| Pond
Pumps submersible pumps with
fountains | external pumps |
waterfall pumps |
solar
pumps
A
pond pump is one of the most important aspects of your pond.
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As I sit around the backyard with my family and friends watching the fireflys
dip and dance in the reflections and ripples of my pond I often breathe a deep
sigh as I sip my cranberry juice and say a silent thank-you for giving me the
chance to enjoy the moment. I'm sure many of you pond owners know the times you
spend in the tranquility of the backyard pond is priceless! Of course I also enjoy
fishing for bass on the large earth pond I have on anotsher property a few miles
away; nothing like pitching the tent by your a 2 acre pond surrounded by birch
and pine trees at sunset as the fish hop and jump for their insect supper or the
occasional fish hook of Uncle Bob, the champion fisherman of our family!
But
since I live in the city with a fairly small 15,250 square foot property I have
spent much of my time at home concentrating on my backyard water garden, or the
"money pit" as my wife likes to call it! When I first broke the soil
with the shovel, first started digging the pond, I was a bit of a beginner and
wasn't really prepared for what was in store for me. We'd lived in homes that
had outdoor pools, both inground and above ground pools, and we had said to each
other that these pools were too much work and maintenance with the additional
of chlorine and pucks and scrubbing the algae off the cement walls of the pool
we had realized that a swimming pool was 80% work and 20% enjoyment...well...since
it was me who did all the work I'd say that my wife got 100% enjoyment and I did
all the work...but that's another story!!
Before I get to the pump reviews
where I review pond pumps let's start with the basics that most of my clients
ask me when I visit there property as a pond consultant and they ask me what to
do to build a healthy and self-sufficent pond. Digging the pond and laying the
EPDM liner is easy; I mean I do break a sweat when I do it but it is not a special
skill to build a pond...the key is to make sure all elements are in place to allow
the small water garden to not be green and stinky...that just takes some basic
knowledge of what sort of pond chemicals or additives like beneficial bacteria
need to be added.
We have often heard people pontificating about the importance
of aeration and everyone inevitably asks me why do I need to aerate my pond and
the reason is simple...in fact it comes straight from the heart!
Your
Pump Is The Heart of Your Pond
Your
pond is alive with fish and pants and algae and insects and all of them are trying
to find a balance. Think of your pond as a human body with blood and bones and
skin and hair and you see how we can draw parralles between a pond and a living
person. What is the one thing that every one of us needs to keep healthy in order
to guarantee our survival? The Heart! Yes the heart pumps our oxygenated blood
through our veins and into our brains and lungs and keeps our vital organs strong
and alive...it is much the sme for a pond and the pump is like our heart; you
need a reliable pond pump to ensure that everything is moving and the nutrients,
lungs and organics in your pond are all well kept!
Just like our own nutrition
is important so is the nutrition of a pond and again, the pump plays a primary
role in ensuringt that the water doesn't stagnate and keeps moving through the
thermocline and into the upper levels of the pond and to the surface where the
oxygen transfer can occur. Yes...the pond pump is one of the pieces of the puzzle
that should be researched before buying. Check the favorable reviews for your
pump befoire you buy it...there are many variations available from amazon.com
and ebay.com but not all motors are created equal.
Many of my clients ask
me how to build a pond pump or how to build a pond aerator and the answer is always
pretty much the same: you can't really! Well of course if you are like the Professor
from Gilligan's Island you might be able to build a pond aerator system out of
palm tree leaves and coconut husks wrapped around old stainless steel dishwasher
muffler parts but not everyone has been to NASA science school...some of us...myself
included couldn't build a homemade windmill aerator if my life depended on it!
You
may have electricity near the pond are considering a 110 volt or 120 volt submersible
or shore muunted linear pump. These work very well even for driving a waterfall.
Some of my clients consider solar pumps, solar aerators or solar powered lawn
mowers! OK...I may be exaggertating with the solar powered lawn tractor as usually
it is too expensive to make a fountain or pump work with cheap do it yourself
solar power systems.
"Listen up" my wife said! Instead
of trying to build a cheap aerator or fashion a homemade pump system from the
old tennis rackets and fireplace bellows you have in the garage just make the
leap and buy a good quality pump for a few hundred dollars. I know it isn't in
some of your genetic code to spend more that $19.99 on a pump but if you value
the investment you have put into building a pond and stocking it with fish then
you should perhaps use professional equipment to aerate and make your waterfall
instead of trying the DIY route! I'm not against trying to whittle a beer-opener
out of a tree branch, heck, I've done that many a time but when it comes to my
pond I want to just buy a cheap pump that lasts for years and has good reviews
and then I'm all set! My time is becoming more valuable as I get older and I don't
want to spend 12 hours in the garage building my own aeration pump if I can order
one for a few hundred bucks!
Why
should I have a pump?
You
do not absolutely have to have a pump for a pond you may want it to look "natural"
without any ripples or movement but sometimes stagnant or still waters can be
breeding grounds for mosquitoes and algae and green water can become a problem...not
all the time but often a pond without a good circulation/aeration system will
develop probelms so if you do want a pump there are many benefits as we've discussed
in our aeration pages. As we've said the
pump is the "heart" of any pond and is good at supplying a small fountain,
a waterfall or even pumping through your skimmer and biological filter.
The
size of the pump you choose depends on what you want it to do. If it is just for
a fountain then most pumps come with suitable attachments. If it is to run a filter
and fountain then it needs to be slightly bigger. There are multi-purpose systems
that have multiple outlets that allow tubing to run to your spitter or waterfall
as well as add-on foiuntain nozzles that can be changed to create cheap fountains
anywhere from 12 inches to 6 feet of spray above the pond! The quantity of water
in the pond dictates this. If you have a "average pond" then the water
should be turned over every 3-4 hours, but it should be every 1-2 hours for a
koi pond. Your choice of pump should be one that is big enough to turn the water
over often enough and run a fountain (if required) It is better to have a bigger
than required pump as you can reduce the flow easier than trying to increase the
flow of an undersized pump! Now...choose
the best pump for your surroundings
There are two types of waterfall
pumps we use. The External Pump and the Submersible Pump. The external pump sits
outside of the pond much like a swimming pool pump would. It has an intake hose
in the pond, preferably at the deepest point of the main pond and far from the
waterfall to provide the best circulation efficiency for the system. The Submersible
pump is actually in the water and sucks water directly through the pump into the
outlet hose to the waterfall or retention basin. Both work, but all pumps are
not equal.
What is available...
WELL, the choice of pump is up to you, but you should take a few things into consideration
once you have made up your mind on using a submersible sump pump type of pond
pump or fountain pump or the ground mounted external system. If you want
a fountain and filter will the pump be strong enough to run both? I often suggest
that you have two separate pumps but the 110V submersible pumps are often the
best choice for the average small pond or water garden. Do not forget at night
the general ambient noise level is quieter than suring the day so what may be
a pleasant "lapping" or "tinkling" sound when the fountain
is splashing during the day can become an extreme "crashing" or "gushing"
noise at night which may upset you and your your neighbours more than the teenager
with the new car down the street with his new sound system in his totally tuned
Honda! If you have two pumps you can turn the fountain pump off when it gets late,
or better still fit a timer on to your pond system and have the noisy pond bits
running only when it is appropriate!.
Installing
External Pond Pumps
External pond pumps are usually mounted on
the shore and are great because they are easier to service because you don't need
to go up to your elbows in stinky, smelly pond water to retrieve them! Place the
pump in some sort of insulated cabinet, shed or pool house to make sure the system
is not exposed to rain, snow or other such hazardlike the gnashing teeth of muskrats,
beavers and squirells! The diagram below shows one popular way how to install
your pond pump. The units we use are all 220V so if you only have 110/115V then
check out the pumps with fountain heads included below this section.
The
Pond Report has tested dozens of external pond pumps including the Dynamo Pumps,
WunderFlo Pumps, Aqua Flow, Artesian Pumps, Cascade Pumps, Swing Check Valve Sequence
Pumps, Little Giant etc. etc until we were sick of trying every little cheap pump
that said "Made in China" on the sticker!!. Of course we all prefer
something that is "Made in USA" or we have found Japan, Taiwan, and
Germany also make very good aquatic systrems!
Our overall best-performing
winner of all reviews of external pond pumps is the SF-SeaFlo series of pumps.
They are a high performance pump that require a 208/230V electrical service. Designed
for larger ponds and systems that require an extra and powerfull flow these are
self-priming with a high efficiency impeller and life extending diffuser wear
ring. They all have a fiberglass reinforced. 2” suction and discharge ports. Single
piece corrosion resistant over sized strainer pot and volute. Unique diffuser
and impeller provide excellent pressure performance across wide range of desired
gallon per minute flow rates. User friendly drain plugs. All stainless steel hardware.
These pumps are our favorites as they offer an unprecedented 3 year limited warranty.
| Flow
Chart - Gallons
Per Hour By Elevation (Feet) | SeaFlo
Sea Flow Pump Details
All pumps are 208/230V
A 12 gauge
wire (not included) is recommended for most applications.
Free
Shipping - 3 year limited warranty | Open
Flow |
20 ' |
40 ' | 60'
| 80'
| 100'
| PRICE
| HP
/ Amps | Outlet
| PUMP | 6780
GPH (113
GPM) | 6500 | 6000 | 4500 | 2400 | - | $719.95
| 1
HP / 4.8 AMPS |
2" | | 7800
GPH (130
GPM) | 7650 | 7500 | 6000 |
3200 | - | $799.95
| 1.5
HP / 9.6 AMPS | 2" | | 8400
GPH (140
GPM) | 8300 | 8200 | 6800 | 3600 | - | $899.95 | 2
HP / 11 AMPS | 2" | | 9600
GPH
(160 GPM) | 9600 | 9600 | 8700 | 6900 | 3600 | $999.95 | 3
HP / 15 AMPS | 2" | |  FREE
SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS Secure Shopping with Credit Card or Paypal®
using the Secure Servers of Paypal®. Free shipping within the USA.
Canadian
orders are subject to custom fees which are the responsibility of the buyer upon
reception of goods.
The
Pond Report has given Pentair Sea Flow High Performance Self-Priming Pumps feature
sophisticated design translated into unprecedented power that offers the ultimate
in efficiency our highest PK 7 rating as they are simply the best pumps money
can buy. . These unique external pond pumps are designed to handle the larger
capacity jobs of ponds or larger aquariums to deliver excellent flow with less
friction and less noise while using smaller horse power motors.
For
best pump performance, install this pump out of direct sunlight within 3' of the
water surface level.
Perfect for use in pool, water garden,
and koi pond applications, these above-ground pumps keep maintenance convenient.
The large strainer basket and see-through lid permits fewer services and easy
inspection. Their unique diffuser and impeller provide excellent pressure performance
at a wide range of gallon-per-hour flow rates. Easy to remove drain plugs on the
strainer basket and pump chamber make end of season maintenance a breeze. |
Another
thing to be considered is how much will it cost to run? The cheap pump from the
hardware store or the one you bought on Ebay may be cheaper to purchase but what
about its running costs and the warranty? A "sump" pump is fine and
you can buy one from the local hardware store for less than $100 but those sorts
of pumps are mainly for sucking the flood waters from your basement and not designed
for continuous duty in a pond! A system that must run 7 days a week and 24 hours
per day must be reliable and when it is running most of the summer, with the cost
of electricity, you need to avoid the cheap "power hungry" models and
get something that is efficient...the initial cost may be high but just because
you get a deal from Jimmy in South Dekota selling his aquarium filtering pump
on Ebay doesn't mean it's the right thing to do!
Submersible
Pond Pumps for Fountains, Falls & Filters
| Flow
Chart - Gallons
Per Hour By Elevation (Feet) | Quiet
One Pump Details
All pumps are 110-120V & have 20' power
cords & 1 year warranty
Free
fountain head attachments included with every pump | Open
Flow | 3'
|
6 ' | 9'
| 12'
| 15'
| 18'
| PRICE
| Amps
/ Watts | Outlet
| PUMP | 581
GPH (9
GPM)
For ponds +/- 1,300 Gallons | 450 | 280 | - | - | - | - | $84.95
| 0.60A
/ 41W |
1" | | 1017
GPH (17
GPM)
For
ponds +/-
2,300 Gallons | 875 | 500 | 210 |
- | - | - | $109.95
| 0.79A
/ 50W | 1" | | 1506
GPH (25
GPM)
For
ponds +/-
3,400 Gallons | 1300 | 1000 | 590 | 30 | - | - | $169.95 | 3.18A
/ 140W | 1" | | 2328
GPH
(38 GPM)
For
ponds +/-
5,500 Gallons | 2200 | 1800 | 1600 | 1250 | 880 | 25 | $379.95 | 3.50A
/ 145W | 1-1/2" | | 4232
GPH (70
GPM)
For
ponds +/-
10,000 Gallons | 3800 | 3400 | 2800 | 2400 | 1650 | 300 | $549.95 | 3.30A
/ 280W | 1-1/2" | |  FREE
SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERSSecure Shopping with Credit Card or Paypal®
using the Secure Servers of Paypal®. Free shipping within the USA.
Canadian
orders are subject to custom fees which are the responsibility of the buyer upon
reception of goods.
Stage
1 - Placement of pump Secure flexible tubing to the outlet of pump using a stainless
steel hose clamp. Submerse at the furthest point from the waterfall. Route the
tubing over side of pond (can be hidden under perimeter stones). Make sure the
stone does not pinch the tubing, and avoid sharp bends in the tubing so it does
not kink and reduce flow.
Stage 2 - Tubing Route the tubing to the waterfall.
Bury under soil.
Stage 3 - Building waterfall pond Use displaced soil
from pond to build an elevated area for waterfall. Consider making a small auxiliary
pond in this mound. Position the spillway to flow into main pond. Build the small
pond using the same techniques and liner as the main pond. Two layers of liner
are recommended for this pond. The first one contains the water. The second liner
channels the water towards the fall. Important! Be sure the liner drapes underneath
the waterfall spillway stones - otherwise you will experience water loss when
the waterfall is in operation. You may need to use liner seam tape in this stage.
Stage 4 - Building spillway Once the spillway liner is in place - you
will want to pump water up to the auxiliary pond and watch it flow down the liner
spillway. (at this stage - your pond should be full of water). Carefully select
stones and position them - while the water is flowing over them. With the water
flowing over the rock, you may replace, shift and add stones so you achieve the
desired water spills you desire. Place plant moss and small plants between the
stones around the waterfall to achieve a natural look. |
Solar
pumps
If
there is no electricity supply available you can use a solar pump. They mostly
come in two varieties. The floating "island" type and the "separete
submersible" type that has a solar panel or a few solar panels to operate
the pump. While these pumps may be efficient if they have a night and day back-up
battery system they are not very effective if they are run "solar direct"
or just when the sun is shining. I've also seen many solar pond pumps become practically
useless as soon as a bird poop lands on the solar panel! You'd be surprised how
much a solar power system can degrade in efficiency as soon as shadows or debris
cover one of the cells of the panel. Again...don't buy cheap solar panels! Floating
Island solar fountains are so called because they float on the pool with their
solar cells built in pointing upward, looking like an island. As they are usually
small they need a great deal of sunshine to work and where does the water go?
over the solar cells eventually leaving mineral deposits on the cells obscuring
them from much needed light, so they need cleaning regularly. Also the water cools
the solar cell down making them even less efficient. Separate
Submersible solar fountains are just that, they have a separate solar cell
or cells which can be positioned away from the pond pointing towards the sun and
the pump is sitting in the pond. As most* separate solar fountains have big solar
cells they can run much more powerful pumps giving a better display, we have even
seen some which have a "battery pack" to run the pump at night. Also
because they have bigger solar cells they need much less light to start working
and as the solar cells are not under water they need cleaning less often. As
with most things in this industry you get what you pay for, Island solar fountains
are fairly inexpensive and if they get damaged you throw them away but separates
you can replace the broken part. Our
Highest #1 Reviewed & Rated Pond Pump
Click Here for Our Best Solar Pond Pumps
Best Pond Pump Websites
Here are some websites
we recommend if you are looking to buy something in Canada, The USA, Europe or
anywhere in the world!
PondsOnlineCanada.com
http://pondsonlinecanada.com/pumps.htm
. Pond & Waterfall Pumps 200 to 6,500 GPH . .up to. . Pond, Filter & Waterfall
Pumps 80 to 6,000 GPH .up to. . Marathon Water Feature Pumps 350 to 800 GPH .up
to. . FP Filter Pumps 1,000 to 2,000 GPH . Geyserflow Stainless Steel Pumps 2,320
to 6,290 GPH . ECO Pond, Filter & Waterfall Pumps 950 to 10,000 GPH . Pond Pumps
1,200 to 2,420 GPH . 50 ft. power cord available Split Tube Technology Waterfall
Pumps 1,980 to 8,720 GPH . Triangle & BVP Solids-Handling Pumps 1,380 to 5,280
GPH Lifegard QUIET ONE Pond Pump Kits 220 to 1,500 GPH . Water Master Solids-Handling
Pumps 1,450 to 6,500 GPH Pond & Waterfall Pumps 200 to 5,300 GPH PRO-Line Pumps
1,650 to 10,600 GPH Pond & Waterfall Pumps 250 to 5,000 GPH .up to. OFX Filter
Pumps 2,000 to 3,870 gal. . Titan Filtration Pumps 550 to 4,400 GPH . Waterfall
Pumps 1,200 to 5,200 GPH External Waterfall Pumps 3,400 to 11,000 GPH Statuary
Pumps 52.8 to 650 GPH Floating Fountains .up to. Air Pumps .up to. Solar Pond
& Fountain Equipment. Why Buy Your Pond Pump from PondsOnlineCanada ?
GardenSuperMart.com
http://www.gardenandhearth.com
Prices of the SuperFlo 3000*: Home Depot: $140.00 Canadian Tire: $139.99 Our price:
$104.99! *Prices found on Home Depot and Canadian Tire websites on May 23, 2008.
Statuary Fountain Pump Compare to $24.99Starting at $18.99 SuperFlo 2000 Pond
Pump Compare to $153.95$89.99 Maxflo Waterfall Pump Compare to $159.00 Starting
at $139.99 Algreen CrystalFlo Pond Pump and All-in-One Filter Compare to $249.99Our
Price: $229.99 Algreen Ultra Flo All-in-One Aeration Pump Kits Compare to $106.98Starting
at $95.10 Deluxe Super Flo 3000/4000/5000/6000/ Pond Pump Kits Compare to $140.00Starting
at $89.99 Stainless Steel High Capacity Series Pumps Compare to $579.98Starting
at $554.99 SICCE Master DW Cascades and Filter Pond Pump Compare to $249.99Our
Price: $200.00 Super Flo 800/1300 all-in-one Pond Pump Kit Compare to $123.96Starting
at $69.99 I have the SuperFlo 3000 pump at present and have had no problems so
far . This will be it's 3rd year running, winter and summer. Brenda, Winnipeg
Pond pumps are an extremely important part of any water feature. Regardless of
what you want your water feature to be, the water can not be stagnant. If the
water remains dormant, it will become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and it
will make standing around your pond uncomfortable. Choosing between pond pumps
is simple When you choose a pond pump, the GPH rating (Gallons per hour) should
be about half of your pond’s size. This is enough to circulate the water once
every 2 hours, which is JUST enough to keep the water circulating enough to prevent
mosquitoes from settling in. If you’re planning on having a waterfall, you will
need a stronger pump. The pond pump type you purchase is also important. It’s
good to choose a pump that’s magnetic-driven, as this is quieter and more energy
efficient than a direct drive pump. Fortunately, GardenSuperMart only carries
Magnetic Driven pumps! If you should any further questions regarding the pond
pumps we carry then please don't hesitate to contact us. We can provide you with
recommendations specific to your needs and wants and will assist you in any way
possible. Purchasing a pond pump When buying a pond pump for your water garden,
there are several trade-offs that you need to take into consideration...Read entire
article Pond pump testimonial I purchased pumps from several retailers, and they
never made it to their second year. But then I tried the Algreen Superflo...
CanadianPonds.com
http://www.canadianponds.ca/pumps.html
High Capacity Stainless Steel Pumps These solid submersible pond pumps are used
when maximum flow is required like for creating large cascading water features
or creating tall fountain displays. The handles are stainless steel, the motor
head cover is cast iron, the hose couplings are cast iron and strong plastic,
the impeller is cast iron and bronze, the motor casing is stainless steel and
the filter strainer is plastic and stainless steel. The barb adapter is included
to quickly fit any tubing or hose for a cascade or a fountain. Item # Pump Description
Gallons Per Hour By Elevation 45' Price 5' 10' 15' 20' 25' 30' 40' CP-BSE1311015
1 1/2 " MNPT, 110 V, 60 Hz, 5.5 Amp, 18' cord 2640 2040 1320 780 - - - - $280
CP-BSE121102 2 " MNPT, 110 V, 60 Hz, 7.5 Amp 18' cord 3180 2820 2322 1650 1020
300 - - $320 CP-BSE11102 2" MNPT, 110 V, 60 Hz, 13 Amp, 18' cord - 5220 4680 4260
3780 3240 2520 1980 $580 CP-BSE11103 3" MNPT, 110 V, 60 Hz, 13 Amp, 18' cord -
10200 8520 6600 4800 2400 - - $655 CP-BSE 12203 3" MNPT, 220 V, 60 Hz, 6.5 Amp
18' cord - 10200 8520 6600 4800 2400 - - $655 CP-BSE22204 4" MNPT, 220 V, 60 Hz,
13 Amp, 30' cord - 15600 14100 11700 9900 7200 2400 - $1100 CP-BSE22205 5" MNPT,
220 V, 60 Hz, 19 Amp, 30' cord - 23400 21300 18600 16800 15000 10200 6900 $1500
PondPumpsDirect.com
http://www.pondpumpsdirect.com/
POND PUMPS DIRECT Best Internet Prices... we check hundreds of mail order prices
and Guarantee you our lowest price on all stocked items. We can do this because
we are the UK's major stockist for, Hozelock, Oase, Heissner, Blagdon, & Fishmate
Products. See the wide range of items stocked in the left hand side border. No
Hidden Extras! All prices shown include VAT and delivery Established 27 years!
Here at Pond Pumps Direct our staff are all industry trained and will give professional
impartial advise. If you wish to contact us please telephone us on 0151 448 9111
Looking For A garden Statue? Then look no further than... www.anablep.com Heissner
Easyclean Pressurised Set The Heissner Easyclean is the complete pond filtration
system for clear and healthy pond water. The Easyclean is a combination of the
Heissner Easyclean UVC pressurised filter and the Heissner Aquacraft solids handling
pump, designed specifical... Oase Biosys Free Karcher Pressure Washer With Selected
Models An effective biological system that delivers clear healthy water, simple
and minimal cleaning, as well as tough, durable products that stand up to the
harsh environment of a garden pond. Consisting of Aquamax Eco solid handling pump,
Biotec... Heissner Clearwater Sets The innovative filter system for the professional
Consisting of external pond filter Aqua Clear Pro including filter media this
complete pond filter system is a must for all pond enthusiasts. Both superb mechanical
and biological pond system. The systems come complete with Filter, Pump, UV ...
Karcher All Purpose Pond Vacuum TwinPack The Karcher Pond Vacuum TwinPack is ideal
for the removal of pond sludge, fish waste, decaying vegetation and other unpleasant
floor sediment. The pond canister is connected to the approprietly powered Karcher
wet & dry vacuum. Sludge, rotting ...
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