 Within the last several years, the water garden and Koi pond hobby has seen some major advances in understanding of system designs and pond ecology. This evolution of understanding has progressed from an era based on simple techniques and filter systems and has evolved to the current "high tech" era based on gadgets and accessories. Sorting through this progressive development we have advanced even further by putting both of these eras into perspective, extracting the best of both worlds. This article is given to increase the general understanding of pond system ecology and to introduce the new filter media known as Matala.
Water Stability vs. Water Quality.
A swimming pool owner wants to achieve filtration that guarantees clean and nearly sterilized water.
A pond keeper’s goal must be to create "Clean, healthy, living water". This can only be achieved in a pond ecosystem where water stability is equally important as water quality. Living water is actually full of microorganisms of all types that form a basic food chain, which in essence create the type of healthy water where our Koi and goldfish thrive.
Most of us are informed or aware of the "Pond chemistry" and try to be the alchemist that controls typical water quality parameters like oxygen saturation, ammonia and nitrite levels, pH and alkalinity, dissolved and solid waste levels and of course, temperature. These "Parameters" simultaneously constitute the nutrients and living conditions of many microorganisms that influence the ponds’ ecosystem. A dynamic and balanced ecosystem is created when these ingredients are kept at stable levels where the microorganisms, algae, plants and fish can find a synergistic state of homeostasis. Synergy is the interaction of the water’s chemistry and all organism’s lives working together. Homeostasis is the movement of these organisms within their chemical world towards an equilibrium where they are healthy. All ponds want to find a balance. Ponds that are stable usually create water of good quality. What the pond owner provides or not will determine how soon and to what degree this balance is achieved.
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