Filter cleaning

[Joan-e]

Hey helpful people,

Inherited a pond with our new house. We want to clean the filter because the water has gone bit more silty than usual but are not sure how. It is a big box with what looks like sponge layers in it. Many thanks.

 

[JohnHuff]

Take the sponge out and hose it down. Just use a garden hose.

(The sponges act as mechanical filtration, filtering out suspended particles in your water. If there was any beneficial bacteria on the sponge material, they long would have been covered by the suspended particulates, killing them.)

 

[Joan-e]

Thank you. Is it best to replace the sponges?

 

[sissy]

Those filters can be expensive so clean them and see what condition they are in as they already have a bio load in them .The owners of home that sell with ponds should include info on the pond to help out the new owners .Have you also checked the bottom of the pond there could be built up gunk there.You can buy sludge busters to help clean the bottom or like most on here use a pool net to take it out slowly .

 

[JohnHuff]

Thank you. Is it best to replace the sponges?

It depends on how old they are and their condition but these sponges are made to last a long time.

If you want, you can post some photos of them here.

 

[Mmathis]

Welcome! Please tell us a little bit about your pond....how big is it, does it have fish.....? What does the pump look like?

 

[Joan-e]

Thanks guys, this is the pond, has 5 fish in it. Water definitely cloudier than normal but have just cleaned the sponges from the filter box & the water has gone so cloudy I cannot see the fish let alone the bottom! I am assuming this is normal because the filter was without sponges for a while?! Thanks for the help, it is greatly appreciated (& the sponges were quite dirty, did not know they were green!).