I probably should mention
bedsides the veggie/bog that
has iris, watercress,
horsetail, pennywort, parrots
feather, cardinal flower and
pickerel rush and some sort of
tall grassy thing, I have 3
water lilies and a lotus in
the pond. When they get
started they will cover more
than 75% of the pond.

-----------------------------------------------------------
"George"

wrote in message
news:z2Q9e.5469$r53.625@attbi_s21...

Sand filters for ponds are a
very bad idea, as you've
discovered. you can try
using porous scoria rock in
place of the sand. The pores
will provide niches
for beneficial bacteria, and
turn your filter into an
efficient biofilter. Note
that you should have a
pre-filter in front of this
filter, one that is easy to
maintain. That way, your
maintenance of the main filter
will be greatly
reduced. And remember, a pond
is not a swimming pool with
fish in it. There
should be at least some amount
of growth in it in order for
it to remain
healthy.