A pond can be a great landscape or architectural feature for any garden, big or small. Whether you want one for aesthetic purposes or simply to breed fish, garden ponds can turn your outdoor living space from a plain piece of land to a wonderful area that people want to spend more time in. Building a water feature takes a lot of work, but having a waterfall, stream or even a regular fish pond on your lawn would be worth it. And although building it may sound like an exciting task, more than how it would look on the outside, selecting the right pump should be a huge consideration as it is the heart and soul of any garden pond.
A pump is essential not only for waterfalls and streams, but even regular fish ponds as well. This is because it is the pump that allows proper oxygen circulation in a water feature so that the fish and underwater plants can continue to thrive. Fishes add life and color to a pond and goldfish, as well as koi fish are popular examples. On the other hand, underwater vegetation is important because it keeps the aquatic ecosystem balanced by keeping fish nourished and algae growth at bay.
One of the main factors you should consider in selecting the right pond pump is the amount of water it should be able to move over a given time. Manufacturers usually list the GPH rating and the lift rating of each pump so that you can better gauge which product is best. Determine your pond's volume by multiplying its length, width and height. You can calculate the number of gallons needed by multiplying the volume in cubic feet by 7.5 gallons. Water should be able to circulate at least once every hour so with that, you will be able to determine the proper GPH rating of your pump. Say your pond measures 5' length by 5' width by 5' height, the GPH rating would be computed as 5 X 5 X 5 X 7.5 to get 937.5, which means you should get a pump rated at least that figure.
Also, you should consider where you want your pond pump to be placed. There are several advantages and disadvantages to each one. Above ground or external pond pumps are very low maintenance because they are less susceptible to clogging since water is not flowing through it. It is also easier to determine if it's working properly or not because it is in plain sight. However, these units may be louder and pricier than their submersible counterparts. Alternatively, submersible or in-line pumps are prone to clogging because of the particulates such as sand, gravel, algae, minerals and the like that frequently pass through them.
Ultimately, the choice is yours but one piece of advice is not to scrimp on your pond pumps because it might cost you more in the end. A beautiful pond without a working pump is nothing so you should invest in a product from a reputable brand like Alpine to make sure that your pond will be in a good running condition for an extended period of time.
