An In-Depth Look: What Are Ecosystem Ponds?

Mechanical filters, or skimmers, are generally the first stage in water filtration. Their main job is remove debris (e.g. dead leaves) from the water before they have a chance to decay. This process of decay can lead to the creation of chemicals that can be harmful to plants and/or fish. While there are many different options for mechanical filtration in ponds, the box skimmer has become the most popular choice for a number of different reasons. The pump and plumbing can be housed in a skimmer and buried out of view to maintain a truly natural-looking ecosystem pond. Box skimmers typically have a net that catches large debris like leaves and are easy to remove and clean. After the water passes through the nets there are a series of filter pads that work to remove debris small enough to pass through the skimmer net. Aquascape, Inc.'s, skimmers and skimmer pads are designed to be easily removed and cleaned. After the water passes through the net and filter pads, it is pumped back up to the Biofalls biological filter often made to look like a natural and beautiful waterfall. The diagram to the right has a more detailed look at a skimmer filter.

In the biological filtration stage of an ecosystem pond, all of the larger debris has been already filtered out by the skimmer. The primary purpose of biological filters is to render nitrogen usable as a nutrient. There are many compounds and chemicals that have nitrogen in them: ammonia, nitrate and nitrite just to name a few. After all, it does make up about 78% of the earth's atmosphere! Biological filters are vital to the process of making things like ammonia created by decaying organic material into things like nitrate that can be absorbed by plants. The filter media in biological filters provide a place for bacteria to grow. These bacteria help to change the ammonia created by dead leaves, fish waste, etc., into less toxic or even beneficial nitrogen compounds. Click the picture to the right for a more detailed look at the various parts of a Biofalls biological filter. This article goes into more detail about pond filtration.

ROCKS AND GRAVEL

If you've already looked at pictures of ecosystem ponds, then you have already noticed that rocks and boulders are a crucial part in making a pond look natural. What you may NOT know is that the rocks and gravel in the water also play a critical role in the ecology of the pond. The smaller rocks and gravel on the bottom of the pond (or in other places actually in the water) provide surface are for beneficial bacteria to grow on. These bacteria are crucial in converting harmful waste byproducts into usable nutrients. The rocks and boulders also help protect the pond liner from UV radiation that can make the liner brittle or crack.