Preventive Maintenance for Your Pond Filter
Your pond filter plays a big role in your water garden's overall health, so it's important to take preventive maintenance measures to ensure that it will function properly for years to come.
A pond filter's job is to remove debris and other biological waste from your pond's water through the use of mechanical, biological and chemical filtration. This drastically cuts down on the amount of time you need to spend cleaning your pond, so it makes sense that you want to keep your pond filter working at all times.
You shouldn't have to do any major repairs, but you do need to take some regular maintenance measures to make sure the mechanics of your pond filter stay in working order.
First and foremost, you want to regularly test the water for any toxins or irregular pH levels. Using a water quality test kit every month or so will help ensure that the quality of your water remains consistent. If you notice any dramatic changes, that may be a sign that your pond filter is not working properly.
Be on the lookout for algae. If you notice any growths in your pond, clean them off immediately to prevent them from spreading. Then check the components of your filter to see if you need to replace or repair anything.
Take care of your pond filter's tubing. It doesn't need to be replaced on any kind of schedule, but you should check it regularly to make sure there are no kinks, cracks or build-up preventing it from functioning properly. Likewise, check up on the other mechanical parts of your filter to make sure they haven't been damaged without your knowledge.
Only clean your pond filter when absolutely necessary. If there are leaves, algae or other detritus clogging it, that's the only time it really needs a thorough cleaning. However, don't use any harsh chemical agents on it, because those can kill off the beneficial bacteria that exist in your pond's water.
If you take the small preventive steps mentioned above, you shouldn't have to worry about making any major repairs to your pond filter and it should function effectively for years to come.
Kelly Nuttall is an employee of Pondliner.com and an avid pond enthusiast. Pondliner.com specializes in
Little Giant Pond Filters, Laguna Pond Filters and a variety of other essential
pond supplies.