Generally speaking, a pond pump is a pump that moves water within a pond. The water can be moved just around the pond, to circulate it, or it can be pulled out of the pond through a pond filter and even shot into the air as a fountain. Pumps can even be used to 'push' pond water vertically for waterfalls and other water courses. Why should I buy pond pumps? The diameter of your piping, and even the material, can affect friction head – although this is usually negligible in ponds. Public domain. For a fountain, the pump’s strength determines how high and forcefully the water climbs. To figure out the flow rate you’ll need, measure the diameter of your fountain’s outlet. For every inch, add 100 GPH to your flow rate. Easy to install and operate, the Laguna Powerjet 5000 pond pump is completely submersible and engineered to run continuously as a result of the finest materials in Italian manufacture. The Laguna Powerjet 5000 Pond Pump combines unparalleled water flow with low energy consumption for an easy-to-install solution to clear pond water. The pump is powered by a magnetic driven motor that is unmatched in the market for its ability to generate powerful and continuous water flow, while consuming minimal electricity.

True TDH calculations can also involve friction head and pressure head. Friction head describes how pipe size and material affects resistance to flow. Friction head usually doesn’t make a big difference for garden ponds, and a detailed explanation is beyond the scope of this article. Still, there are a couple of easy ways that all pond owners can limit friction head. When choosing a pump, always plan to use the manufacturer’s suggested pipe size. Smaller pipes mean less room for water and therefore less flow rate. Using a thinner pipe is a waste of your pump’s power and can even damage certain setups. You can also account for friction by adding 1 foot of head for every 10 feet of horizontal piping between the pump and your filter or feature. Every 90° turn in the piping contributes 1 foot of head as well. For more exact calculations, you can use a friction loss chart. Keep in mind that these are often intended for professional landscapers.The first step in sizing a pump is finding the flow rate you need. Flow rate refers to volume of water moved per unit of time. Depending on where you live, flow rate is usually given in gallons per hour (GPH) or liters per hour (LPH). The more energy your pump can supply, the more water it can move at one time. Pressure head is the resistance from devices that use pressure to operate. You may need to include pressure head if your pump is going to power a pressurized filter, UV clarifier, or spray nozzle. (Pressure head is easy to estimate, but if you happen to know a device’s actual pressure, you can calculate it exactly using the conversion factor 2.31 feet = 1 psi.) The more height there is in the system, the higher the flow rate and head height requirements of the pump. Public domain. Pressure head will depend on the equipment in your system, but can increase greatly with pressurized filters, clarifiers, and in-line heaters. Public domain. Choosing the right size pond pump is important to obtain optimal flow, but also so as not to damage equipment. Public domain.

The right pump can be a crucial part of a garden pond’s ecosystem. By circulating the water in your pond, a pump helps keep fish healthy by maintaining safe levels of dissolved oxygen. Keeping the water moving also helps to promote aeration and nutrients throughout the pond and discourages the growth of pests like mosquitosand algae. Equipment like filters, waterfalls, and fountains each need specifically sized pumps to function well. To create a moderate flow, look for a pump that supplies a flow rate of 150 GPH for every inch of width. To make the flow gentler, adjust this figure to 100 GPH; to make it more powerful, adjust to 200 GPH per inch. For example, if your waterfall is 20 inches wide, you’ll need a flow rate of about 3,000 GPH for a moderate flow (20 * 150 = 3,000 GPH). If your waterfall is 6 feet tall from the pond surface to the top and is connected with 20 feet of hose, your pump will need to provide that 3,000 GPH at 8 feet of head height (6 + 20/10 = 8 feet). Table 1. Calculating Flow Rate and Head Height for Fountain and Waterfall Pumps

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These general guidelines are useful for understanding what flow rate and head height can tell you about a pump. The next step is applying them to your particular setup. Below, we’ve laid out some specific details about sizing pumps for water features, and for filtration and circulation. Two separate flow controls, each one independently adjusts water flow to fountainhead and waterfall