of mat or brushes. Most biological filters are also mechanical filters depending on how they are used. For example, our mechanical and biological when used in smallest ponds where this is the only filter but they are considered primarily mechanical when used in combination with another biological filter on larger ponds.

Biological filtration is the most effective method of removing toxins from a pond by breaking down ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate. This is done by seeding the pond with Biological Clarifier and naturally occurring bacteria.  And one of the best ways is to fully rock the pond which provides a very efficient place for the positive bacteria to live and thrive. In a biological filter this place is a material on which the bacteria is exposed to large quantities of food and oxygen.  Another excellent filter material is lava rock. The nitrates that result after the breakdown of ammonia and nitrites are food for the plants or food for the algae if plants are not available. If you keep fish and no plants you will also need to do partial water changes to remove the nitrates and other organic compounds from the water. If you keep sufficient numbers of plants about 1/3 of pond area,  water changes are usually unnecessary although small water changes can be beneficial in some ponds. In Florida this is not a biggie because of evaporations.  

  The use of an ultraviolet sterilizer device uses a UV lamp that is placed in a pipe to allow water to pass all around and will give a near 99% reduction in algae when properly sized to the pond.  However an ultraviolet sterilizer must not be used without adequate biological filtration as the dead algae still needs to be broken down by the filter. UV will not help with string algae, for this we recommend Clarity Max . Also strive to achieve a balanced system using the methods below to keep string algae to a minimum. There are many types of algae. There are different colors and textures. The green velvet type that grows on the sides of the pond is a very beneficial type of algae providing oxygen and food for fish. It also gives a more natural appearance to the pond. We get some calls asking how to get rid of this type of algae. If you can not tolerate this type of algae then you will need to get rid of your fish and use a product called Pond Balance which is safe for plants fish and all animals.Another useful product to aid in improving water quality is packaged bacteria and enzymes used to break down sludge and other organic compounds. Crystal Clear Biological Clarifier can greatly increase water quality both in its ability to support aquatic life and also in its clarity. For your fish to be healthy and also to help with the control of algae, the pH of the pond water needs to be monitored using a pH test kit. The pH should be between 6.6 and 7.8 with the ideal being 7 to 7.2. Unless the pH is below 6.5 or above 8 then it is usually best not to try and adjust it. If you need to adjust the pH of your pond water we have pH Up to raise the pH and pH Down to lower the pH.

^BALANCING     

Hobbyist are always to rush  mother nature . When a pond is first constructed there is usually a rush to fill it up with fish and plants, but it is important to consider the natural process of a pond. In nature a pond has a period of time for all the components to adjust and interact. Although algae in a pond is to be expected most pond owners want to keep it to a minimum. A constructed pond requires help in order to avoid problems with excess algae. One method to control algae is to stock and arrange the pond with this method:

• If in full sun, shade 50 - 70% of the pond surface. 
• Do this with the leaves of water lilies and floating plants. 
• Rule of thumb is to use no more than one  fish per 5sq. ft. of surface area initially. 
• Feed only what the fish can eat in 1 minutes. Uneaten food feeds algae.
• Always use biological filtration with skimmer.
• Remove any dead organic matter from the pond.