Does my pump need to run all the time?

[Hudson pond keeper]

Just set up my first pond and I'm wondering about pumps and wether they need to run all the time. Can I set my pump to a timer so it shuts off at night to save electricity? TIA

 

[GBBUDD]

all depends what type of pond, fish, filter.. without that information your question can't be answered

 

[Tula]

I believe your pump should run 24/7 unless it's shut off for the winter. I no longer have fish, but still run the pumps to keep the water moving and prevent algae build up...not to mention mosquitoes breeding.

 

[j.w]

@Hudson pond keeper

 

[jgrandmont]

I believe that I've heard/read somewhere that it's not good to keep cycling pumps on and off. They're built for continuous operation.

 

[WaterGardener]

Short answer, yes. It's hard on the pump to turn it off and on all the time. It will last longer if you just keep it running and it's better for the pond, too.

 

[Lisak1]

all depends what type of pond, fish, filter.. without that information your question can't be answered

This right here...

When you say "pond" do you mean 5000 gallons with 20 big koi? Or a preformed 200 gallon pond with a few aquatic plants and no fish? Are we talking the pump that feeds your filter or just a pump on a waterfall or other water feature? The answer may be yes and it may be "whichever you prefer" depending on the situation.

 

[Hudson pond keeper]

Thanks for the guidance all. Sounds like I will keep it running 24/7. At the moment I've got an 880 GPH pump connected to tubing which will eventually form a waterfall. The pond is 8 ft. wide and 4 ft. at its deepest point.

 

[WaterGardener]

Do you know the volume of water in your pond? I think the current recommendation is to recirculate the entire pond volume twice an hour. That pump seems too small for those dimensions. Maybe there is a second pump for filtration?

 

[Mgessert]

I pump into two flood and drain grow beds, so cycle on and off every 30 minutes. I was worried it would wear out the pump, but am going on three years with no trouble. Probably just jinxed myself.