For the gardener Anoxic filters are probably the best filters one could have if you like aquatic plants with lush growth.

For the gardener Anoxic filters are probably the best filters one could have if you like aquatic plants with lush growth. However, as the photo shows cation must be exercised because aquatic plants can get a little out-of-hand and will outgrow most aquatic baskets with what seems like an infinite root system.

Achieving such growth without fertilizers several years ago was unheard-of by pond hobbyist and only those that dabbled in high nitrogen plant tabs could achieve such good growth. But the downside was nitrated laden water that really was not fish compatible. Because plants need to use seven times the energy to convert nitrogen back into ammonia once again, this processes was omitted at night when peak photosynthesis was stopped. I say peak photosynthesis, because only at that time do plants do the conversion processes because of the energy they must use.

So what happens to all that excessive nitrogen in the plant baskets when the plants can’t use it; it goes right back into solution once again!  The AFS BCB’s allows plants the right amount of trace elements along with ammonia/ammonium so they can now proliferate in root hair growth. The upside is plants will take in ammonia/ammonium 24-7 night and day. Because it takes very little energy to do this, the plants now can concentrate on root hair growth along with flowering and reproduction of its species.

Photo taken from internet from owner of an AFS.

The vigorous and profuse plant growth of some plants may overwhelm hobbyists into a stupor that, that particular plant species will never be used again and with rightful causes. Bursting the BCB’s with their roots to the point that their usefulness is compromised for the next years filter and will have to be thrown away after one season is a little too expensive for a one time use!

Veggie and Bog filters only show such growth rate of their plants when the substrate is compromised with detritus and all kinds of smuts. Under these conditions they are really hindered on how much and proficient they can and will clean the ponds water. AFS will outperform these filter ten to one because these insults stated above are not a needed foundation of foodstuff for the plants in a BCB only ammonia/ammonium is. AFS keep water at a higher redox than the Veggie and Bog filters will because all detritus and smuts are eliminated before the filter and is not “part of the filters matrix” like the other two filtration methods.

Anytime a filter keeps insults far too long in solution is not a well-designed filter and will give inadequate protection to its aquatic animals. Some of the ways of telling this is by sores on the fish, fish growth being stunted, sicken fish or anemic looking fish or the hobbyists making up excuses on why they need a prophylactic added to their ponds every year.

You also get the hobbyist that without ascertainment of their findings that they have done nothing to their ponds with these filters for years and their fish are doing just fine. But under closer examination their good fortune is not repeatable for everyone that uses them and they become the exception to the rule but not the rule itself.

As each year goes by hobbyist are finding out that Veggie and Bog filters are not natural filter at all, but ports for all kinds of water deteriorating bugs (bacteria) that if not taken out of the system eventually, they will win in the battle in making your pond uninhabitable. I have had BCB’s as long as 25–years now without being broken down and are still going strong on cleaning and protection the inhabitance of the pond. Is there any other filter out there that can make the same claim and still keep their pond inhabitance healthy and longed lived as my Koi? Okay, you got me…natural system will go on for hundreds of years without intervention from man too.