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Pond Filter Starters

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11 Items

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Help and advice on shopping for: Pond Filter Starters

Get your filter off to the right start

Natural pond filters feature a colony of bacteria capable of breaking down ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate - which are far less harmful and absorbed as a nutrient by pond plants. Pond filter starters help to build and fortify this bacterial colony to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. We offer a range of pond filter starters from Swell UK, including top brands like Oase, Tetra and Evolution Aqua.

What are Pond Filter Starters?

Pond filter starters are cultures of bacteria that come in a variety of forms, including liquid to be added to the water and balls of active bacteria. The bacteria pond filter starter will boost the formation of beneficial, natural bacteria as they reproduce, helping the pond filter "mature" more quickly so it can remove toxic ammonia and nitrite formed as wastes decompose.

Why should I buy Pond Filter Starters?

While the bacteria necessary for natural filtration will be present in most ponds, they will take 4-6 weeks to reach the necessary numbers for complete filtration, unless you use a pond filter starter. Pond filter starters speed up the maturation process of the biological filter, allowing the pond to be stocked with fish sooner. They are relatively low cost and are very easy to use.

What are the main types of Pond Filter Starters?

The two main types of pond filter starters are those that come in liquid form and those that come as a series of balls. The liquid form of pond filter starters must be carefully measured to get the right amount of liquid for your pond, while the balls are designed to be easily counted out. However, liquid pond filter starter will disperse through a pond better than a set of balls giving each option strengths and weaknesses.

What should I look for?

Each pond filter starter product will have a recommended dosage rate, so you'll need to calculate the volume of your pond to ensure you purchase enough for it to work properly. To check that your filter starter has worked, you'll also want to get a set of test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, so you can double-check your pond is pollution-free before adding any fish, or increasing the amount of fish present.