One of the common misconceptions consumers have today about pond ownership is that maintenance is tedious and time consuming. This simply isn’t true when proper steps are taken to create an Aquascape ecosystem pond that works with Mother Nature, not against her.

In addition to plants, fish, aeration, rocks and gravel, a low-maintenance ecosystem pond requires adequate filtration to help keep the water crystal clear.  Three types of pond filters are available on the market and include biological, mechanical, and sterilizers.  Biological filters use bacteria to break down pond wastes, converting them into less harmful compounds that can be used as aquatic plant fertilizers.  Mechanical filters trap and remove debris and sediment.  Water sterilizers pass water through a tube that houses an ultraviolet bulb, killing living microscopic particles in the water.

A good biological filtration system, teamed with a proper mechanical filter to remove solids before the water enters the biological filtration unit, is the most effective way to filter water.  With adequate biological and mechanical filtration, the need for sterilizers is eliminated altogether, thereby ensuring a natural ecosystem pond.