Defence21
Full Member
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 7:18 am
Location: Johnstown, PA

New to ponds...need help with equipment

I inherited four small ponds (the largest being roughly 500 gallons) when I purchased my house three years ago. The location of the ponds has them out of sight and often out of mind, so after the first summer, I kind of let them go; the second summer was worse; and last summer I didn't even run them. In the meantime, much of the equipment has gone bad and no longer works -- I estimate much of it is 10-15 years old.

Anyway, at present, I've ripped out all four ponds (three preformed and one soft liner) and am moving the largest to a location closer to my house where it will become a focal point and not a hidden nuisance.

I'm at the point now where I'm looking for a pump that will provide enough flow to keep the water quality high enough that I can put some fish and/or tadpoles in it, while also maintaining the ability to flow a waterfall that will require probably 10 feet (max) of hose with an incline of probably 4 feet (from the bottom of the pond).

I'm also on a budget and can't get into anything high end at the moment. Under $100 is a must, and more in the $50 - $75 range is much more fiscally pleasing to me.

Can anyone help? Is a waterfall pump all I'll need? Do I need any kind of filter, as well?

Thanks in advance!

Dillbert
Greener Thumb
Posts: 955
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:29 pm
Location: Central PA

can't provide all the answers - but to help get you started in the right direction....

water quality - largely not dependent on pump/waterfall. if you're going to do a waterfall, up at the top of the falls you should provide some sort of filter box.

the type and filter media can range from hi-tech chemical everything to low tech straw mats. the basic theory is to maintain a water chemistry that discourages algae; the 'falls' bit provides aeration/oxygen - needed by any aquatic life you pick.... pH, etc all come into play.

>>incline
figure the vertical distance from the surface of the lower part to the top of the falls part. that's the "lift" the pump needs to provide.

pumps are rated at x gallons per minute at y feet of "lift" (also called "head" - if you see that term)

here's the biggie problem: how wide / size / shape of the 'waterfall' and your expectations of "what is a waterfall" determines how many gallons per minute (gpm) you need to pump "up the hill"

can't answer that question - ranges from 2-3 gpm to 50-60 gpm.

you may want to visit a home center with "set ups" to get some idea of how much flow looks like what.
installing a bit of 'overcapacity gpm' is advised - you can 'regulate' the flow with a valve.

Defence21
Full Member
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 7:18 am
Location: Johnstown, PA

Thanks, Dillbert. Very useful information!

Do you have any suggestions for affordable, effective pond pumps?



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