Pond Pump Specifying
How to Specify Any Submersible Pond Pump… It is very important to make sure that you select the correct pump for your specific need. This could save you not only money, but a huge amount of frustration!
A point to note is that pumps for fish ponds need to run 24/7. Aeration and circulation are essential for fish ponds. Fountain pumps can be switched on and off whenever the need be.
There are generally 2 types of application. One is a fountain pump where the water is generally clean and the pump is not subject to harsh conditions as in a fish pond. Fountain pumps can run 24/7 but are usually switched on and off when required. Please note that by Law, all outdoor pumps need to have a 10 meter cable. Short cables are for indoor use only.
Pond Pumps that are used in fish ponds are required to run 24/7 and need to be able to handle solids as in fish waste, leaves and other debris that end up in the pond. There are 2 types of pond pumps and they are either pressure pumps or volume pumps.
An example of a pressure pump is a swimming pool pump (Contact us below if you are interested in a swimming pool pump). Pressure pumps are necessary for pressure filtration systems and where you need to pump water to great heights.
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A low energy pump will consume 50% less energy while still pumping out the same volume of water. These are the Hailea pumps which are extremely good! Low energy should always be your first option!
The correct size pump for your application is vitally important!
You need to specify 2 items to select the ideal pond pump…
1. The vertical height of the waterfall inlet above the water surface of the pond
Do NOT measure from the bottom of the pond… measure this in cms.
I suggest you then add 20% of the measured head to allow for what are known as head losses in pipe systems. For example if your pond pump head is 1 metre add 20 cms to get a final pump head of 1.2 metres. You will use this number in your pump selection.
2. Work out the water volume flow rate for a submersible pump when a waterfall is included in pump system … You need to work out how much water flow is required to give you a nice waterfall which is a function of the width of the waterfall overflow(s).
This is how you determine the pump flow required… If the stream section before the waterfall splits into a series of smaller overflows, add all the mini overflows together to get the true width in inches. In this you would add the width of the first point to the width of the second point. This width is needed to work out the water flow you will need to specify the submersible pond pump.
If you have no waterfall then pond pump choice is easier…