Best Pond Pump Information 2021
Pumps keep the water in your pond healthy. They help evenly spread nutrients in the water to fish, plants and other aquatic life. Running water prevents stagnation and cuts down on algae and mosquitoes. Keeping the water moving ensures that oxygen levels are distributed throughout the pond. Pumps also provide power for a pond’s water features, like waterfalls and fountains.
This guide will help you learn about the best pond pumps for your garden.
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The best water pumps for your pond and its fountain or waterfall come in variety of types and styles. They include submersible, external, magnetic drive and direct drive. Each of these water garden pumps offers its own advantages.
Submersible Pumps: These pumps are designed to work while wholly submerged in water. Typically, they are installed in the deepest part of the pond. Submersible pumps can be placed either directly into your pond or in a skimmer box or pond vault.
- Easy to install.
- Work well in environments that capitalize on a natural setting.
- No need to camouflage the pump.
- Run very quietly so there’s no distracting noise in your garden.
- Submersible pumps can be used to drain your pond, if needed.
- Range in pumping size from 50 to 5,000 gallons per hour.
- Can generate higher energy costs than other pump types.
- For smaller ponds, submersible pumps are generally more economical.
Tip: Some submersible pumps use oil to operate. If the pump seal breaks and leaks harmful oil coolant into the water, fish can be hurt or killed. If you have fish or other aquatic life in your pond, you’ll want to look for a submersible model that does not use oil.
External Pumps: External pumps can move a high volume of water, yet usually have lower energy costs than submersible pumps. They are not as quiet as submersible pumps. They should be placed in a dry location near your pond. External pumps are a lot more complicated to install. However, they are generally more reliable.
- Available as self-priming pumps able to draw their own water.
- Can be loud, disturbing the quiet of your garden.
- Work well for larger ponds that are 1,000 gallons or more.
- Offer long-lasting performance and easy repair.
- Require less routine maintenance than submersible pumps.
Tip: Pumps that are not self-priming can burn out a motor if the power shuts off momentarily and then comes back on. Protect against this by installing a check valve.
Magnetic Drive: In a magnetic-drive pump, an electrical charge creates a magnetic field that causes the magnet on the impeller to rotate and pump water. Since they have no seals to wear out, they require little maintenance. Occasionally, you will need to clean the impeller and its chamber for the most efficient operation.
- Completely sealed. Magnetic-drive pumps do not require lubrication.
- Because they don’t contain oil, magnetic-drive pumps are safer for ponds with fish, since oil leaks don’t occur.
- Don’t generate high head heights. Magnetic-drive pumps are unable to lift pond water vertically, which you might need to supply water to a fountain. They are not the best water pumps for fountains.
- Work best in cleaner environments with little or no debris.
- Highly efficient and cost-effective.
Direct Drive: Direct-drive pumps have an enclosed motor that is powered by electricity, which turns the impeller shaft.
- Achieve significant head height, so they are able to move water vertically. They are among the best water pumps for fountains and waterfalls.
- Typically more expensive to operate.
- Push water rather than pulling it.
- Not easily repaired.
Tip: Some models seal the motor in an oil-filled shell with seals around the cord and impeller shaft. These are risky to use if you have a pond stocked with fish. There is an ever-present danger of water contamination if a leak occurs. Many newer pumps, however, feature alternative lubrication that is safe for fish. Look for oil-free models if you have fish or other aquatic life in your pond.
Pond Pump Calculations
Pond Pump Features
Types of fish for garden pond
When you build a garden pond, there are numerous varieties of fish that you can choose from for your pond. You can bring different types of fish together in a garden pond. However, care should be taken to avoid predatory and rival species, as this can easily disturb the balance of your pond culture.
We have compiled a list of some of the top fish species you can use in your pond.
Gobi
The Gobi is also sold as an algae eater. However, this fish species feeds on insects and small snails. The maximum length these fish grow is up to 5 to 6 inches and can easily survive up to 5 years. These fish species prefer clean and freshwater. Hence regular cleaning of the pond would be necessary. This fish lives near the bottom of the pond, often between stones.
Rosette
A Rosette is also called as Golden Rudd. This fish can grow up to lengths of 8 to 14 inches. It has a silver-colored body with red fins. It is a healthy fish and does not require much care. However, the oxygen levels of water and freshness need to be optimum. You may require a filter and oxygen pump to maintain the health level of this fish. Rosette makes for an attractive viewing in the pond and can easily mix with other fish species of its size.
Goldfish
This fish species is the most popular of all the pond fishes. They come in a variety of colours like red, yellow, orange, and white. The maximum size of this fish can reach up to 14 inches. However, fish sizes in one pond can vary a lot. This fish feeds on vegetable food and small aquatic fishes and animals. The best-known goldfish are Sarsa and comet tail. They make for a fantastic viewing experience because of colours and vibrancy.
Koi Carps
In the last few years, keeping Koi Carps in ponds has been a trend. These fishes are native to Japan and hence are also called Japanese Koi. Koi comes in different vibrant colours and may grow up to quite a large size of 28 to 32 inches. These fishes require constant temperature in water and need water to be fresh. They can live a long life by pond fish standards, with some living up to 40 years old. If you are going to keep koi, you need to have a larger pond with 50 to 60 inches in depth.
These are just some of the varieties of pond fish, and there are many more still. Whatever pond fish you choose as part of your garden pond, always remember, taking proper care of fish and ensuring adequate living conditions and diet is most important.
Tips for building a great Garden Pond
A garden pond could be a part of a larger waterfall mechanism in a garden or a simple fish pond. There are certain things to be considered while building a garden pond. A nicely build garden pond will add liveliness and beauty to a garden. Below are some tips for building that perfect garden pond.
Keep the pond size suitable
It makes sense to build a pond of a size which will ultimately suit the garden. A pond of very small size or one which is too big won’t be suitable. Also, the location of the pond in garden with respect to house should be considered. Take the opinions of some friends or neighbors to see what would be a suitable location and size for the pond. Planning the size of the pond is extremely important before starting the building work.
Protect the bottom of the pond
It’s essential to protect the bottom surface of the pond against burrowing animals. To protect your pond, make sure to lay down a metal sheet on the surface and then lay dirt and mud on it. Then place the underlayment and liner on top of the dirt. Make sure to protect the sides with pond lining as well to prevent the water from getting out.
Plan the drainage carefully
It’s a high chance that your pond will overflow, especially in a rainy climate. To avoid water spilling out and damaging the plants or area of lawn outside, identify a spillover area in your garden and implement it. Then channel the water towards the spillover area.
Filling the pond
Be creative and fill the pond with great care. You can use a garden hose to fill in the water only up to a certain level. Add in different types of rocks and rounded stones. You can also add different fishes and plants, and amphibians like small turtles to the pond. While adding fishes and other animals and plants, care should be taken to not add species that are invasive or predatory on each other.
Cleaning the Pond
Garden ponds will collect leaves, dust, debris, and you will have to eventually clean it. Create a pond with a smoother surface and lesser rocks, which will be easier to clean. The cleaning process takes a lot of time and planning should be done while building the pond about how much time one would like to spend on cleaning and pond maintenance going ahead.
Fish Friends for Koi
Fish Friends for Koi
When they are in the wild, Koi live with other species of carp. Koi also get along well with killifish and minnows.
Other types of fish that can be found in the lakes and streams they inhabit are large game fish, such as perch, bass and Catfish.
Koi are peaceful and do not bother or prey on other fish in your pond which makes it great for stocking your pond with a variety of other fish.
Sunfish get along well next to carp with Redear sunfish being the most popular for a carp pond.
Grass carp act as natural pruning system for your pond and they will make great friends for your Koi. Grass carp will also help maintain your plant vegetation as they like to eat and out of control plants that are growing too big.
Since they are similar, goldfish make a great friend for your Koi. They share similar color patterns to Koi and will help compliment the beauty of your precious Koi in their new garden pond.
For other fish, largemouth bass, catfish and striped bass will make perfect mates for your Koi. Bigger fish will require a larger pond size so keep this in mind when selecting the size of your garden pond.
Frogs can be really good friends for your Koi or any kind of amphibian. Local frogs, newts and even salamanders can share the same space as your Koi with no issues.
Try to attract frogs naturally to your pond rather than stocking them from a store. Frogs from pet shops may have bacterial infections or diseases that can spread to your fish. We want to keep your fish as healthy as possible so they can live a long life in your garden pond.
Fish that you want to avoid stocking your garden pond with if you have Koi are Bluegill. Carp and Bluegill are rivals and will be destructive to your garden pond as they compete for resources and food.
Small fish such as nano fish should be avoided too. These smaller fish will not be happy swimming around with large Koi and will be anxious and nervous when in an enclosed garden pond with them.
Lastly, the best option to stock your Koi pond with is more Koi. They like to be in a group or a school and the minimum for that is at least 5. If you have a larger pond, you may be able to accommodate up to 15 individual Koi. Be sure to consult with our professionals about the needs for your Koi pond setup.
