The country pond resembles a small world in which its own special life rages: plants develop and bloom, scurry underwater inhabitants, something new happens every day. To ensure the life of the reservoir, it is necessary to clean it at least occasionally using one of the generally accepted methods - using a skimmer, vacuum cleaner, pump station or improvised device. For gentle cleaning of water from sludge, it is enough to collect the filter for the pond with your own hands and connect it to the mains.
Does the pond really need filtration?
There are several conflicting opinions about whether to install an additional treatment device in the pond. Supporters of natural cleaning believe that filtering a natural body of water does not make sense, since everything inside it is already provided for by nature itself.
A picturesque, beautiful pond with clear, crystal clear water is the result of considerable work to clean it of garbage, silt and algae
The equilibrium is established thanks to the useful "swamp" plants, which perform a number of useful functions:
- deliver oxygen to water;
- block the development of harmful algae;
- enrich the environment with the necessary chemical elements;
- increase the transparency of water;
- are a wonderful decor.
You can learn about how to choose plants for the pond from the material: //diz-cafe.com/voda/rasteniya-dlya-pruda-na-dache.html
For small ponds, the spiky and swamp bog are suitable for autumn; for larger ponds, elodea and hornwort. Representatives of the underwater fauna are also a kind of cleaners. For example, crayfish and cupids feed on duckweed and other polluting algae.
The dark green hornwort, a popular aquarium plant, has proven itself as an orderly for ponds. It develops well in any climate, grows quite quickly
In reservoirs created artificially on film material, biological cleaning agents containing cleaning bacteria are often used. They kill algae, but are not suitable for ponds in which fish are bred. One of the gentle solutions is the use of peat mixtures, which make the water less rigid and prevent the development of algae.
Breeding fish in artificial reservoirs requires competent organization, read about it: //diz-cafe.com/voda/razvedeniye-ryb-v-iskusstvennyx-vodoemax.html
Many are sure that human intervention is indispensable. Be sure to remove dry twigs and grass, fallen leaves and other debris from the surface of the water. If the water is too muddy and polluted, it is necessary to use special pumping stations, which will be very expensive, or home-made devices, which are much cheaper and more affordable. Consider two options for homemade filters for a garden pond, which can be done quickly and at no particular cost.
Option # 1 - filter from the grocery basket
What kind of things do not fit dexterous summer residents for their inventions! As a container for the filter, any reservoir with openings in which filtering components can be placed is suitable. A home-made filter proved to be excellent during the cleaning of a pond with a mirror size of 2.5 m x 3.5 m.
On top of the case is hermetically sealed with a piece of durable plastic or thick, folded in several layers, films and fixed with screws, wire or clamps
List of required materials:
- medium-sized plastic food basket as a case;
- drain siphon;
- submersible pump Atman AT-203;
- silicone sealant;
- gasket fumlent;
- fitting + nut (brass set);
- 2 clamps;
- pieces of foam rubber;
- 4 hard washcloths;
- PVC hose (1 m).
Many of these materials can be easily found in the country, while others are sold in the construction supermarket. The Atman AT-200 series pump has a chance to buy in the "Everything for aquariums" store. The pump perfectly cleans water and at the same time enriches it with oxygen. Several devices are included for adjusting power. Submersible motor runs safely and has a low noise level. The device operates from a 220V network, has a power of 38W. For a small unit it has an acceptable capacity of 2000 l / h. Perfect for ponds up to 2 meters deep.
A pond half-free of algae. The water is still cloudy and has a greenish tint, but harmful plants are no longer observed, and the bottom is cleared of silt
As the filtering components, you can use any material that absorbs or retains dirt: expanded clay, packed in agrofibre; foam mats rolled up in rolls; plastic rugs with holes; old washcloths.
For ease of use and further cleaning, the filter materials should be large in size, ideally the size of a basket
All this is loaded into layers in a container (basket), then a siphon and a hose are attached using sealant.
The siphon hole is drilled to the side so that water flows into the filter unhindered. The siphon connection to the housing must be thoroughly lubricated with sealant.
The pump is immersed in water and connected to the network. For safety reasons, the outlet must be packed in a waterproof casing.
Any network connections must be tightly closed from the external environment. The casing can be made of durable plastic, a thick piece of rubber or leather
It is not necessary to overflow - in case of filter contamination, water will naturally overflow over the edge and enter the drain.
Also useful will be material on how to independently clean a pond or small pond: //diz-cafe.com/voda/kak-provesti-chistku-pruda.html
Option # 2 - plastic bucket filter
The second homemade filter for the pond is an immersion device that must be installed at the bottom of the reservoir. The volume of the pond is about 5 m³, the depth is from 1 m. The design can be any, but the chosen option is the cheapest and most functional, reminiscent of factory filters sold in the store.
General view of a home-made filter device: a capacious housing with filter material (foam rubber) and a cover with a rigidly fixed aquarium pump
Anyone who is engaged in, or at least interested in aquariums, knows several popular pump models. One of the most successful is the Polish device AQUAEL FAN 2. The advantages of the device lie in its technical characteristics: reliability, creation of the desired flow, excellent supply and atomization of air.
The pump has two main parts: filter housing; housing with motor (plus travel controller and nozzles). Power is supplied from a standard 220 V network, power - 7.2 W
What to make a wireframe?
You will need a plastic bucket with a capacity of 10 l, playing the role of a housing for the filter element. It is desirable that the plastic be relatively strong and withstand a load of at least 15 kg. For decorative purposes, the color of the "underwater" bucket should match the color of the bottom, that is, be brown, gray or black.
For full operation requires a little refinement. In the side walls of the bucket you need to drill holes of small diameter (4-5 mm) - they will receive water for cleaning. Some types of plastic are fragile, so you need to drill very carefully. A large hole must be cut out in the lid to secure the filter in it. You also need a little ventilation to let the air out - another hole in the lid, but already small - 3 mm.
When calculating the diameter of the through holes, the size of the particles of sludge or debris that can block the flow of water for filtration
Filter assembly order
Foam rubber is ideally suited as a filter material - it absorbs moisture well, retains dirt and is easy to clean. The optimal layer thickness is 50 mm, but another format can also be used. Foam mats are used several times.
Assembly Instructions:
- We fix the filter housing to the pump cover using sealant or hot melt adhesive.
- We attach the pump housing to the cover.
- We lay foam mats along the walls of the bucket. At the bottom we put two or three stones with a total weight of 5 kg - as a weighting agent.
- We fill the rest of the bucket with foam.
- We fix the cover using wire or clamps.
A thick layer of waterproof sealant or hot glue will protect the connection of the cap and pump housing from water penetrating the top of the device
Connection and installation of the unit
For operation, the device should be connected to a 220 V power supply. The connection of the plug and socket must be protected from any moisture. To do this, you can use a casing of water-repellent material. The RCD installed on the line will work when a current leakage occurs and disconnect the network.
The diagram shows the water cycle during the cleaning process: under the influence of the pump, it gets into the filter, and then, already purified, back into the pond
To install the filter you need to choose a flat section of the bottom, mainly in a deep place. We lower the filter into water, after which it naturally plunges to the bottom of the reservoir.
Then we connect the power supply and equip the place of water outlet after cleaning. For aeration, a thin hose should be attached to the pump, with the other end above the water mirror.
There are many modifications of self-made filters for cleaning the pond, and to increase productivity, each craftsman can bring something different, functional and useful.
