Koi Pond Filter, what do you prefer?

[Whitestar]

I had built a beautiful 8x20' above ground koi pond about 6 years ago. It was my pride & joy, I spent many an hour with my fish & landscaping around it until my pump went out on a warm day & my fish all died last year. I was devastated & couldnt even go in the backyard for a long time. We have since moved into another home & I think I am ready for a new pond...then one thing I hated about my old pond was cleaning the waterfall filter. I have read books, internet sites, talked to pond supply sellers & they all have different ideas about what is the best filter with ease of cleaning. I would like to hear from other pond people what they prefer. Does anyone have in ground pressurized filters, or the new biofall filters? I had a UV filter on the last one, but didnt notice a difference in algae..what do you think?

 

[uwharrie]

I run a pressure/UV filter on my pond. The pressure filters are a pain, I constantly have to backwash the filter. If I had the money I would go with one of the new biofilters with a UV filter attached

 

[mad for mini's]

I've had Koi ponds for about 10 years now and have tried all kinds of filters,sterilizers,pond sizes and depths. The best thing I've found is that the depth of the pond is the key. Especially for Koi, they need cooler water than regular goldfish. Deeper water also give the fish better shelter from predators. The one I have right now is the best so far, it is an above/below ground attached to our deck. The water is crystal clear and the fish have never been healthier. It is about 6' deep and 4 ' X 10' The only filter I have on it is one I made myself. It is basically an overflow box with six layers of filter pads. It does go through an initial green algae stage at the beginning of summer but as long as no new water is added, the algae dies quickly and does not return. I tried chemicals at first and only succeded in killing my fish, the algae grew as strong as ever. So now I do nothing and wait it out. It also helps if you can locate the pond in a partially shaded area.

I also grow waterlillies but found that it is best to grow them in a separate pond made shallower and more sun for their growth. It is easier than fighting to keep the fish away from the plants.