Koi Pond Equipment – How to Keep the Water Crystal Clear

It is every Koi fish owner’s dream to have healthy Koi swimming in crystal clear water. But how to do that has always been a challenge. There are a few pieces of equipment that will help you in your quest for that elusive perfectly clear water.

Consider the ozone unit. Aquarium owners have used ozone for some time but it is relatively new for Koi pond owners. The ozone is created by passing oxygen through a high voltage electrical discharge. This adds an extra atom to the oxygen molecule. This extra atom is detached and creates a powerful disinfectant effect in the process.

Now ozone itself is highly dangerous for Koi fish. It can never be allowed in the Koi pond. The water is fed through the ozone unit as part of the filtration process, treated and returned to the pond free of disease, bacteria and parasites with much improved clarity. The unfortunate part of this is that these units are very expensive. But they are something to keep in mind and may be added later as you can afford them.

Another less expensive alternative for improving water quality is the UV clarifier. These units remove single-celled algae that flourish in sunshine and in high levels of phosphates and nitrates. The water is passed the clarifier where the ultraviolet light destroys the algae. These are less expensive alternatives to the ozone unit but they are not substitutes. They do different things to improve water clarity.

This unit is also different from the UV sterilizer that is often used in aquariums. The clarifier allows a higher volume of water to pass over the ultraviolet light. The sterilizer lets less water pass closer to the light for a higher dose.

You can add a variety of “water polishing” units to your filtration system to greatly improve the water quality. This has commonly been accomplished by passing the water through a sand filter as the last stage before the water is returned to the pond. Today there is even a more cost effective way to do this using a canister device containing a series of sieve plates to filter out extremely fine particles.

Consider these options as you look for ways to get that extra water clarity in you pond. It will make a real difference and greatly enhance the enjoyment you get from your fish.