Koi Pond Filters Helps Koi
If you want a small ornamental pond with just a few fish and plants and you don't mind water that is slightly cloudy, then you may not need a filter. However, Koi fish are different. Koi ponds require clear, relatively pure water. For Koi, you will need to have either a mechanical or biological filter to purify the water.
Mechanic al Filters
A mechanical filter is not to be confused with the filter screens and prefilters that are attached   to pumps. Those screens are only meant to keep debris from clogging the pump impeller and fountain jets. They will not have any effect on water quality. A koi pond filled will algae or debris will be hard on your pump, so a good mechanical filter will keep the screen or prefilter from clogging with mats of algae.
The main purpose of a mechanical filter is to trap large particles of suspended debris that can cloud the water. This debris can include fish waste, floating algae, leaves and other decaying matter, and leftover fish food. While mechanical filters are less expensive than biological  filters, they do require more frequent cleaning. The pondmaster filter system shown above works well in smaller ponds. Buy now at Drs. Foster and Smith.com.
 They must be cleaned at least once a week and more often during the summer months, (as much as once per day). Their advantage is that unlike biological filters, which take several weeks to become effective, a mechanical filter will start filtering your Koi pond immediately. Add some barley extract shown at right to help keep you pond clear.
Some mechanical filters are connected to the pump inlet, while others are
connected to the pump outlet. If your pond has a capacity of less than 1,000 gallons, an in-pond cartridge-type filter is probably sufficient. If you have a large pond, over 1,000 gallons, you will require a more substantial filter. These filters are placed outside the pond.
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