How to Choose the Best External Pump for Your Pond or Water Garden


Choosing an external pond pump for your backyard pond or water garden has many benefits. Unlike most submersible pumps, which cannot be repaired, replacement components are readily available for many external water circulation pumps on the market. When selecting a pond pump, one should take total price of tenure into consideration. This price includes not only the purchase price of the pump itself, but also regular energy usage and useful life of the product. The purpose of this article is to highlight five key areas to consider when deciding on which pump to use for your outdoor water feature.

Energy Efficiency

Unlike swimming pool pumps which typically run for only a few hours per day, a pond pump is designed to run 24/7, 365 days a year in order to ensure optimal water quality for live fish. Because these units are designed for continuous use, energy efficiency is very important. Lower quality pumps can be energy hogs, resulting in astronomical electricity bills. Paying close attention to the rated energy wattage of a pump can help protect against surprises later on. Fortunately, the recent boom in the pond and water garden industry has resulted in a high number of high quality energy efficient pumps being made available to consumers in the USA from a variety of manufacturers. Pumps Design Services.

Flow Rates

For ponds under 5,000 gallons in size, it is generally recommended to turn the total water volume over once per hour. This means for a 2,000 gallon pond, you would need a pump accomplished of attaining a flow rate of 2,000 gallons/hr. Total dynamic head should also be reserved into account. This refers to the effective flow rate after all twists and turns in your plumbing and any resistance caused by waterfalls and other variables. There are several calculators available online which can help you calculate the total dynamic head of your water feature. Once you have calculated this number, make sure the pump you choose is capable of achieving your desired flow rate at this level of head.

Reliability

Nothing is worse to a pond owner than coming home to a find a pond full of dead fish due to a failed pump. A dependable pump is the heart of any pond. Many keepers spend a splendid deal of money on the colorful fish of their ponds, and taking a gamble on a good deal basement pump can frequently result with devastating consequences. Phrase of mouth, purchaser testimonials, and sincerely being diligent about gaining knowledge of a product can assist to make certain you make a wise shopping decision. Failure is not an option when it comes to a pump used for a backyard water feature, especially when the lives of expensive and other pond fish hang in the balance.

Noise Level

Many pond owners love coming home from a long day at work to spend a few hours relaxing to the soothing sounds of a beautiful waterfall. It can be difficult to enjoy this tranquil environment; however, if you are also being flooded with loud noise coming from your pump. Swimming pool pumps are typically far louder than external pumps designed for continuous use in fish ponds. A quality external pond pump should offer whisper quiet operation, so not to take away from the natural sounds coming from your pond and waterfall. Many manufacturers publish the noise decibel levels for their pumps, which should be reviewed by the pond owner before making a purchase.

Warranty Period

If a company stands behind a product they produce, they will stand behind it. In the world of external pumps designed for use in outdoor ponds and water gardens, the industry standard in terms of warranty is three years. With a few prominent exceptions, this is the lengthiest warranty period typically offered by leading manufacturers of pumps. It is not rare for many of these pumps to operate perfectly on a continuous basis for over 5 years before requiring any servicing. If you find an external pump offering a warranty period of less than three years, you may wish to research further before making a decision.

Comments