Is this pump too much for my little pond?

[BennyLava]

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=141742-42478-19040&lpage=none

I have to get a new pump to go with my new filter unit, and it says that it requires a minimum 2500 GPH to properly function. I don't want to get the water churning too much, due to the suction that will be created by such a high flow pump. Because my pond is only 600 gallons. Thanks, - Benny

 

[koikeepr]

what is your filter unit? We need to know the full picture together. Have you bought it yet?

your link shows this pump as a 3600 GPH pump. I'm all for more flow, but this would be prob be too much for your size pond. Also, what is the wattage for this pump? Can you find out? You should think about that in terms of electricity expense, too. If you don't need a pump with that sized power, why pay for the $ each month to use it?

I tried to google this pump, but it only comes up for lowes. Tetra might be making is specially for Lowes.

Do you have a budget in mind?

 

[koiguy1969]

i dont need to know anything else...3600 gph is 6 times what your ponds volume is.. in other words youd be turning your pond over every 10 minutes.even if your filter was 100 gallons and you pumped that much water thru it...you wouldnt give the filter time to do an adequate job... once an hour is a close rule of thumb for pond turnover rate. and that pump even diverted partially directly to a waterfall would make a falls disproportionate to your pond. you'd have to split it into filter..falls direct , and bottom circulation also.....try the 1200 gph pump and a 55 gallon filter..this combo will make a nice waterfall and give just over 2&1/2 minutes in filtration even at full capacity ..i use this pump and a 70 gal filter on my outside pond, check out my pix to see the falls...

 

[DrDave]

A agree with Koikeepr and Koiguy.

I use an 1150 GPM pump with my 55 gallon Doc filter. It keeps everything clear and I get perfect readings every time I check the chemistry.

 

[koikeepr]

Yeah, and you can likely spend less than what this pond will cost you upfront (not even thinking about the monthly electrical costs)

 

[BennyLava]

Ok yeah you guys are right I should only go with a 2500 GPH pump cause that's what the filter calls for. I bough he BP-1500 Tetra all in one pressure filter, online. So I have that already. But it says that to use the backflush feature which clears out all the mechanically filtered fish poop and plant matter and such, you have to have at least a 2500 GPH pump. Do yall think that would churn the water too much in my little 600 gallon pond? Or possibly hurt my fish if I got too close to it's suction? My budget for the pump is $140 or less.

 

[koiguy1969]

$109.00 at lowes will buy you the 1200 gph TetraPond pump @122 watts, that will serve you well with that filter..(giving you a healthy looking waterfall if wanted) or better yet the 1000 gph pump for about $80.00 @ 85 watts. the filter is rated for up to 2500.. your not listening to whats being said...2500 is over 4 turnovers an hour...still too much.. you do not need a pump like that on a 600 gal pond!! no matter what filter you use..
but do yourself a favor and look into building a filter specific to your needs...

 

[koikeepr]

Koiguy is right, as it the water will be moving too quickly through your filter media to form a good bacteria colony. It can't pass too fast through your sponges and stuff, otherwise you don't allow enough time for the bacteria do to it's thing.

Can you return the filter perhaps? Or maybe not worry so much if the force of the backwash isn't that strong. I have a Laguna pressure filter and it doesn't have any crazy, high power backwash.

This does show the importance of buying things in unison, or at least thinking about it collectively--as in the case of plumbing in particular, as one part often affects the performance of another.

 

[DoDad]

You could build a manifold to direct your water where you want it and how much you want to go through your bio filter.

 

[koikeepr]

that is true if he wanted to go that route, but he would need to decide where the rest of that water goes...

 

[DoDad]

I would assume it would go where ever the water goes after the bio. Waterfall or pond.

 

[BennyLava]

I see what yall are saying about it being too much for such a small pond. That makes sense. All I am saying is that it says in the instructions on the tetra pressure filter "Minimum 2500GPH pump required to perform backflush." Then again, it also says that the filter is for up to a 1500 gallon pond. So maybe I bought too big of a filter for my pond size? The whole thing is about the size of a 5 gallon bucket. Or maybe I could get a pump that I could adjust the flow? Like maybe it has a setting for 1200GPH normal operation, then I could crank it on up 2500 to do the backflush.

I really do like yall's idea of building my own filter better, but I am not that handy when it comes to that stuff and I would need like a step by step guide to go by in order to do it. I saw some other threads where others here have done it, but they built very large ones and I would only need a very small one (I guess?) for my little 600 gallon pond. Not to mention that to ship my tetra back, it would cost me about $30.

 

[koikeepr]

Right, and what we are trying to say is that you might have gotten the wrong filter for your application. And, yes, pressure filters are small and compact, but don't be fooled by that as they pack a lot of power.

Laguna makes a pump that has a diverter. Part of it can go to the filter and part of it can create a fountain affect or head over a waterfall. They are not inexpensive, however. It's called the PowerJet pump, i think. The thing about submersible pumps is that you really shouldn't dial back the power on them, as it stresses the pump. Your best bet would be to divert water the way DoDad is suggesting. The thing you need to consider is where you will divert it to? A waterfall perhaps?

 

[DrDave]

You can never have too much circulation in the pond itself. Place one output tube in a dead zone and give that area circulation. The other one goes through your filter.

 

[koikeepr]

Yes, pressure filters are small and compact, but don't be fooled by that as they pack a lot of power.

Laguna makes a pump that has a diverter. Part of it can go to the filter and part of it can create a fountain affect or head over a waterfall. They are not inexpensive, however. It's called the PowerJet pump, i think. The thing about submersible pumps is that you really shouldn't dial back the power on them, as it stresses the pump. Your best bet would be to divert water the way DoDad and DrDave are suggesting.

The thing you need to consider is where you will divert it to? A waterfall perhaps? I have water diverted on my pump to a 1.5" hose that I have put a smaller fitting (1") on so that it pushes water out very quickly (it's sort of a home made eductor). I divert it to my upper pond, so that it throws up any debris that may have settled and dumps it over my waterfall to my lower pond (which is where all the filtration is happening).