Box Filters vs. Pressurised Filters

Which should I choose?

Box Filters

Most pond filters look like a black, rectangular box. This box has a connection on the top, where the hose coming from the pond should fit, and a pipe (or pipes) in the side where the water comes out.

The box filter needs to be positioned outside and above the water, higher than anything else in the pond system (for example at the head of the waterfall or on the edge of the pond). Given that these boxes range in size from about 18” long to as much as 6’ or more and are not pretty to look at, hiding them can sometimes be a problem.

Many people will choose to set the waterfall back from the pond and surround it with shrubs or perhaps put it on the other side of a fence or wall. The box can be buried into a mound of earth above the pond as long as the outlet from the filter is higher than the top of the waterfall that it will feed.

Pressurised Filters

If it is not practical to hide the filter box then one solution is to consider a pressurised filter. These do just the same job as a box filter but are sealed so that water enters the filter under pressure from the pump and is still under pressure when it leaves. This pressure can then push the water uphill.

This allows the outlet from the filter to be a flexible hose that can go uphill and the filter can be placed lower than the top of the waterfall. You can even be bury it in the ground, but be sure to leave the top of the filter exposed so that it can be accessed for cleaning and other maintenance.

Pressurised filters tend to require a little more maintenance than box filters and they are invariably more expensive. For this reason if you can find a place to hide a box filter then we’d always suggest that you get one and only turn to the pressurised filter for its ability to be hidden more easily.

Click here to see our range of box and pressurised filters

Now that you've chosen what type of filter to get, why not take a look at one of our other guides?
Waterfalls
Pond Filters
Fountains
Connecting the Pond Pump and Pond Filter
What size of pond pump and filter do I need to buy?
Filter Maintenance
Adding fish to the pond

Or click here to see a list of all our pond building guides