Everyone has different reasons for building a new pond in their garden or patio. Some simply want a garden water feature with or without a fountain effect, others want to keep fish from simple goldfish to beautiful koi carp.
Pond pumps do what they say on the box. It pumps the pond water which circulates or turns it. The pump you choose will depend on the pond effects you want, the purpose of the pond and its size. A pond pump may not be necessary for example if you are creating a wildlife pond you can use specific plants to help keep the water clear. However a Koi pond requries that the water is turned every 1-2 hours and other ponds should be turned every 3-4 hours
One thing to consider when choosing a pond pump is that it must be capable of pumping the volume of water in the pond. Here is a rough guide:
Work out how many litres of water you have in your pond:Width (m) x Depth (m) x Length (m) = x Litres. E.g:
- 2m wide x 1m deep x 1m long = 2000 litres
- 3m wide x 1m deep x 2m long = 6000 litres
Now you have your pond volume you can work out the required pond pump output litres per hour) bearing in mind the purpose (fish/no fish) as mentioned earlier
- A 2000 litre pond requires a pump with at least 1000 LPH output to circulate the water every 2 hours
- A 6000 litre pond requires a pump with at least 3000 LPH output to circulate the water every 2 hours
Got it?
Pond pumps aren’t cheap and you don’t want to make a costly mistake as the bigger the pond the more expensive the pump will be! So you should ask at the pond pumps store for advice just to be on the safe side.
It is always better to get a larger pump than you need, this is simply because once you have reached the limit of a smaller pump it can’t be turned up, but larger pumps can be turned down. If you have a pond holding 2000 litres of water, opt for a pump that can operate at a higher output than 1000 LPH.
You might want a lovely fountain or waterfall effect or need a filter to keep the pond clear of blanket weed or small debris such as leaves. Both of these will require a bigger pump because you are asking them to work harder. However there are many fountain and filter pump combination pumps on the market today.
Finally, Most pumps have the actual output in the name such as the Hozelock Titan Filter Pond Pumps or Bermuda Atom Fountain Pond Pumps. You don’t require two sets of calculations for combination pumps such as these. If you bought them separately you would first need to calculate the output required based on the volume PLUS the output required to also power the fountain, waterfall or filter.
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Jun 23rd, 2009. Comment. 
Quickly and accurately measures the pH of pond water, reading pH levels from 5.0 to 9.0. Makes 160 tests.
Filed under Pond Supplies by on Jun 13th, 2009. Comment.
Specially formulated pond food for use when the pond water is from 42-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Filed under Pond Supplies by on May 25th, 2009. Comment.
After finishing the construction of your Koi garden, you're now on the fun part: you now choose and pick the best flowers and plants that will suit your pond. Choose the ones that are beautiful and those that will provide biological life, as it helps in maintaining your pond by doing what they would do as their natural function.
You should pay close attention to your climate and area, as some plants simply can't survive in certain kinds of conditions. You can always have a consultation with your local Koi dealer in order to gain some ideas as to what plants are suitable for your pond.
Plants that you can use for your garden:
The Water Hyacinths:
Having water hyacinths is advisable if you don't have the time to plant, maintain the foliage of your water garden, or just lazy enough in gardening. Recently, they have become very famous due to their simple nature. Never requiring any soil or planting, you can just simply throw them into the pond. They just need little time to anchor themselves so that they won't float freely all over the pond.
Water hyacinths are both very pretty and functional, as they help fight algae and blanket weeds. The disadvantage of having these plants in your garden and pond is that they'll really spread all over the place, making them very invasive. They can infest up to your neigbor's yard, which could be difficult to get rid of.
The Lotus plants:
The lotus plants can keep with the theme of having tropical fish (like the Koi) in your pond. This plant has a beauty simply unparalleled by the others. The lotus gives your outdoor pond beautiful blooms and fragrant smells. These plants thrive in temperatures rising higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit, that is why during the winter there may be a need for you to have a place to store or house them.
A greenhouse that's designed for water plants is truly a great thing to have when it comes to this. The lotus plants will require a large dosage of the sun's light and soil. They should be placed indoors during the colder seasons, and planted in the pond 2 to 3 feet deep during the warmer seasons.
Hidden yet functional plants:
Have those plants that are not necessarily seen in your garden as well. These are the ones that live below the water line, providing important functions to your pond. They can put oxygen back into the water, battle algae, and feed the fish as well. These plants are sold in bundles by your local pet store or fish dealer. Once they're placed in the water, you need not worry about them, because many of them will not need any additional support during the winter. The only downside that these plants have compared to others is that they can't be seen in your garden.
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on May 24th, 2009. Comment.
