TetraPond Bio-Active Pressure Filter, For Ponds Up to 4000 Gallons

We have a 1500 gallon pond that we've been just sort of winging it since we bought the house 4 years ago. The summers are hot in NC and the algea gets out of control. We also have a lot of trees dropping debri in the pond. We finally got in there and scooped a lot of the crap out which made the water very murky. We had a pump and filter combo from AquaSource that was so nasty to clean out. In the summertime we would have to clean it two or three times a week just to get the water to circulate through the pump. On a local Facebook group I asked what kind of pump I could use that would not get clogged up and everyone suggested the Tetra large debris pump with this filter hooked up to it. The first couple days we were pretty disappointed that we didn't see much clarity. However, after 3 weeks the pawn looks better than it's ever looked. Because the pond was so scummy and murky to begin with, I did the back flush every other day to clean out the filter and added fresh water to the pond since the backflush causes a lot of water loss into the yard. So we've had it for about a month now and the back flush option is really awesome. One thing to be mindful of is the attachment sizes of this unit are rather large (1 1/4 and 1 1/2). It's hard to find pond tubing that size locally And we also ended up having to buy a new waterfall box because our old waterfall box only had a 3/4 in max inlet. So if you end up going with this filter, I would definitely recommend buying your hosing in any other accessories you need online. We used the Tetra large debris handling 3000 gallon pump with this and it's working great.

Just installed this pressure filter earlier this week. A bit expensive, but my +4000 gallon pond is really clearing up. I was spending too much time cleaning the smaller cheaper filters.To clean this pressure filter, just turn the knob to clean for a few minutes and let it flush out the dirty water. No more scrubbing filter pads, because this filter does not have any. Even without the filter pads, this filter is trapping a great deal of dirt.Make sure you have a pump that pushes between 2,500 to 4,000 GPH. Spend more time enjoying your pond and less time with maintenance. I just received this filter, but happy with the purchase and setup.

Terrific and reasonably priced product. I had looked at pond filters at my local hardware store and all I saw were cheap mechanical filters. Mechanical filters require regular cleaning and I was no longer willing to get messy every month cleaning out a gunked up filter. So, I looked at pressurized bio filters. I was floored to see how even inexpensive models ran upward of $425! Then I stumbled upon this TetraPond model. The reviews looked solid .... I asked my pond guy and he said he was experienced with this model and had good luck with them. So I jumped in. Absolutely no regrets. The filter has been running for about 3 weeks now, the flow is still strong and the water is nice and clear again. When the flow slows, I'll do a quick backwash and not have to touch any of the gunk.The only caveat is to realize the fittings are for rather large connections. Two inches, and you can trim to 1 1/2 inches. I had to get some reduction fittings so my tubing would fit. It hasn't affected performance - but be aware if you're running 1" or less diameter tubing you may have some challenges getting connected.

I just got this filter. I have it installed inline to serve as a pre-filter for my laguna water fall filter. So far, the filter doesn’t leak and works well enough as a pressure filter. No leaks so far, but I noticed that the seal is not from an o ring, but rather a plastic on plastic seal, which I can foresee problems down the line. Definitely a major design flaw, but so far it’s sealing. You must run the backflow cap, there is always water flowing out of the backflow outlet regardless of where the flow setting is. Not sure if that is an issue with mine, if it all are like that. But a couple Amazon reviews report the same thing. I put some teflon tape on the threads of the nozzles for security. This filter is made in Italy, so I have more trust in it than the other nameless filters you see on Amazon.If it had a o-ring for the main cap of the filter, I would give it a 5 stars, but it does not.

I have had several of these over the years and they all do the same thing. They might seal for several weeks and then you backwash and switch back to clean and they leak around the rim, losing valuable pond water and making a mess and it's either difficult or impossible to get it stopped.

The media could not be loaded.  This filter started out great! Was bigger, seamed to easy to maintain. Well less than 2 months we started having gasket problems. Now the upper valve continues to leak. And pours out of the valve when back flushing. The manufacture is no help either they are out of replacement gaskets and won’t get any back in until after August I am told. Don’t waste your money here! Spend a little more and get a better design.

Good replacement for my 20-year old filter.

After three days the pond was crystal clear

We have an indoor turtle pond. About 150 gallons with 1 turtle and a few big gold fish. The turtle has access to large sandy rock suning area so is always carrying debrie back with her.For not having an ultra violet light or spounge media I was amazed at how well this cleared up the water. When I put this is we did a 1/2 water exchange and things were stirred up pretty good. We had removed a waterfall and some plant material as well. The water was horrible looking but by the next morning it was nice and clear. In the pic there may be a little haze.... had to go find the air bubbler after removing waterfall to turn water over.The 4 stars instead of 5 is that this suffers from leakage from the "back wash" port just like every other model I have owned.... but this one does it from the start..... but it comes with a stop block for the port so at least they acknowledge this flaw and provide a solution from the start.In the summer I will buy an UV chamber to add in line somewhere but for the price you really can't ask for much better. If anything happens that would change this review I will update but highly recommended so far.

This TetraPond Bio-Active BP1500 Pressure Filter comes in a large box, weighing about 9 pounds. Everything is easy to open, connect, and start using right away, thanks to the well-written instructions included inside. The filter has a very simple design, that features an inlet and an outlet as well as a backflush. During my testing, on my 800-gallon koi, goldfish, and pleco pond, the filter was running dry without any noticeable leaks, so both the housing and connections were solid and tight-fitting. I ran this for well over a month and it did well to maintain my pond, keeping it free from algae buildup.This filter has been on the market for some time and it's a popular choice. The biggest reason why it's done well is because of the backflush feature which cut down on so much of the dirty work involved in filters that don't have one. All I have to do to clean the unit is turn the single knob to the clean position, which flushes out the entire system of dirt and debris while keeping the good bacteria remaining on the bio-activators. I use the nutrient-rich water from the backflush in my nearby garden, which provides a natural fertilizer. As the name suggests, this filter is rated for a 1500 gallon pond. In terms of the current price, this is one of the most affordable options out there on the market my experience has shown that it is a really good choice, especially for medium size ponds. Full marks from me!

The media could not be loaded.  Not sure if this product works yet however right after starting the 3 way valve leaks so I always have water coming out the backflush and pond outlet. I have rotated the handle to try and clear it as well as having it lined up perfectly with the arrows but that was worse. Also unfortunately the 4000gph unit does not have a UV.