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I was reading about the benefits
of a UV Bio-filter and wanted to know your thoughts on this
kind of a device. I noticed a product that naturally clarifies
the water...it was a mini bale of straw that floats in the
pond. How effective are these bales of straw?
There are a number of bioconverters available now with built-in UV units. Most of the ones I've seen have been designed for small ponds, but there are a number of designs designs around combining larger bead filters and UV as well. Aqua Ultraviolet make them. The only reservations I have are that 1) they increase the complexity and cost of a bioconverter, and 2) they may lose effectiveness as a built-in, since UV works best on clean water. UV works well on floating algae, and claims to be effective against "bacteria". The antibacterial claims are nonsense. Ignore them.
The "natural" product you mention is barley straw, usually used as a preventative for hair algae. While it does work, it also stains the water a light amber color. If this does not bother you, it works and is non-toxic, but the water has to be warm (70-75 degrees) for it to work. A number of companies are making a colorless barley straw extract, but it is expensive. A brush on a stick works well, and is cheap.
(Answer courtesy Bob Passovoy)
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