 | | A pond pump is used for moving water in your pond, for example, for a waterfall, pond fountain, stream or spouting ornament.
There are four main categories of pond pump to consider:
1. Indoor feature pumps - for small features only.
2. Outside feature pumps (including a range in low voltage) - for small water features/pebble pools and pond fountains. Larger versions of these pond pumps get used in a dual purpose role to serve a small to medium sized pond filters and pond fountains. Some pond pumps in this category come with a strainer instead of a pre-filter sponge. This lessens the burden of continual cleaning . This type of pond pump is called a "particle handling" or filter pump and is capable of depositing the small dirt particles into the pond filter box where it can be dealt with. A pond pump running in this mode should not be used on a pond fountain with small jets as they will quickly become blocked. See Maximus Pumps. Invariably we recommend two separate pond pumps - one for the pond filter and one for the pond fountain.
3. Solids handling pumps - for medium to large pond filters and waterfalls. They can handle solids from 4mm to 10mm, depending on make and model. There is much less maintenance required with these pond pumps. Not suitable for small jetted pond fountains.
4. External pumps (non submergible) - these are usually the choice of pond pump for use with a gravity fed system.
A Note about Safety:
When operating any electrical equipment near a pond, you should use an outdoor outlet equipped with a ground fault interrupter (GFIC). This should be set no closer than 6 feet from the water and your cable should be protected by a conduit. Extension cords with build in GFICs can be used for shorted distances.
As you will see from our wide range of pond pumps, they can be both submergible pumps and external pumps. If in doubt as to which sort you should use, simply give us a call - 01621 893716.
When sizing a pump for a pond, there are several factors to take into consideration:
1. How big is your pond?
As a guide, pumps are sized by their gallons per hour (GPH) output at one foot of height. Larger capacity pumps are rated by horsepower (hp).
The water in a basic pond should be turned between to 1 litres per hour. A 500 gallon pond should have at least a 500 GPH pump.
To calculate the volume of your pond, why not use our handy Pond Volume Calculator?
2. What variables do you plan to include which may restrict the flow?
Such variable may take the form of water lift height, inclusion of waterfalls, fountains and spouts, as well as the use of filters.
Since these variables reduce the flow, they could affect water quality and clarity.
In view of these variables, to work out the pump required for your pond, estimate the vertical height from the top of your pump to the top of your waterfall or stream. Add another foot of height for every 10 feet of hosing you will be using - allowing for loss of volume from resistance within the hose.
A general rule of thumb is to figure your stream/waterfall requirement as 150 gallons per hour per inch width of the spillway or channel. For example, if your stream or waterfall spillway will be 10 inches wide, you will need a pump that produces a flow of 1500 gallons per hour (at whatever combined height of the feature and another foot of height for every ten feet of hosing to get there). You can use a valve to adjust the pumps flow to what you want. You cannot increase the pump's capacity.
We advise that you always purchase a pond pump that will more than handle your needs.
Submergible pond pumps are more economical for smaller ponds. They are placed directly in the pond and are free of distracting noise and can be used to drain your pond when necessary. These pumps do have a disadvantage. The pump seal can rupture, sending oil coolant into the water. This can prevent surface gas exchanges, which is dangerous for your fish. To avoid this opt for a magnetic-drive pump, which avoids the use of coolants. They are more expensive to buy but are far less expensive to operate.
For information on which pond hosing and pipe work to use with your pond pump, click here.
Pond Pump Tips
Tip: If you run a pond fountain only, i.e. no external pond filter box,(which should be about 24 hours a day) do not be tempted to turn it off at night. During the hours of darkness the amount of available oxygen is diminished. A pond that is heavily stocked may be sustainable during the day and yet at night the fish are in a stress situation.
Tip: To achieve a better turnover of water, site the pond pump well away from the return/inlet point.
Tip: Raise the pond pump off the bottom of the pond by standing it on house bricks, an upturned flowerpot or similar, protecting the pond liner from sharp edges and pressure points. This will prevent the pond pump sticking directly into the build up of silt that accumulates. (Do not use concrete slabs or any concrete based material as it will alter the water chemistry). The pond pump's pre-filter should be checked regularly and cleaned as necessary. Failure to carry out routine maintenance will result in a fall in the efficiency or pump failure. Alternatively pre-filter attachments can help reduce the frequency of cleaning and also increase the pond pump life. Also, for the fastidious pond keeper, there is a pond vacuum. Any cleaning that is done by the pond keeper lessens the workload of the main filtration unit.
Click here to view our range of Pond Pumps.
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