What to Consider When Buying a Pond Pump
Picking the right pond pump can seem a bit overwhelming, especially if you're new to the pond industry. However, it's really quite simple, and below you'll find a clear explanation of the most important factors to consider when buying a pump for your backyard water garden.
The pond pump is the heart of your water garden, so you want to make sure you purchase one that adequately meets its needs. It's responsible for circulating water throughout your pond and ultimately keeping it clean. It also aerates your pond's water and provides the soothing sound of running water.
The two main factors you want to consider when purchasing a pond pump are force and function.
* Force refers to the amount of power a pump has. There are several factors that can be used to determine how much force your pond pump needs to have in order to function effectively. Head Pressure calculators are excellent tools for this, because they take into account important factors such as the resistance of vertical lift in your pond, the length of the pipe you're using and the fittings that are in place.
You always want to purchase a pond pump that exceeds your needs. You can adjust its flow if it's too great, but you can't increase its capacity.
* Function refers to the purpose your pond pump will serve. To determine this, you need to decide what kind of water applications you want to run. For example, if you want to create a large waterfall and stream that requires lots of water flow, you're going to need a pond pump that packs more force. However, if you'd prefer smaller applications such as fountains, spitters and mini-waterfalls, you can make do with less forceful pumps.
Direct drive pond pumps and external drive pumps are the most powerful, and they are most often used for large waterfalls and streams. Magnetic drive pumps and statuary pumps pack less force but more efficiency, and they are often used to power fountains, spitters, mini-waterfalls and other stand-alone applications.
Use this guide as you choose the best pond pump for your backyard water garden. Take time to research all the different brands available until you find the model that best meets your needs.
Kelly Nuttall is a pond enthusiast and an employee of Pondliner.com, a leading
pond supplies retailer. Pondliner.com specializes in
Little Giant pond pumps and a wide variety of other water garden products.pond pumps, pond pump, fish pond pump, pond supplies, garden pond pump, garden pond pumps