The only way of preventing ammonia build up is to remove it as soon as pond fish excrete ammonia into the pond. A pond filter is by far the best method to do this. Within a pond filter nitrifying bacteria, oxygen and ammonia need to be in constant contact in order for ammonia to broken down.
Factors Affecting Ammonia Levels In garden Ponds
- A koi on average will eat 3 times as much as an equivalent sized goldfish and produces a lot more bodily waste.
- The quality of fish food or Koi food fed will have severe implications upon the levels of ammonia produced. Fish food containing high levels of ash will result in poorer water quality because the Koi or goldfish is unable to use and store much of the content.
- Pond sludge build up at the bottom of the pond from leaves, grass and uneaten fish food falling to the pond floor starts to rot giving off ammonia.
- Oxygen levels have a major impact upon the level of ammonia that can be converted, as the nitrogen cycle requires plenty of oxygen. Make sure your fish pond has as much oxygen as you can possible get into it. Waterfalls and fountains are a great way to add beauty and functionality.
How Can I Improve My Garden Pond Filter Performance?
- Use a biomedia with a high surface area and replace the plastic coils in your pond filter with this biomedia. Supra in the USA or Alfagrog in the UK is an excellent product and is cheap.
- Ensure that there is as much oxygen dissolved in the water as possible.
- Remove the load on your pond filter by installing a surface skimmer or by using a floating surface skimmer to remove excess leaves, grass and other organic debris. Decaying vegetation produces even more ammonia.
The full article can be read at www.garden-pond-filters.com/garden-pond-bacteria-oxygen.html, where you will find many water gardening articles and pond keeping resources.
