How do you protect pump inlet from clogging & maintain good pressure?

[Usman]

i wanted to know what every one does to protect submersible pump life and maintain good pressure , how often they need cleaning .

i have been trying few things since years but all of them have downsides , sponges protect pump well but weekly cleaning needed , gravel works well for larger debris but dont stop algae from clogging , if i dont add anything then the pump gets dirty reduces its life or the pipes buildup and decreases pressure , best thing that worked for me yet is nylon net of meter or 2 rolled around loosely to have more surface area

it may not be issue if you have powerful pump that is designed to intake solids or the one which sits in skimmer , i have 2 medium pumps that has outlet in waterfall bog and other bog filter and one airlift system .

 

[cas]

My pump sits in a skimmer and I clean the filter in the skimmer daily in the spring, every couple of days during the summer and fall. Are you looking for something that requires no maintenance?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

i wanted to know what every one does to protect submersible pump life and maintain good pressure , how often they need cleaning .

i have been trying few things since years but all of them have downsides , sponges protect pump well but weekly cleaning needed , gravel works well for larger debris but dont stop algae from clogging , if i dont add anything then the pump gets dirty reduces its life or the pipes buildup and decreases pressure , best thing that worked for me yet is nylon net of meter or 2 rolled around loosely to have more surface area

it may not be issue if you have powerful pump that is designed to intake solids or the one which sits in skimmer , i have 2 medium pumps that has outlet in waterfall bog and other bog filter and one airlift system .

Any pump (more-so mag-drive pumps) placed directly in a pond will be high maintenance .......especially an eco-pond.

 

[MitchM]

I try to clean my pump intake weekly, more often if a lot of debris is falling into the pond.
It's an expected part of maintenance.

 

[Koi4JT]

i wanted to know what every one does to protect submersible pump life and maintain good pressure , how often they need cleaning .

i have been trying few things since years but all of them have downsides , sponges protect pump well but weekly cleaning needed , gravel works well for larger debris but dont stop algae from clogging , if i dont add anything then the pump gets dirty reduces its life or the pipes buildup and decreases pressure , best thing that worked for me yet is nylon net of meter or 2 rolled around loosely to have more surface area

it may not be issue if you have powerful pump that is designed to intake solids or the one which sits in skimmer , i have 2 medium pumps that has outlet in waterfall bog and other bog filter and one airlift system .

I use a screen mesh waste basket (trash can) that is about 14" diameter at top and about 18" tall. I use a standard 5 gal pail cover for the top. I use a submersible pump which I install inverted within the waste basket and the top has a hole for the discharge pipe and electrical wire to pass. Every 4-6 weeks, I get in the pond to pull the basket assembly out to hose off the screen and pump. Other than getting into the pond without taking a swim, it works pretty well. The waste baskets can usually be purchased at Big Lots, or big box hardware stores for well under $10.

 

[sissy]

mine are laguna and have a cage around them and I have them hanging from a metal pipe across the pond

 

[carolinaguy]

Don't use submersibles. External only. Never clogs. Never fails and electrocutes the fish. Lasts for 20 years.

 

[addy1]

Don't use submersibles. External only. Never clogs. .

Same only external, hardly do anything, cleaning wise ,to the pump all summer.

 

[Usman]

Don't use submersibles. External only. Never clogs. Never fails and electrocutes the fish. Lasts for 20 years.

Same only external, hardly do anything, cleaning wise ,to the pump all summer.

i agree they have large inlet and design is made for sucking solids . definitely this is the advantage they have greater sucking power , more high jet , easy to set anywhere with just outlet and inlet pipes to adjust anywhere

just one disadvantage they take more energy , i did some comparison of ext with submersible pumps that how much watts they take for G/h , it may vary but i compared few (although its efficiency will improve when we increase pump size and height )

 

[Waterbug]

I toss the pre-filter sponge.It's there more for marketing than benefit.

I like the pump after the skimmer...and I like a skimmer. http://www.waterbugdesign.com/pond/skimmer.html

Next best is some place above the above the bottom. Bottom is worst possible for clogging and also if a pipe/hose lets loose you drain the pond in about an hour. Fish don't like that.

External pumps are fine for larger ponds. They do actually break and are not always trouble free. They can also be too loud for some locations and people. However, a large pump is not required for a large pond. In water garden/light fish load no pump is actually needed, but a small one ins nice imo.

 

[sissy]

Now that i have the cage on my laguna pumps I like them and the handle is great to hang my pumps at any height in the pond off the pipe .I did go from 1 1/4 size hose to 1 1/2 size and that brought the energy cost down on y laguna pumps

 

[Usman]

Now that i have the cage on my laguna pumps I like them and the handle is great to hang my pumps at any height in the pond off the pipe .I did go from 1 1/4 size hose to 1 1/2 size and that brought the energy cost down on y laguna pumps

How big is the mesh in cage , get pic next time you clean (dont pick it now for me) , seen on net some people took 2 baskets and joint thm

 

[sissy]

My laguna pumps came with a cage around them already and I love the handle you can see it in my rebuild pics .use a crate in my filters and put some quilt batting in it to pick up fine stuff in my pond

 

[Usman]

My laguna pumps came with a cage around them already and I love the handle you can see it in my rebuild pics .use a crate in my filters and put some quilt batting in it to pick up fine stuff in my pond View attachment 97196 View attachment 97197

thnx sisy very helpful

 

[addy1]

My external pump is very quiet, you have to be standing by it to know it is running. The intake is off the bottom and surrounded by a large bucket full of holes so there is no hard drawn to suck in the fry, tads etc.

I have only used small submersibles, I have one in my deck pond with a additional matala filter not this one, but it does not need cleaning all summer. Keeps the water flowing when the stream pump is off.