Choosing a Pond Pump

by David Coton @ Hall’s Aquatics Superstore (Birmingham) - July 2011

Pond pumps come in all shapes and sizes, but what is type and size of pond pump that you will need?

Really this depends on the work the pond pump will be doing, what you want to achieve from your pump i.e. if you want a fountain, a water fall or neither and how much flow you would like.

It is important to calculate the correct pond capacity to enable the right level of filtration to be chosen for your pond and to give a guide on a minimum flow rate your pump will need to deliver to a filter.

Having decided what you wish to achieve I will breakdown the types of pumps to focus on when purchasing.

Do you require a fountain?

If the answer is “yes” you will require a Fountain Pump

Fountain Pumps - also known as dirty water pumps. This type of pump does not handle solids and depending on the brand may have an internal sponge filter or will certainly have a small mesh filter to prevent the pump from taking in solids and damaging the pump or blocking up fountain attachments. These pumps in larger ponds, with fish and in full light can be hard work to maintain, I would recommend a filter pump if you want low maintenance.

All fountain pumps will have several attachments and can be used to also run filters, waterfalls and pond side ornaments, if you require a filter use please be guided by the filter pump details on what flow is required and bear in mind this pump will not handle all the debris compared to a filter pump and a pond vac may be required to remove sludge build up over a period of time.

Fountain pumps are ideal for adding extra aeration to a pond especially when we have hot weather, the more surface movement the better, you may wish to consider a small fountain pump or solar pump to increase aeration.

Confused?

For small ponds solely to run a fountain a 700 - 1000 litre per hour pump is recommended please refer to the product packaging or details to see what fountain height the pump will deliver, please note most fountain pumps can be controlled so you can always turn them down.

For a medium to large pond to run a fountain and small waterfall a 1500 litre per hour pump is required as a minimum, please refer to the product packaging or product details to see what head the pump can handle the head is the maximum the pump will lift up too before not pumping. Please note the greater the lift to a filter or waterfall the slower the flow rate and a bigger pump will be required.

As a guide to maintain a good flow rate for every 0.5m lift, 500 litres of water would be required (1m lift a 1500 litre pump) you are always better to go bigger though.

The head of a pump is measured from water level.

For larger ponds to run a fountain and a large waterfall a 4000 litre per hour pump is required as a minimum, if you are using a filter as previously indicated a filter pump is best suited.

Filter Pumps - this pump is also referred to as a solids pump, sump pump or waterfall pump.

This is the best option for an easy life, and best suited to run a filter as the name suggests, this type of pump if positioned correctly will handle solids and reduce the build up of pond sludge effectively reducing the risk of high waste levels which can poison fish.

Please note filters are sold separately. In most cases you should consider the filter when choosing a pump and also be guided by the maximum flow rate a filter can cope with as you do not want to exceed this with an oversized pump.

When connecting to a pressurized or gravity pond filter keep the piping as direct and short as possible, it will help to reduce back pressure on the pump and maximise flow.

Look to turn over the entire volume of pond water at least every hour and a half.

E.g.

1000 litres pond size requires at least 500 litres per hour.

Typical flow rate against head for a range we sell by Oase – Aquamax Eco Pumps

Confused?

In most cases you should consider the filter when choosing a pump and also be guided by the maximum flow rate a filter can cope with as you do not want to exceed this with an oversized pump, at the same time look to turn over the entire volume of pond water every hour and a half.

Example

Mr Smith has a 4500 litre pond and he is looking for a pump. He does NOT want a fountain and is running a waterfall which is 0.5m metres above the water level. He already has an Oase Filtoclear 11000 pond filter.

He would like a good flow down the water fall. His filter has a recommended flow rate of 8000 lph, and we must at least turn the entire volume of pond water every hour and a half.

The best pump for this is the Aqumax 8500 this will be pumping 7800 litres per hour at a 0.5m head and this pump will provide a good flow, not clog and is very economical to run at 80 watts.

What else do you need to consider when buying a pond pump…

Power Consumption:- As the costs of energy have dramatically increased running cost of all electrical goods are a consideration to most people when purchasing electrical items. The lower the wattage the cheaper the running costs. Be careful not to be caught out as lower wattage pumps may not have the required turn over of water. Manufacturers are designing pumps to maintain the turnover of water but using less power (lower wattage) these pumps are referred to as Eco pumps, in most cases you will pay more for this in the initial price of the product but save this and more over the life of the pump in power savings.

Guarantee length:- Most Pumps come with at least 3 years some are only 12 months some are 5 years, please refer to the product packaging or product details for further guidance.

Power Lead:- Most pumps come with 10 metres of cable pre wired, please refer to the product packaging or product details for further guidance.

Do you require an RCD? An RCD device disconnects a circuit whenever it detects that the electric current is not balanced between the energized conductor and the return neutral conductor. We would always recommend using a RCD for any mains powered device and always contact a qualified electrician for instillation.

Spares:- Consider what spares you may need and are these easy to obtain, normally the only part liable to ware is an impellor, these are not covered under any manufacturer guarantee.

Please select from the Choosing a Pond Pump range below to buy at our best prices
 
 

AquaticSite Guide to...Choosing a Pond Pump

Pond pumps come in all shapes and sizes and therefore choosing the right pump can be very confusing. The aim of this guide is to help you choose the right type and size of pond pump for your garden pond or water feature.

Choosing the right pump really depends on the work the pump will be doing, for example:

  1. Do you want it to run a pond filter?
  2. How high do you want a fountain jet to reach in your pool?
  3. Does it need to run a waterfall?
  4. Is it for a self-contained water feature?

Having decided what you wish you pump to achieve, I will explain the two types of pond pumps that are available:

  1. Fountain pumps
  2. Filter pumps

Fountain Pumps
Fountain Pumps are also known as dirty water pump. This type of pump does not handle solids and depending on the brand may have an internal sponge filter or will certainly have a small mesh filter to prevent the pump from taking in solids and damaging the pump or blocking up fountain attachments. These pumps in larger ponds, with fish and in full light can be hard work to maintain, I would recommend a filter pump if you want low maintenance.

Filter Pumps
Filter pumps are also referred to as a solids pump, sump pump or waterfall pumps.

Do you require a fountain?

If the answer is “yes” you will require a Fountain Pump

Fountain Pumps - also known as dirty water pump. This type of pump does not handle solids and depending on the brand may have an internal sponge filter or will certainly have a small mesh filter to prevent the pump from taking in solids and damaging the pump or blocking up fountain attachments. These pumps in larger ponds, with fish and in full light can be hard work to maintain, I would recommend a filter pump if you want low maintenance.

All fountain pumps will have several attachments and can be used to also run filters, waterfalls and pond side ornaments, if you require a filter use please be guided by the filter pump details on what flow is required and bear in mind this pump will not handle all the debris compared to a filter pump and a pond vac may be required to remove sludge build up over a period of time.

Fountain pumps are ideal for adding extra aeration to a pond especially when we have hot weather, the more surface movement the better, you may wish to consider a small fountain pump or solar pump to increase aeration.

Confused?

For small ponds solely to run a fountain a 700 - 1000 litre per hour pump is recommended please refer to the product packaging or details to see what fountain height the pump will deliver, please note most fountain pumps can be controlled so you can always turn them down.

For a medium to large pond to run a fountain and small waterfall a 1500 litre per hour pump is required as a minimum, please refer to the product packaging or product details to see what head the pump can handle the head is the maximum the pump will lift up too before not pumping. Please note the greater the lift to a filter or waterfall the slower the flow rate and a bigger pump will be required.

As a guide to maintain a good flow rate for every 0.5m lift, 500 litres of water would be required (1m lift a 1500 litre pump) you are always better to go bigger though.

The head of a pump is measured from water level.

For larger ponds to run a fountain and a large waterfall a 4000 litre per hour pump is required as a minimum, if you are using a filter as previously indicated a filter pump is best suited.

Filter Pumps - this pump is also referred to as a solids pump, sump pump or waterfall pump.

This is the best option for an easy life, and best suited to run a filter as the name suggests, this type of pump if positioned correctly will handle solids and reduce the build up of pond sludge effectively reducing the risk of high waste levels which can poison fish.

Please note filters are sold separately. In most cases you should consider the filter when choosing a pump and also be guided by the maximum flow rate a filter can cope with as you do not want to exceed this with an oversized pump.

When connecting to a pressurized or gravity pond filter keep the piping as direct and short as possible, it will help to reduce back pressure on the pump and maximise flow.

Look to turn over the entire volume of pond water at least every hour and a half.

E.g.

1000 litres pond size requires at least 500 litres per hour.

Typical flow rate against head for a range we sell by Oase – Aquamax Eco Pumps

 

It is important to calculate the correct pond capacity to enable the right level of filtration to be chosen for your pond and to give a guide on a minimum flow rate your pump will need to deliver to a filter.

 Confused?

In most cases you should consider the filter when choosing a pump and also be guided by the maximum flow rate a filter can cope with as you do not want to exceed this with an oversized pump, at the same time look to turn over the entire volume of pond water every hour and a half.

Example

Mr Smith has a 4500 litre pond and he is looking for a pump. He does NOT want a fountain and is running a waterfall which is 0.5m metres above the water level. He already has an Oase Filtoclear 11000 pond filter.

He would like a good flow down the water fall. His filter has a recommended flow rate of 8000 lph, and we must at least turn the entire volume of pond water every hour and a half.

The best pump for this is the Aqumax 8500 this will be pumping 7800 litres per hour at a 0.5m head and this pump will provide a good flow, not clog and is very economical to run at 80 watts.

What else do you need to consider when buying a pond pump…

Power Consumption:- As the costs of energy have dramatically increased running cost of all electrical goods are a consideration to most people when purchasing electrical items. The lower the wattage the cheaper the running costs. Be careful not to be caught out as lower wattage pumps may not have the required turn over of water. Manufacturers are designing pumps to maintain the turnover of water but using less power (lower wattage) these pumps are referred to as Eco pumps, in most cases you will pay more for this in the initial price of the product but save this and more over the life of the pump in power savings.

Guarantee length:- Most Pumps come with at least 3 years some are only 12 months some are 5 years, please refer to the product packaging or product details for further guidance.

Power Lead:- Most pumps come with 10 metres of cable pre wired, please refer to the product packaging or product details for further guidance.

Do you require an RCD? An RCD device disconnects a circuit whenever it detects that the electric current is not balanced between the energized conductor and the return neutral conductor. We would always recommend using a RCD for any mains powered device and always contact a qualified electrician for instillation.

Spares:- Consider what spares you may need and are these easy to obtain, normally the only part liable to ware is an impellor, these are not covered under any manufacturer guarantee.