Blagdon Clean Pond Machine, Clean Foam Free Pressure Filter, UV Clarifier Light, Chi Media, Mechanical & Biological Filtration, Turn to Wash Clean Hands System, for Ponds up to 7000 Litres, Black

My initial review, pre-installation, was three stars. I've upped that to four after installing and using it for two weeks. I got it for less than £200 which is a bargain. It would be five stars if the connectors had better O rings.The filter I received had obviously been tested as there were damp and wet parts. Inside, the white filtering thingumajigs were dry, Blagdons told me they check each filter before selling.The instruction booklet is clear and written in good English. The filter box is about the size of a black builder's bucket. The plastic is strong and supplied with a good kit of parts, some of which are a bit tacky. On top are the pipe outlets and handle which need to be above ground if the filter is set into the soil.My current Laguna 2200 MaxFlow pump is underpowered for the filter but the pump is fine for my pond size and fish stock, I'm still using my old 32 and 40mm hoses. The filter is probably more than I will ever need for my 2600 litre pond unless I get a couple of dolphins.I found the Blagdon hose connectors to be weak compared with the Laguna and Hozelock ones, with flat, plasticky, O rings more like the ones used on cheap water butts. It was a real fiddle and a metre of PTFE tape to get a waterproof connection when screwing the Blagdon fittings onto the filter connectors. This has to be finger tight or else the O rings pop out of the screwcap fitting.There is a large ballast box which isn't mentioned anywhere in the pre-sales blurb. It is attached to the filter's cable by a waterproof connector on the transformer output lead. This leaves a short length of cable on its input, to go to the mains supply. If the waterproof connector was on the input to the transformer it would just be a case of extending the lead. As it is, thanks to local fox cubs chewing the lead of my old filter, I had fitted a waterproof connector already. I was able to use that and the old cable to connect to the new one.After two weeks, with an underpowered pump. the flow from the output had slowed. I checked the pump which was clean, so did the first filter clean. It was very easy – turn the diverter switch, keep turning the cleaning handle until water runs clear, turn the diverted back. The muck that came out was eye-opening as the pond has been kept clean by my old filter and I had vacuumed it twice this year. The mucky water went onto my spuds growing nearby. I have since fitted a hose to the output side so I can collect the waste water more easily in a bucket – about two full ones per clean.It is easy to open the pod access while the pump is working. It holds up to 10 pods which cost less than £1 each if you shop around. They have been a revelation and very efficient at clearing blanket weed and clumping pond muck prior to filtering. Blagdon recommend cleaning the filter every two weeks, using a set of pods each time the first month. Then clean the filter every month using pods if necessary.Recently an electric problem on the ring main set the filter's ballast to reset. Blagdon offered excellent support, sent a postal label to return the ballast for them to inspect. Then the next day I received a completely new filter set. Meanwhile the filter had been working without uv for two or three weeks in mid-summer. The filter seems good at even filtering out green algae.ONE YEAR ON Upped my review to 5 stars and I'd happily give it six or more. The filter has kept my pond very clean. I have vacuumed the winter crud out and have done a few – very few – filter cleans and pond pod renewals. Any dirt now collects at the pump rather than the filter. After winter I renewed the uV lamp but the old one is still working so I have kept it as a spare. The lamps ARE EASY to buy. Just look on-line or your local fish shop. And get some chips while you are there :-)

Had this for several years, still working well.

Grew tired of cleaning out heavy filthy sponges and could no longer physically lift them out of the filter. this great filter works differently, no sponges! Turn the handle and the jobs done. Only needs to be taken apart once a year. So far it has cleaned a pond heavy with blanket weed, green water and sludge. It was very bad as I had been neglecting it for many months. Clear clean pond after two weeks, yes, I had to clean the filter every day for a week, it was that bad, but it was easy and only took a few minutes each time. Highly recommended.

The media could not be loaded. Edit: 15 months on the filter is starting to fail. The switch that changes the outflow from the normal out pipe to waste is now failing to shut off. Really disappointed. Have contacted Blagdon (interpet) customer care and they sent me a PDF guide on how to clean the filter, which is not the issue. I’ve now waited 3 days and chased twice for a response and still waiting.Customer support have so far been unwilling to help. At the price point, you’d expect it to last longer than a year. It’s a shame, as it’s a great filter, but the lack of support means I would not buy another blagdon/interpet product to replace it, I will look elsewhere.I’ve left my original review as I appreciate I could just be unlucky.Excellent filter. Love the fact that there are no sponges to clean, you just twist the handle the muck then pours out the waste pipe, and then you’re good to go. It’s super easy because you just keep spinning until the water out the waste pipe turns clear! I’ve used an off cut of flexi pipe so that I can run the waste outlet away from the pond.The cable was very generous, we have it connected to an underground junction box, that’s fed by an armoured cable, so the length wasn’t a deal breaker for us. If you’re fitting it directly to a three pin socket, you’ll need to buy the plug, as it doesn’t come with one. Otherwise, wiring was very simple.Mine arrived with the UV casing smashed. Amazon were unable to supply a replacement but blagdon were Excellent with the customer service and sent a replacement within a few days. I have this hooked up to their amphibious pump from there range and it works a treat on our pond which has one koi ( the rest we’re eaten by a heron) and now around 20 goldfish.Edit: it’s now been through winter and it’s been faultless. Water is crystal clear constantly, no issues with freezing, we kept the pond fully running without issues. We are getting a bit of algae growing along the pond liner, but nothing to cause concern or ruin the looks of the pond. We have tried the little sachet tablet things that came with the filter. They seem pretty good, haven’t harmed the fish and haven’t ruined the clarity of the water, so we may look to continue to use them to keep the algae at bay.Very happy to recommend this filter! The lack of sponges with excellent filtering ability is worth every penny!

I am disabled and was struggling too clean out my filter regularly. I only have a small pond around 700L. So this could be seen as a bit over kill.But saying that it works amazingly well it's super easy too clean no effort at all and the pond is super clear you do need too buy some bacteria tablets I tend too use 1 a month or so, but the fish are super happy and the pond looks as clean as an internal aquarium.I was initially worried it would not be suitable as my pond is an elevated one and the pump is lower than the pond but its a fully pressurised filter so it does not need gravity too work I have a pipe going in and out the pond but I have hidden the pipes under an external waterfall.I'm still working on the pond as I can only do small bits at a time but since I got this filter it has taken all the hard work out of the job of keeping the pond clean.

Original: Running perfectly for 1 year. Easy to clean and clear water… however it started leaking from the handle. Very expensive based on just 1 year lifespan. Also will be a huge pain to replace. Do not recommend.Updated: Blagdon have sent a replacement. I’m surprised. Seems the fault is not a common one.