Little giant external pump help....newbie!

[maxXx430]

hello people!!

i have always been in love with fish and finally had the space to build a small pond. Its about 10x6 feet and about 4 feet deep ( going down into a V shape, not straight down) can someone estimate how much gallon i have?

my next concern is i have a little giant pump similar to http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...1csegpl&ref=6111&subref=AA&CAWELAID=525421420 and this pump is to strong for my pond. can i adjust it someone?

Thanks in advance. i am still learning as i go along.

 

[CometKeith]

Hi There are a lot of pond volume calculators on the internet but you will have to try to estimate what the average depth is of your pond. Here is one that looks pretty good because it also lets you put in the shape as well. http://www.pondcare....tor/index.aspx. It's tricky to figure out your average depth. It's definitely not 2 ft.
I did a quick math calculation to determine what a cone shape would hold and if the average radius of your cone is 3.5 ft then it holds about 58 cubic feet or 433 gallons. I worked backwards and used the following calculation and inserted your pond volume of 433 gallons and solved it for average depth. It came out to 1.35 ft. Note my math is not perfect because I estimated your cone was round and average width of 7 ft. Maybe someone who is good at math can calculate it more precisely.
Oval Pond ------- Length x Width x Depth x 6.7 = Water Volume
So my guess is 400-450 gallons. if you have rocks in it then it will hold less water. My pond is similar size and I stick to goldfish. Your pond can probably hold up to a max of 10-12 goldfish between 2-4" using a rule of thumb of 1" of fish per 10 gallons.You don't want to overcrowd them because they need some room to grow. Be sure to read how to cycle a pond before adding fish. I hope this helps.

 

[Catfishnut]

hello people!!

i have always been in love with fish and finally had the space to build a small pond. Its about 10x6 feet and about 4 feet deep ( going down into a V shape, not straight down) can someone estimate how much gallon i have?

my next concern is i have a little giant pump similar to http://www.drsfoster...ELAID=525421420 and this pump is to strong for my pond. can i adjust it someone?

Thanks in advance. i am still learning as i go along.

Max,

Your volume is simple to estimate with your dimensions. It won't be perfectly precise, but it will be really close. If your pond is 10 x 6 x 4, but "V" shaped, then you have 1/2 the volume of a rectangular cube that is that dimension. 10' x 6' x 4' = 240 cubic feet. One cubic foot is about 7.48 gallons so 240 cubic feet x 7.48 is about 1,795 gallons. Take half of that and you have 898 gallons. So, the volume of your pond is estimated at 900 gallons.

Your pond probably isn't a perfect "V" shape, it's probably more of a hybrid between a "V" and a "U" shape I would expect, so it is probably 15% to 25% more than 900 gallons. Let's say that it is 1,000 to 1,100 gallons and you will be very close for any pump calculations.

I didn't take into account the ends of the pond being sloped or any rocks or plant bases being in there, so my calculations are higher than what Keith figured, so that is why we differ. I am figuring long.

The pump you have is definitely overkill for your pond. The smallest pump that your link took us to was almost double what you needed. I have been told that you want to cycle your pond volume once per hour, roughly. Therefore, you want a pump with a GPH rating of around 900 to 1,000. Your pump is going to cost you much more than you need to operate. There really isn't any way to reduce or adjust it. You can divert it and use it for other purposes in the pond, but it will still be a major overkill. I would return that pump if you can or sell it to someone else that can use it and get a Pondmaster 750 or 950 GPH pump instead. The pump itself will be less expensive and it won't cost as much to operate.

Good luck and have fun!

Gordy

 

[Waterbug]

You can put a ball valve on the outflow, never the supply side, and dial the ball valve to whatever flow you want. I'd put the valve as far away from the pump as possible to reduce any interference with the pump. You won't save any electric however. Some people believe this will shorten the pump's life, and it's true, but no more so than if the pump had to push water to a higher head height.

 

[maxXx430]

thanks for the reply! i am going to estimate i have approximately a 600 gallon pond.

now i need to find a filter that will do justice. the little giant pump i have was given to me along with a 55 gallon drum filter. looks like it went to waste.

 

[sissy]

lucky you free stuff and good stuff at that .

 

[taherrmann4]

thanks for the reply! i am going to estimate i have approximately a 600 gallon pond.

now i need to find a filter that will do justice. the little giant pump i have was given to me along with a 55 gallon drum filter. looks like it went to waste.

I would use the drum filter and convert it to a skippy or doc bio filter, there are DIY instructions on this forum. For the pump is the one you have 1740 gph? You could always put a T in the line and divert the water to another spot on the pond, maybe another waterfall or just have go back into the pond you don't have to do anything special.

 

[Rhoadsclan]

What is the hp on your pump? or model number.

 

[maxXx430]

I would use the drum filter and convert it to a skippy or doc bio filter, there are DIY instructions on this forum. For the pump is the one you have 1740 gph? You could always put a T in the line and divert the water to another spot on the pond, maybe another waterfall or just have go back into the pond you don't have to do anything special.

i like the dual water idea, but the suction of the pump is too strong and its sucking up the fish food.

What is the hp on your pump? or model number.

im having a hard time reading the model because most of the tags are teared off. i think it says 14 hp. if im not mistaking

as for now, i dissembled my setup. i am going to use a 14 gallon plastic garbage can convert it into a filter. the only problem is there is no shower drain that is 1". looks like i have to cut a hole and just it up. still looking for a decent pump if anyone has anything.

 

[CometKeith]

re volume of water, Gordy you have to half it again because it is a v shape from both the length side and width side. You only figured one of the sides being a "v" and the other side going straight down which it isn't.That's why I used the volume of a cone to determine it. I still think it's around 450 gallons give or take. If you half your number then we are about the same. There are other factors like it probably has shelves which aren't holding much water, and I'm sure it doesn't go down to a point in the middle. Obviously the best way is to know would be to fill it up with buckets of a certain volume of water and count how many buckets it takes to fill it.

 

[addy1]

You could put two or three different inputs on the pump from the pond, divide the inflow of water to more places. That would reduce the suction.

Use a t to add three lines to the input. Get a retro fit bottom drain for one of the feeds, you could also the a retrofit skimmer if you have problems with stuff falling into your pond. Then with the outflow, you could divide it to the filter, a water fall etc.

and welcome to our group!

 

[Catfishnut]

re volume of water, Gordy you have to half it again because it is a v shape from both the length side and width side. You only figured one of the sides being a "v" and the other side going straight down which it isn't.That's why I used the volume of a cone to determine it. I still think it's around 450 gallons give or take. If you half your number then we are about the same. There are other factors like it probably has shelves which aren't holding much water, and I'm sure it doesn't go down to a point in the middle. Obviously the best way is to know would be to fill it up with buckets of a certain volume of water and count how many buckets it takes to fill it.

CometKeith,

It's truly not any big concern, but I think you erred in what you were thinking on this calculation. Please read my description below and see if you agree with my math. I was using a geometric figure as shown below (only upside down). Here you have four equal sized, right triangles. The area of each triangle is equal (ACDA = BCDB = ACXA = BCYB). If you project this two dimensional shape out into a three dimensional cube or rectangle, then the volume of each of these triangular sections are also equal and each are 1/4 of the total volume of the cube. Hence, the volume of the isosceles triangle ABCA equals the sum of the two right triangles ACDA + BCDB or 1/2 of the total volume of the cube. However, this roughly calculated volume is still too large as we also must consider that the ends of the pond are not vertical, but slope inwards also, just like the long sides do. If I try to take the geometry of the ends of the pond into account, figuring the same slope as the long sides, I get closer to 630 gallons total, (assuming a perfect "V" trough shape).

 

[Catfishnut]

i like the dual water idea, but the suction of the pump is too strong and its sucking up the fish food. im having a hard time reading the model because most of the tags are teared off. i think it says 14 hp. if im not mistaking as for now, i dissembled my setup. i am going to use a 14 gallon plastic garbage can convert it into a filter. the only problem is there is no shower drain that is 1". looks like i have to cut a hole and just it up. still looking for a decent pump if anyone has anything.

Max,

14 HP would be freaking HUGE! That's over 10,000 watts!

It must be either 1/4 HP or 1.4 HP. I wouldn't think that 1.4 HP would be a typical rating (most pumps are rated to the nearest 1/4 or 1/2 HP), but that doesn't mean anything, it very well could be 1.4 HP and the decimal point could be hard to read if the label is kinda messed up. I have a 1.5 HP shallow well pump, but that is for pumping water up through a sand point from the ground. It draws a heavy current load. I let my sister use it at her cabin when her pump quit. She nearly couldn't use it because it dimmed her lights when it kicked on! If yours is 1.4 HP, you would definitely have to wire it up for 220VAC otherwise you would be pulling a high current on a 120VAC line. Wired for 120VAC, you would need a large gauge conductor and a short length one or the voltage drop over the line would burn up the pump. Motors don't like low voltage.

Regardless, you still do not require that big of a pump for your pond. It is still a major overkill. But, since it was given to you, you can not argue with the price. Sell it on Ebay, make some bucks and buy what you need and have money leftover. I would personally keep the tank.

Gordy

 

[maxXx430]

i tried to make the pump work for me. i bought a rubber connector that goes from 1 outlet into 2 outlet (each outlet is 1 1/2"). yet no luck....it does flow so much softer but now it over loads the 55 gallon drum i have for my filter. now that i am writing this, i remember i do not have any media in my drum. maybe the media will slow down the levitation of the water so it wont overflow out of my drum. will attempt tomorrow.

 

[Catfishnut]

i tried to make the pump work for me. i bought a rubber connector that goes from 1 outlet into 2 outlet (each outlet is 1 1/2"). yet no luck....it does flow so much softer but now it over loads the 55 gallon drum i have for my filter. now that i am writing this, i remember i do not have any media in my drum. maybe the media will slow down the levitation of the water so it wont overflow out of my drum. will attempt tomorrow.

Max,

Entertain this thought... Coming out of the pump's outlet port, install a "T" or a "wye" fitting. On each downstream side of the fitting, install a flow control valve. Route one outlet through your filter system and the other directly back into the pond or indirectly through a waterfall system or something. You can then use the valves to manually adjust the outflow for either direction and hopefully balance the water flow as needed.

I still think it would be better to trade your pump for a more appropriately sized one. Sell it on EBay and buy what you really need and have some scratch leftover.

Gordy