Mechanical filtration in ponds

In mechanical filtration, untreated water passes through a mesh filter or cartridge that traps suspended

particles on the surface or within the filter.Mechanical water filters mostly remove larger suspended material

from water, including sand, silt, clay, loose scale, and organic matter.These filtration systems do not remove

dissolved chemicals or very small particles.When used in combination with other water treatment equipment

(as is often the case), they can be helpful in removing dissolved or very fine particles. For example, they can

remove iron, manganese, or hydrogen sulfide after they are converted from dissolved to particulate states by

a separate oxidation treatment water system installed before the mechanical filtration unit. Household Water

Treatment: Mechanical Filtration Methods and Devices. (2014, April 1). Household Water Treatment:

Mechanical Filtration Methods and Devices | UGA Cooperative Extension. Retrieved December 20, 2022,

from https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1523#:~:text=What%20is%20mechanical

%20filtration%3F,loose%20scale%2C%20and%20organic%20matter. Pond filters are useful in ponds that

have a large population of fish, because they remove waste products from fish and any plant debris, helping

keep the water clear. This, in turn ensures a balanced ecosystem. Pond filters / RHS Gardening. (n.d.). Pond

Filters / RHS Gardening. Retrieved December 20, 2022, from https:///ponds/filters Mechanical Filtration.

The purpose of mechanical filtration is to remove organic and inorganic matter suspended in pond/

aquarium water that causes turbidity and nitrate build-up once decomposed in water. Examples of

materials which are used as mechanical filtration are the following: 

Micron Cartridges. Cartridge filtration units generally operate most effectively and

economically on applications having contamination levels of less than 100 ppm. For heavier

contamination applications, cartridges are normally used as final polishing filters.

Poly Filter Pads. Poly Filter is for filtering and purifying both fresh and saltwater aquariums. It is

a formulation of a special patented material bonded to a synthetic matrix that can absorb and

adsorb contaminants and other toxic materials. Poly Filter is nontoxic and harmless to biological

filtration because it allows a sufficient amount of ammonia to reach the biological filter to sustain

the bacteria culture. Provides a supplemental means of removing ammonia when the biological

filter is unable to break down the excess ammonia Palao, Marquez, A., Ibasco, Ferrer, & sagge. (2020,

March). Renewable Waste Water Filtration System with Phytoremediation Used in Aquaculture of
Freshwater Ornamental Fish. Renewable Waste Water Filtration System With Phytoremediation Used in

Aquaculture of Freshwater Ornamental Fish. http://www.ieomsociety.org/ieom2020/papers/440.pdf The

use of filters in aquaculture with recirculation system

plays an important role to improve water quality in fish

ponds. The filter used is a mechanical filter using materials

such as zeolites, confirmed by Purtie8 which states that

zeolites and activated charcoal as absorbent in filtration can

reduce ammonia concentration of 85.40%. The effectiveness

of filtration using a mechanical filter is related to the filter

design used, as Collins9 states that water filters with down-

flow and up-flow water flow systems can maximize the

filtering process. Hasan, & Andriani. (2018, August 9). Novel Mechanical Filter for reducing Ammonia

Concentration of Silver Barb culture in a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS). Novel Mechanical Filter

for Reducing Ammonia Concentration of Silver Barb Culture in a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS).

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326913848_Novel_Mechanical_Filter_for_reducing_Ammonia_C

oncentration_of_Silver_Barb_culture_in_a_Recirculating_Aquaculture_System_RAS Mechanical filters

(MFs) play a vital role in recirculating aquaculture systems (RASs) by removing the solids that are

suspended in the water as it moves through the system.  Concentrating these solids in the MF makes it easy

to remove them from the system completely by automated and manual flushing, and this in turn enables the

RAS to operate more efficiently.  These solids are typically fish faeces but also include some bacterial

wastes, and are thus mostly generated in the fish tanks.  As the water in a RAS is pumped continuously into

the fish tanks, it overflows, carrying the solid wastes with it.  Faeces are light and therefore easily carried by

the flowing water as it exits the fish tank, but they also break up easily.  As larger particles are easier for the

MF to remove them from the water, we allow the water to gravity feed from the fish tanks to the MF, as

pumping at this stage breaks up the particles, reducing their size and making it more difficult for the MF to

remove them.  Mechanical Filters | Blogs | Aquaculture Innovations. (2020, December 1). Mechanical

Filters | Blogs | Aquaculture Innovations. Retrieved December 21, 2022, from

https://www.aquaafrica.co.za/blog-articles/leslie-ter-morshuizen/enewsletters/mechanical-filters/60
Biological filtration in ponds

Recycle the water through an external unit ("biofilter") that treats and purifies the water. The

use of external biofilters has been practiced for years in hatcheries, nurseries, culturing of

ornamental fish, and to some extent, in culturing of commodity fish.

These systems are operative, well-tested, proven, and can be obtained commercially. Avnimelech.

(2005, June). Using the Pond as a Biofilter: Review of Theory and Practice. Using the Pond as a Biofilter:

Review of Theory and Practice. https://doi.org/10.21061/ijra.v6i1.1397

One of the main uses for biological filtration is to convert harmful ammonia, which is toxic to fish

and bad for a pond ecosystem, into nitrates. Ammonia is naturally produced from fish waste and

other decaying matter in a pond. This is why a pond skimmer is so important—a skimmer will trap

floating debris before it has a chance to sink to the bottom and decay. After ammonia is converted

into nitrates, we have a much more manageable situation on our hands. Nitrates are harmless to

fish in reasonable quantities and are actually a plant nutrient, acting as a source of food for plants

in the pond.Water Garden Ponds - Everything-Ponds.com. (n.d.). Water Garden Ponds -

Everything-Ponds.com. Retrieved December 21, 2022, from https://www.everything-ponds.com/

This study reports on the efficiency of slow sand filtration in removing algae from high-rate pond effluents.

When agricultural sandy soil with an effective grain size of 0.08 mm was used as the filter medium, an

average filtration rate of about 1.3 m3/m2 .d was obtained. If filtration was preceded by sedimentation, the

duration of a filtration run was about 100 h. At the end of each run, the filter was cleaned by scraping off the

top few centimeters of the filter bed. The filtered effluent consistently had a biochemical oxygen demand

(BOD) value less than 20 mg/L and undetectable fecal coliforms. The filter media, being rich in organic

matter and having moisture-retaining properties, can be used as a soil conditioner. Esen, Puskas, Banat, &

Al-Daher. (2003, July 7). Algae removal by sand filtration and reuse of filter material. Algae Removal by

Sand Filtration and Reuse of Filter Material - ScienceDirect. Retrieved December 21, 2022, from

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0956053X9190298J Biological water filtration is a

process by which toxic

compounds are removed from water using organisms. A well-sized

biological filter is extremely important as part of a recirculating

aquaculture system for fish farming. Biological water filtration equipment in aquaculture recycling systems

is a technological set that restores the vital qualities of wastewater from fish ponds, thus allowing its reuse.

Laza, E. A., Caba, I. L., Olan, M., & Vladut, V. (2021). Biological water treatment in a recirculating

aquaculture system. E3S Web of Conferences, 286, 03013. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202128603013

Biological filters are the most important type of filtration for any pond of any size. They provide filtration of

contaminated in the water caused by decaying leaves and debris, bacteria and nitrates. Biological filters are

necessary for any pond that contains fish. Since debris can cause ammonia levels to rise in your pond,

biological filtration is necessary to keep the ammonia levels stabilized to ensure the health of your fish.

Biological filters also. What You Need to Know About Pond Filtration Systems. (2012, November 7). Living

Water Aeration. Retrieved December 21, 2022, from https://www.livingwateraeration.com/blogs/news/what-

you-need-to-know-about-pond-filtration-systems help eliminate the waste products and toxins produced by

your fish and other inhabitants.