Anyone know anything about pond pumps?

[AlanThePig]

I’ve discovered that out resident wild ducks absolutely love moving water, especially in this weather. I’ve taken to squirting the hose in the pond when I’m watering my plants and they come over to play.

Now, I’d like to add some kind of water feature to the side of the bank into the water for them, I have an old urn that I could have water spilling out of into the pond, trouble is, it’s a natural pond and it’s very very large.
I keep seeing things like 7000l on pumps but is that just for cleaning the water? Will that still suffice as a basic pump? I’m extremely confused and really want to just get something cheap and cheerful. I tried a solar fountain but the pump clogged pretty quickly and it died.

Help!

Hi, I've been following your other thread! Yes the 7000l p/h is for running a large box filter (normally on koi ponds). For just a small water feature you don't need anything near that size, the main thing that will affect it is the height of return, ie the height difference between the intake and the outlet of the pump. Will it be quite deep or is there a ledge not far under the water you can put the main body of the pump on?

Thanks @Pinkywoo

I've got an old urn which I thought I could put on to this platform tipping in. Height to water will be about 3/4ft, though that does lessen as the water levels rise but the pump will have to remain on the bed of the pond. It's reasonably shallow in that bit compared to the rest of the pond.
I can get power to there reasonably easily too.

I'll take some photos of it from the side later on.

Current height. In winter that will be almost level with the platform. It could drop a bit more from this.

I think anything you can have a row boat on is officially a lake not a pond!!! Looks beautiful OP. We inherited a small overstocked goldfish pond at the other end of the scale, and the pump was knackered, DP did all the research when he bought the new one, the only thing I’d recommend is make sure it is all accessible. Ours has clogged up several times, as it is gradually degunking the pond from its former unloved state, so we have to get it out and clear it from time to time. And as fish keep pooping I guess that will be a regular job!

This are the specs of hozelock cascade pumps, the "max head" in this case would be the height difference between the bottom of the pond where the pump will be and the urn. It doesn't matter what level the surface is at, just how far up the pump needs to push the water.

I'd guess you probably need the 1500 if it's just for an urn rather than a full waterfall, because as you get towards the head limit the flow will be less.

@Pinkywoo

This are the specs of hozelock cascade pumps, the "max head" in this case would be the height difference between the bottom of the pond where the pump will be and the urn. It doesn't matter what level the surface is at, just how far up the pump needs to push the water.

I'd guess you probably need the 1500 if it's just for an urn rather than a full waterfall, because as you get towards the head limit the flow will be less.

Ah right ok, that makes sense. I was looking at litres and thinking 'they don't make anything big enough!' Seems to be coming in around the right price as well, only want it for the ducks to play in so didn't want to throw mega money at it, but £50/£60 is reasonable, that said I've just found a fish mate at £30 that does 1.7m so looking good!

My next question would be, the water can be a bit silty there, can I wrap the pump in hessian or buy some kind of box?

@LemonViolet I'm planning on putting it down where that little deck is so it's reasonably accessible there and close to power in the house. It is a spring fed pond so pretty self sufficient, but it's also full of fish (mostly rudd and roach I believe). I had one of the little solar fountains it but it clogged and died within a week annoyingly.
It probably is more of a lake to be fair, when you tell people who are trying to find the place 'Its the one with the pond in the front garden' you usually get 'thats not a bloody pond!' 😂

You can try hessian, it might just clog quicker though. If there's any way you can raise it slightly above the bottom where the silt is (pile of bricks/couple of breeze blocks maybe?) it would be better.

I have found a pond pump bag! I can raise it I think so that should work. Now to convince DH when he finishes work that the ducklings need a waterfall to play in 😂

That'll work, and of course they need it, it's vital for their ducky development!