Making a Natural Garden Pond Filter

Instead of using a conventional biological filter in your backyard or garden pond, consider making your own natural pond filter out of aquatic plants. A natural pond filter is far less expensive to maintain because it does not require any electricity to keep it running, unlike other types of pond filters. This also makes a natural pond filter safer for any fish or plants in your pond because there is less chance for electrical accidents or malfunctions. Natural pond filters add to the natural ecosystem of your garden pond, with the plant life serving as food for any fish you have inside the pond.

Natural garden pond filters: Better algae control

A natural pond filter can also be more effective than a traditional filter because it can remove more types of algae and weed material. Most biological garden pond filters only catch the blooms of algae that float through the water, but cannot always eliminate blanket weed material that is stuck to the pond's sides or bottom. A natural bog-type pond filter controls algae in the entire pond by competing with the unwanted plants for nitrates in the water.

Natural garden pond filters: Disadvantages

There are some disadvantages to using a natural pond filter as well. Depending on the type of plants used and the fish in your pond, the natural ecosystem may need more maintenance than a traditional biological filter would. The plants in your pond filter must be trimmed and kept under control and any dead foliage should be removed immediately to prevent mold and decay buildup in your pond. Roots and leaves can also get stuck inside the mechanical parts of your pond's pumps or fountains and cause a malfunction.

Natural garden pond filters: Which plants to use

The best type of pond plant to make a natural garden pond filter is one that grows fast and is rather leafy. The exact best species will depend on the weather, location of bog filter, available sunlight, and growth speed of the pond plant. Watercress is often a good choice for a natural pond filter because it can process large amounts of nitrate, clearing out a lot of your pond's water at once. For a good oxygenating pond plant to use as a natural filter, try using a Norfolk reed. This type of plant keeps its leaves submerged underneath the pond's water, so it releases oxygen back into the water when it performs photosynthesis. If you have koi or other fish in your pond, consider using a floating pond plant like duckweed to create your natural pond filter. In addition to filtering the pond's water, duckweed adds nutrition for your fish.