A properly designed pond, lake or pool requires constant maintenance. Therefore, cleaning the reservoir - artificial or natural - is a priority task that must be performed regularly, otherwise problems cannot be avoided. But these procedures are traditionally also one of the most difficult elements of the arrangement of water bodies. It is necessary that the planned cleaning of the reservoir be carried out as carefully as possible, preferably under the guidance of appropriate specialists. But if you are already going to do this procedure with your own hands, on your own, then you need to study the topic of the issue being solved in more detail.
Basic methods of water treatment
Humanity at the moment has come up with 4 main ways, each of which has its full right to exist. Biological, mechanical, chemical and ultraviolet rays - eachhas a certain spectrum of influence on the weediness of the water area and the surrounding shores.
Each way is relevant
For example, mechanics help to effectively get rid of technical and human-made waste of an inorganic nature (it's no secret that some materials of artificial origin will decompose in nature for hundreds or even thousands of years)! A mechanical tidy helps to get rid of them as soon as possible. The biological method leads to normal indicators of the content of biogenic substances in the environment. Dry cleaning eliminates chemicals that are harmful to all living things in the pond. And ultraviolet hits bacteria and algae, destroying them. Let's dwell on each of the methods in more detail.
Mechanical
Currently the cheapest and most commonly used method. The reservoir is cleaned using mechanical filters, which allow you to get rid of the multitude of aquatic plants and algae, debris that has entered the environment. The water passes through the appropriate container. It is filled with porous materials (it can be: quartz sand, granules or natural fine gravel - the finer, the more microscopic particles are retained). All excess settles on the filters, and the liquid is poured back into the pond. Contaminated water is pumped into the filter using an appropriate pump (there are different capacities, you need to select it depending on the size of the reservoir being cleaned).
Sometimes the cleaning device itself becomes clogged and water flows back into the pondeverything is slower. In such cases, it is necessary to place fresh filter media in the container, after removing the used and contaminated media (it is best to dispose of it, although some users prefer to wash and refill in terms of economy).
The simplest mechanical cleaning device for a pool or small pond, for example, is a wide net with a long handle, which is very convenient to catch debris and foliage.
And some people use a special vacuum cleaner for cleaning in reservoirs with concrete or lined stone, which helps well against silt pollution.
Biological method
Biological purification of a reservoir is based on the rapid decomposition of organic matter in a liquid medium with the help of aerobic / anaerobic microorganisms (located in special devices). A biological filter is a porous substance in which bacteria that feed on organic matter are artificially colonized. When the liquid passes through the filter, this organic matter is destroyed by microorganisms, and the water is purified at the biological level.
A good option for biofiltration would be to organize a small pond for breeding crustacean zooplankton, which is also a natural biofilter, next to the main stocked with fish. And the level of a small reservoir should be slightly higher than that of the main one. Polluted water from a large pond is pumped to a small one, where bioplankton lives, and purified water flows back into the main tank,making a kind of cycle. This biological technology for cleaning water bodies is traditionally used in China and Europe. Experience is also being adopted by domestic builders of ponds.
Chemical
Additional means of cleaning water bodies - chemical. But recently, scientists do not recommend getting too carried away with them. All of them are designed to normalize the acid-base level of the liquid, bind harmful ammonia, metal compounds, kill algae, saturate the environment with oxygen. All this is good, but useful plants can be removed from the pond along with unnecessary ones, and there is a chance to cause unnecessary trouble to the fish, up to its death. This is probably why, when handling these chemical cleaners, it is recommended to strictly observe the precautions and dosage indicated by the manufacturer, because one wrong step and you will destroy all life around (and you can do great harm to yourself). As a justification for such methods, it can be recognized that some of the high-tech chemicals produced today are able to decompose into water and gas (carbon dioxide), that is, they are theoretically harmless. But still, it is better to avoid chemistry if possible, if there are other options.
UV filter
Another way to clean water. Ultraviolet radiation (wave 180-300 nm) has a deadly effect on viruses, microalgae, bacteria, killing them. It is produced in the form of a lamp placed in the body, which descends into the reservoir itself. It is recommended to change it once a season to maintainbeam intensity.
