There are a number of filtration systems which can be added to a pond to help keep the water clear, clean and healthy. It is important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each set-up so that you can add the most appropriate system to your pond design.

All in one filtration units are ideal systems for smaller ponds with modest fish stocks. Modern All in one units are comprised of a pump which draws pond water through foam layers and bio media and then pushes the water through a UVC and out through either a hose-tail, a fountain, or combination of both.

All in ones are very easy to install, they don’t require hoses to connect separate parts, and require only a single electrical connection as the pump and UVC are powered from the same length of cable.All in ones can only be used on small to medium ponds, and can only support a low stock of pond fish. Because the units are compact they can become clogged fairly quickly in comparison to other filter types.

All In One Filtration Information

All in one pond filtration can be seen through early pre filters, these pre filters would be a foam that sat on the inlet of a pump and basically stopped any solids from entering the pumps motor. This design though was impractical, as these solids should be sent to a filter box to prevent sludge from building up in the pond and so that the biological filtration could deal with the ammonia that the solids produced. Also the foam pre filters would often become blocked very quickly, meaning that cleaning the foam could easily be a daily job. An example can be seen below. It took a while for a pump, filter and UVC to all be combined to create the first proper all in one or in pond filtration. This means that any waste can be dealt with efficiently by the biological media that is inside the all in one pond filter and it was seen as the perfect filter for all small ponds with sensible fish stocking levels.

What is an in pond filter, or an all in one filter?

It is what it says in the title, an all in one pond filter is designed so that it does everything you would expect of a normal filter, but in a small compact plug and play unit. The real beauty of the design is that all your filtration is inside the pond so there is nothing to hide and it makes for a more aesthetically pleasing design, which is important for small ponds where there is little space. Below is a cross section of what the modern all in one unit would have inside.Inside the filter there is a UVC (ultra violet clarifier) which is probably one of the most vital pieces of equipment to the modern pond owner. Garden ponds now tend to be more heavily stock then previously and also do not contain as many plants as what a nature pond does, this means that more nutrients are been placed into the ecosystem of the pond, but there is not enough plants to use this as a food source and this is why algae can thrive as it has no competition what so ever. A UVC this is designed to help eradicate the build up of algae cells which is what would cause the pond water to go green. The UVC flocculates (clumps together) the algae by damaging it outer cell, this means that the algae cells become almost tacky and this allows the cells to form together and become bigger in size.There are also foams, the foams provide the mechanical side of the filtration process, they are designed to remove all the solids that the pump brings towards the unit, these solids include fish waste, dead plants, uneaten food and sludge. This helps to keep the water turning over, looking cleaner and helps with oxygenation of the pond. Once you notice the unit slowing down in its output of water, you know it is time to clean the foams on your filter as they have become blocked with debris.Inside both the all in one filters that we stock for ponds with fish there is biomedia, which is high quality with a massive surface area. The reason that the biological media has a large surface is for the cultivation of friendly pond bacteria (an example of a cultivation of bacteria can be seen below), these bacteria make sure that harmful ammonias are turned into plant food which is a nitrate, without this process the pond would become poisonous to fish and wildlife.

Why are all in one filters so easy to use?

Part of the design was to make these all in one filters simpler than anything we had ever seen before, with the in pond filters have the quick and easy answer to having crystal clear pond water all year round at a great price and it takes 20 minutes to install!The all in one pump, filter and UVCs sit on the bottom of the pond, they can either be set up to use a fountain attachment to re-circulate the water or they can pump the water to a waterfall and re-circulate that way. Some of the bigger models however are strong enough to do both functions if required, which is good to add extra aeration into the pond which is always a bonus. So the only other things you need to buy is hose, clips, and get your filter going (this kick starts the cultivation of friendly bacteria in the filter).