I want my bio filter in my pond to be self sufficent in controlling algea. I can not afford the additives that the garden centers are pushing! Also the reason I bought a bio filter was so I could have a chemical free pond!!
Our pond is 14'x20'x 28" deep and holds 4500 gallons of water, with a 3' high waterfall that flows into two 15' streams. It has a "PS4500 Atlantic Water Gardens Skimmer with 8" Opening, and a BF1500 Atlantic Water Gardens Up Flow Bio Filter with 19" Weir" that is run with a "CalPump PW4500 High Capacity Waterfall Pump".
Our skimmer with the pump, pushes the water around the pond up to my waterfall and biofilter. I also have at least 60 % surface water coverage with plants because the pond is always in full sun.
My problem is I can't decide on which filter media to use in my biofilter. I've tried lava rock, forget that, it just plugs up and causes more problems! I would love to use the Savio Spring- Flo media but the price is prohibitative.
I read some where on this site of some one using the round floor scrubbers that goes on the floor cleaning machines. For $7.00 apiece I bought (2) 20" black ones. Then after I had paid for them the sales clerk told me "The other day a man came in for the pads for his pond and he bought the white ones."
So I also bought (1) 20" white one for another $7.00 that was much coarser and thicker than the black pads, with the intention to try both kinds for comparison. Especially since I read that if the pads are to thick they will clog up like the lava rock does, which is the reason for me getting the black ones in the first place, at least I could see through them. Can someone please tell me how thick and dense of scrubbing pad to use? Even if I knew which color has been used with sucess it would help, I think.
I also I heard that that a lady has been using 10 yards of tolle (material) from a fabric shop in her bio filter for the past 5 years and her pond water is clear all of the time. This also sounds like a workable solution. What do you all think? Thanks for your kind assistance.