Fish Pond Filters

The debate rages on about fish pond filters. There is no doubt that a pond needs some method of filtration to eliminate waste and other potentially harmful or unwanted matter, like algae. The question is, what kinds of filters are best: Natural or artificial?

Artificial Water Filters

Artificial water filters that pump and purify water are very common, and have been traditionally believed to be necessary to keep a pond clean. Mechanical filters pump and filter large quantities of water, and are best at maintaining absolute purity. Biological filters are favored nowadays for their ability to clean water just enough, but maintain a balance of healthy bacteria and organisms in water that fish and plants need to survive.

Natural Fish Pond Filters

The newer school of thought regarding fish pond filters is actually a much older one ironically enough. This idea is to let nature be a guide. Many plant species act as natural filters. Waterfalls also provide a natural means of keeping water clean. This school of thought believes that artificial filters remove too many essential elements needed to maintain an ecological balance in a pond. Why mess with something Mother Nature perfected millions of years ago?

A Meeting of the Minds

So which is it going to be? Do you use an artificial filter or let nature take its course? When it comes down to it, it's all a matter of what you find works best. Perhaps a biological filter combined with a waterfall will achieve the perfect balance of cleanliness and ecological necessity.