Benefits of Having a Pond in Your Garden

Even though making space for a pond or fish pond in your garden might seem like a luxury at best and something that is too difficult at worst, there are some really good reasons for having a pond. Most people think of having a pond as something that is relaxing and aesthetically pleasing; whilst this is undoubtedly true, there are also some really important environmental benefits to consider:

• Having a pond is a bit like having your own personal reservoir. Once it is filled, it usually needs refilling or topping up very occasionally. The rest of the time it is usually self-sustaining, as rain maintains the water level. In this context, it is actually like having your own backyard water catchment zone, and the water from it can be used throughout the year to water other planets around your garden. The fact that it is largely self-sustaining also means that you won’t need to waste water filling it up, and the plants in and around it have constant access to a water source.

• Each pond is also its own ecology, sustaining a lifecycle of insects, fish, frogs, birds and plants. This ecology produces by-products in the form of nutritional sludge that contains fish droppings and other animal waste products. This sludge is the perfect fertiliser for the rest of your lawn, meaning that you don’t have to invest in expensive bagged fertilisers that often contain pesticides and chemicals.

• A mature pond also sustains local wildlife in the form of insects, birds and other animals. As the ecology of your pond matures, it helps to sustain the environment naturally.

• One benefit not often thought about is the fact that having a pond also teaches children about environmental awareness. As they observe the pond ecology throughout the year, they also learn about lifecycles and other important facts.

A Filtration System for a Healthy Pond

Maintaining a fish pond also means that you need to help it along. As ponds are often static in terms of not having running water feeding them, the water needs some form of filtration to keep it healthy. Much of the water filtration process depends on the type of pond you want, but any pond will require some form of filtration system just to sustain good health all year round. OASE made pond filters from http://www.water-garden.co.uk/, for example, manufacture a range of excellent filter products.

The following filters are available as an entire filter system to maintain a healthy backyard pond:

• Mechanical filtration uses filtering screens or other media, such as bio-block, to trap particles and remove them from the pond’s ecosystem. This will remove products like algae and fish droppings. This is the first stage.

• Biological filtration breaks down biological waste using a bacterial load. This waste reduction process is the first stage of the nitrogen cycle, which is important for the ecosystem of the pond.

• Nitrate filters reduce the nitrate levels in the pond. Nitrate levels that are too high are harmful to fish and other wildlife.

• UV systems effectively kill off algae before it has a chance to overgrow.

The Benefitsof Having a Pond Filter

There are many environmental benefits to having a backyard pond, but maintaining a healthy pond through the use of a filtration system is also vital. If you have fish, for example, maintaining a healthy nitrate balance and reducing overall waste products will keep the fish healthy. Healthy fish will contribute to a healthy pond ecosystem in general.

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