Garden Pond Pump Basics | Choosing Energy Efficient Garden Pond Pumps
Many of the readers to my free weekly newsletter are curious to know about the problems and issues other fish pond owners have or are simply wanting to build up a knowledge base just in case a similar situation arises in their own ponds.
I received quite an extensive email from Makoto who is planning on building a series of ponds and was after some general pond keeping advice and answers relating to his intended design and choice of pond keeping equipment, particularly on how to choose energy efficient garden pond pumps.
Hi Makoto
I've tried to answer your questions as concisely as possible but have provided you with links to pages on my website which will hopefully give you a better understanding.
Q1. Should I use multiple pumps - one for each pond, or as small as possible number of larger pumps to connect multiple ponds/waterfalls?
When it comes to "How To Choose The Right Water Pump For A Pond" I would opt for a pump per pond as this will mean several smaller energy efficient garden pond pumps using less power. There is also less chance of your pond coming to a halt should a single pump fail. You could even use a second smaller pond pump on each pond simply to power the waterfall. Often the use of 2 Pond Pumps works out to be more cost effective in the long term.
This way you can switch your waterfall off at night and the pond filter bacteria will still be supplied with oxygenated water via the main pump.
Q2. Which would be more cost effective and energy efficient? Is a magnetic pump more efficient and quiet?
There isn't a single answer to this question. It will depend upon the volume of the ponds and also how high you need pond water to be pumped to. If you have a fountain that needs water pumping to quite a height then you will need a powerful pump that can accomplish this.
If on the other hand you have several small fish ponds then you are better off using specifically designed pumps for small fish ponds. These low power consumption pond pumps will reduce your electricity costs, providing they are powerful enough for the size of your garden pond.
If you have several large fish ponds then on the whole I would advise you to use garden pond above ground pumps. These external pond pumps are more expensive to buy but are generally more reliable and easier to maintain because they are not submerged in the pond itself.
A major factor in your choice of pond pump is the running costs (electricity usage). This can make a major difference when you consider that a pond pump needs to run 24/7 in order to supply the biological filter media with oxygen, so that ammonia and nitrite can be broken down.
Take a look at Pond Pump Basics which will help you to discover what you need to be aware of including the circulating volume of water within each pond, pond pump head, fish stocking density, pump flow rate and power consumption.
Q3. I am also concerned about noise. Are many small Garden Pond pumps quieter than one or two large pumps? I have a small fountain kit with a small pump and that pump makes noise, and it bothers me.
A small submersible pump will make less noise than a more powerful centrifugal pond pump such as those produced by Baldor in the USA. To be honest the noise made by the pumps will me masked to a large extent by the sound of your waterfall and flow of water between your ponds.
Q4. What Is The Best Pond Construction Material?
"I am thinking of somewhat unconventional approach. The earth I am digging is somewhat hard, almost rocky, composed of yellow clay solid and hardened. I am inclined to use concrete instead of plastic liner. The pond forms are very irregular, natural, so I will apply concrete as though making a big earthwork sculpture. I am thinking of mixing in a little soil to make the color yellowish to fit in the surrounding earth color. And mixing in small bamboo twigs for tensile strength, somewhat similar to traditional Japanese tea house mud-plaster wall construction technique. I thought maybe I can nail-in a lot of nails or wires into the walls of earth and apply concrete, thus, making the concrete and earth integral."
I would advise you to use a pond liner and create a Liner Pond as it is not only cheaper to construct a pond using this material but is also much more flexible in terms of the shapes you can get. Concrete if not rendered correctly and sealed correctly has a habit of forming hair line cracks in the porous concrete, allowing water to leak out of your pond. It is also very hard to detect these hair line cracks with the naked eye.
Many manufacturers even supply a 20 year guarantee providing that a suitable pond underlay is used to protect the pond liner from the exposed soil, containing sharp stones, twigs and other objects that may cause a tear in the liner.
On the other hand if the ponds are going to be large, house many large Koi and require bottom drains etc then concrete is the material to go with. Please be aware that when it comes to Large Concrete Ponds it is not possible to repair a leak whilst water and fish are still present. You will need to find a temporary home, whilst any repairs are ongoing.
You will also more than likely need:
- Bottom drains
- Correct shape
- Pond skimmer systems
- Good depth (6ft and more)
- High flow rates
- Winter heating
- Very high and specialized biofiltration capacity
- Spare pumps
- Highly regular and thorough cleaning regimes
- Large air pumps
- Highly specialized feeding regimes
"I thought about mixing in Xypec, waterproofing mixture in concrete, to keep water, but now I am thinking maybe I shouldn't, allowing the pond intentionally somewhat permeable to supply moisture underground for better ecosystem. I realize then I will have to supply additional water as the water loss occurs. But I have to do it anyway as water evaporates."
No if you choose concrete then you will have to make sure that the pond is fully waterproof without any cracks or leaks anywhere. Applying a water proof sealant is a good idea.
You do not want pond water leeching into the soil as this means having to replace the pond water which means treating the water to remove chlorine and chloramines, commonly found in domestic tap water. Too many water changes are also bad in trying to maintain a constant pH.
There are enough opportunities for water to escape from your pond without making it easier. The following are major factors responsible for water loss in ponds...
- Evaporation, particularly in warm climates.
- Strong winds.
- Loose connections/fittings and or damaged/worn fittings.
- Waterfalls or fountains - As water is powered to the top of the fountain or waterfall by your pump there is the opportunity for water to escape.
- Rocks - If water flows over rocks/gravel between your ponds then there is the possibility that some of the water will leak into the surrounding soil beneath the rocks/gravel. Always use a liner below the rocks/gravel so that water can't escape into the surrounding soil.
Q5. Someone said that pond water level has to be 1' below the pond edge to keep raccoons and other animals from eating fish?
If you have a large, deep garden pond that incorporates adequate hiding places then most fish are able to dart or scurry away from possible predators. They hide in the depths in the shadows, behind pond filters, between aquatic plants etc.
How To Deter Herons From Stealing Koi...
There are other ways to keep your pond fish safe from predatory creatures such as herons, king fishers, raccoons, cats etc.
The use of Animal Scarers also known as Pest Repellents is common. Some units spray the intruder with water, whilst others give off ultrasonic sound that scares the intruder away.
How To Discourage Herons From Eating My Fish...
Believe it or not many predatory birds including Herons are territorial. So if you were to place a Heron Statue near to your garden ponds then the real Heron would more than likely move on to find its own territory.
For those of you who are interested in knowing the correct fish stocking density or volume of your pond, please take a look at my FREE pond calculators by clicking the link .... save a copy for yourself.
Further information regarding pond pH and how to control massive swings can be seen by taking a look at this article What You Need To Know About Garden Pond pH And Buffering!