Some Horror Stories...

1. You've installed your pond, are ready for your waterfall to roar, you plug in your pump and what you get is a couple of trickles of water.

2. You got a fantastic deal on a swimming pool pump ($20.00), according to the tag it will pump 3750 gallons per hour. You connect your pump, water flow is terrific, just what you wanted. At the end of the month you receive your electric bill--wait a minute--your bill is $48.00 higher than last month-- it must be the pump. You put the pump on a timer. Now your pond is getting cloudy and your fish are gasping for air when the pump is turned off.

3. You buy a pump from a Pond store, connect it to your filter, and watch the water flow get less every day, until you finally figure out that you might have to remove the sponge pre-filter. A week later one of your fish disappear. Sure enough, it's caught in the inlet of the pump, you put a screen on the pump, it clogs up every 2 days just like the sponge pre-filter.

4. You buy a pump and inadvertently drop it, breaking the intake. You contact the store, they have no replacement parts and suggest you contact the Manufacturer. The Manufacturer asks you to send the pump to them for repairs which will take from four to six weeks. Or worse yet, there are no repairs possible since it is a sealed unit. Or even worse, no one can contact the manufacturer. Your fish go on strike when they hear this and most of them die from disgust ,lack of filtration,  and no water circulation.

These are all true stories from our customers, we could provide a couple of hundred more, but what would be the point?

What's Right for your Pond...

  With some advance planning you can avoid the mistakes most commonly made when you purchase a pump.

Flow rate--You should be moving the volume of the pond through your filter once per hour in a pond under 1000 gallons, once every 2 hours 1000-4000 gallons and once every three hours above 4000 gallons. i.e. if your pond is 650 gallons you should have 650 gallons per hour returning to the pond.

  A low tech way to measure this in the absence of a flow meter, is to get a 5 gallon bucket, fill it with your outlet hose and time it with a watch, then multiply to get the per hour figure. On a bigger pump you could use a trash can for this flow estimate. Remember, if you have a Water Fall the pump must push water uphill which will reduce the flow rate.

Head Pressure-- When pumps are forced to push water beyond the water level of the main pond, the amount of water will be decreased the higher it is pushed. Most pumps will provide a chart or graph, visually explaining how much water pressure you will lose at what height (usually in feet).

Friction Loss-- We recommend installing flex pipe or full flow elbows sometimes called street elbows with a smooth interior to maximize water flow. Elbows, valves and too small a pipe can and will restrict water flow. The chart below will serve as a good rule of thumb:

What about Repairs?-- There is truly a bewildering array of pumps on the market, some good and a lot of bad!

  If a Manufacturer produces sealed units that can only be repaired by them, stay away. If there are no pump parts available to the retailer, stay away. If the pump is not U.L. listed, or has no specs on a tag on the side of the pump, stay away.  Most of these types of pumps are throw-away types, that manage to throw-away your money as well. If the pump model is less than six months old, stay away (Manufacturers, including some of the big names have been having the Consumer test their products). 
Some of the pumps we've tested and approved, are listed below:

            Supreme Pond Master Pumps  Sequence Pumps

Cyprio Pumps (Some Models-call for specifics)   Dolphin Pumps
 

Pump Placement-- Submersible Pumps should be placed as far away from the water inflow as possible for good water circulation, if your waterfall is in the middle of the pond connect a tee fitting to the pump's intake end and place the two inlets as far away from the waterfall as possible. This eliminates "Dead Zones" in the pond and assures complete water circulation. Fish Love water circulation, algae doesn't. Never place your submersible directly on the bottom of the pond, the intake will clog with leaves, debris, algae and sticks and stones and may damage the moving parts. 4-5 inches from the bottom, via a well seasoned block or new clay pot will prevent damage to your pump.

Outside the pond pumps can be placed anywhere, our favorite is behind the water fall. The intake should be screened with a "Lake Screen with slots, not holes" and again, as in the case of submersibles, the intake should be as far away as possible from the water inflow. The pump should be covered to prevent rust-out, and should be easily accessible for eventual repairs. A flapper valve not spring loaded check valve or backflow valve preferably the see through kind, should be installed in the event of a power failure, these pumps cannot run dry for extended periods without major damage.

Outside Pump Installation Hints

• Locate the pump as close to the pond as possible. It is best to have your longest run of pipe on the discharge side of the pump.
• Install the pump outside the pond, and below the level of the surface of the pond (flooded suction). This will help insure a proper supply of water to the pump. Remember, a pump can't pump out water if there isn't any available. Even if your supply line comes up and over the top of the pond wall, it will still offer a flooded suction if it has no breaks to atmosphere before it goes back down below the surface level and if all air is removed.
  
• If it is not possible to provide a flooded suction installation then:
  • Position the pump as low as possible, and as near the pond as possible.
  • Install a priming/leaf pot on the inlet of the pump.
  • Install a flapper check valve in the inlet line below the water level. We prefer the translucent kind as it has the advantage of being able to see blockages and can be disassembled with relative ease.
  • Always prime the entire inlet line, priming pot, and pump before turning it on.
  
  
• Always have your inlet pipe diameter equal to or larger than the discharge line.
• Minimize friction losses by using larger diameter pipe and full flow, or street, fittings. Determine the approximate flow rate you want and the approximate total length of your pipe. Consult our pump chart  to choose the proper diameter pipe. (The size of the pumps suction and discharge ports does not dictate your proper size.) Choose a pipe diameter that keeps your friction loss below about 6 feet per 100 feet of pipe. The longer your run of pipe, the more critical it is to minimize your friction loss. Normally, a minimum of 2" line is suggested for systems with flow rates from 30 to 60 gallons per minute.
• Use a filtration system that does not require a lot of pressure, the new Bead Systems serve that function very well . It costs money to create pressure (You need a bigger pump to overcome the pressure loss - bigger pump = more electricity needed). Biological filters work well and require very little pressure. It is extremely important to make sure the water supplied to the pump is FREE of debris.
• Never allow a horizontal centrifugal pump and motor unit to become submerged. If this ever accidentally occurs, shut the unit down, disconnect it, and have a reputable service shop examine the motor before using it.
• Never run a pump dry. This will damage the seal and impeller. They are designed to pump fluid, not air. Insure the pump is full of water before you turn it on, and that it doesn't out-pump the supply. It is extremely important that the water supplied to the pump is FREE of debris.
• Cover the pump and motor unit with a suitable shelter. When protected from rain and dust, the motor will last much longer. The covering should still allow the unit to have suitable air circulation for proper cooling.
• If your pump is producing too much flow, you can reduce the flow by partially closing a valve on the discharge line (never restrict the inlet). Always allow a couple of gallons per minute to flow to prevent over heating.
• If more flow is required than a single pump can produce, use two or more pumps in parallel. This also offers the benefits of being able to vary the flow rates, insure partial flow if one unit needs servicing, and can often save a substantial amount of electricity compared to using one very large pump.
• Choose a pump that can give you the required flows at the lowest possible amp draw. Since many pumps will be operating continuously, the amp draw and its effect on your monthly utility bill can be very significant.
• Check to be sure the motors electrical connections are set up to match the supply voltage.
• Install shut off valves and quick disconnect fittings before and after the pump, so you can easily remove it from the line without having to drain your system.

Safety-- Water and electricity can be deadly. Make sure your pond has an outdoor grounding plug (Triple prongs) You must provide a GFCI outlet for any electrical appliance used in your pond--Do not handle the cord when it or your hands are wet. Check your GFCI outlet once every three months and please do not use extension cords to plug in your pump.