New garden pond help please ?

Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
19
Reaction score
2
Location
margate
Hi i have just dug a small pond about 3ft deep and 6ft wide, i cant get electric to the pond and its now starting to go green, i was going to buy some pond weed and plants next week but not sure if they will survive. I am not going to put fish in the pond just want it for frogs and birds to bath in - any advice would be helpful i have pictured the pond below thanks
 

Attachments

  • 20130610_185123.jpg
    20130610_185123.jpg
    95.2 KB · Views: 312

HTH

Howard
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
Messages
1,571
Reaction score
788
Location
Oklahoma Panhandle USA
You want something to move the water. If not a pump then an airstone. Can you bury a pipe in the lawn to run air from the house or garage to the pond ?
 

sissy

sissy
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
33,086
Reaction score
15,702
Location
Axton virginia
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
7A
Country
United States
Just put in a pump with a fountain head or aerator like hth said and maybe a mosquito dunk .Water will get stale fast .Floating plants will help
 

HTH

Howard
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
Messages
1,571
Reaction score
788
Location
Oklahoma Panhandle USA
It takes a lot of solar panel to drive a reasonably sized pump. I don't think you will like the price. That is why I suggest running air from where there is power to the pond. Your pond is about 600 gallons if I got the math right figuring straight sides. A good choice would be 1200gph or 600gph. But solar is very expensive so maybe a 300gph pump.

I would go with something like this


Solar Water Pump Kit - 409GPH with White LED Lights


Code: WF3619B



$289.95 $229.95
 
Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
19
Reaction score
2
Location
margate
HTH said:
It takes a lot of solar panel to drive a reasonably sized pump. I don't think you will like the price. That is why I suggest running air from where there is power to the pond. Your pond is about 600 gallons if I got the math right figuring straight sides. A good choice would be 1200gph or 600gph. But solar is very expensive so maybe a 300gph pump.

I would go with something like this
Solar Water Pump Kit - 409GPH with White LED Lights Code: WF3619B $289.95 $229.95
Can you tell me how i would go about getting air to the pond please as im very new to this - thanks for your time
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
44,340
Reaction score
29,091
Location
Frederick, Maryland
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
Can you just run an extension cord, rated for outside, put it in some pvc pipe so you can't cut it. My pond right now is running on a very heavy duty 100 foot extension cord.
That way you could add some air flow or a little pond fountain.
 

cr8tivguy

Tim Thompson
Joined
Jun 3, 2013
Messages
125
Reaction score
56
Location
Omaha, NE
I have my pond pump/UV running off an extension cord right now and (although it's not the prettiest) it is doing just fine. I put the connections in double zip lock bags and it's survived 3-4 rain storms already.

I'm scheduled to have the electrician come and run power to my shed next week so the extension cord will be gone. But for the meantime, it's working really well. Pond is super-clear.
 
Joined
Nov 2, 2012
Messages
2,395
Reaction score
987
Location
near Kalamazoo, Michigan
I agree with everyone.... You need a pump or aerator. Looks like you are on board. That's great. Not exactly ideal to run a cord in the lawn but it will work. I'd get a green cord and I would get stakes to hold it tight to the ground so you can mow over it.
 
Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
19
Reaction score
2
Location
margate
dieselplower said:
I agree with everyone.... You need a pump or aerator. Looks like you are on board. That's great. Not exactly ideal to run a cord in the lawn but it will work. I'd get a green cord and I would get stakes to hold it tight to the ground so you can mow over it.
Thanks i have a chain link fence running straight to the pond so was going to strap the cable to that :)
 

HTH

Howard
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
Messages
1,571
Reaction score
788
Location
Oklahoma Panhandle USA
Long cords are not a problem but you do need to buy ones with larger gauge wire to handle the distance. Start out by picking a pump to know how many AMPs you need to provide. Then use a table like this determine the cord needed.

extension-cord-sizes2.jpg


What you are determining with this table is wire gauge. A 30 meter cord to pull 3 to 6 amps will require a wire diameter of ,75 mm(area of cross section of wire is square mm) or 14AWG. If money is not tight I like to jump up to the next size which in this case would be 1mm wire. A heavier cord is never a problem but on that is too light is.

The cords you linked to is only a 10A cord if you use just the one 10 meter length. If you string 3 of them together the amprage it is carried is reduced to maybe 5A (guess)..

This chart is for US cords but it gives you an idea how the amps a given cord can handle drops off as it gets longer.
extension_cords.png


Always use a GFI (or UK equivalent) where you plug the cord in.

-------------------------------------------

The other option is to put an air pump where the electricity is and run any air tight pipe between the pump and the pond. You could even strap garden hoses to the bottom of your chain link fence and run air through them. It is not too hard to do.
 
Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
19
Reaction score
2
Location
margate
cr8tivguy said:
I have my pond pump/UV running off an extension cord right now and (although it's not the prettiest) it is doing just fine. I put the connections in double zip lock bags and it's survived 3-4 rain storms already.

I'm scheduled to have the electrician come and run power to my shed next week so the extension cord will be gone. But for the meantime, it's working really well. Pond is super-clear.
what pump?uv set do you have ?
 

fishin4cars

True friends just call me Larkin
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
5,195
Reaction score
1,599
Location
Hammond LA USA
Hardiness Zone
8a
cr8tivguy said:
I have my pond pump/UV running off an extension cord right now and (although it's not the prettiest) it is doing just fine. I put the connections in double zip lock bags and it's survived 3-4 rain storms already.

I'm scheduled to have the electrician come and run power to my shed next week so the extension cord will be gone. But for the meantime, it's working really well. Pond is super-clear.
I've done this as well and had some bad experiences. In the heat of the day the bag can sweat and cause a moisture build up in the bag. Summer months are far worse taime of the year for this to happen. There is also some heat being put off at the connections. In many cases if there is any significant amperage being pulled the heat can get pretty warm and actually cause the bag to melt. This also increases the moisture and eventually the over heating and the moisture build up corrosion in the plug and cause the extension cord to slowly short out. I don't recommend using extension cords. Just to many things bad can happen, BUT if your going to use them at least take a few safety measures into consideration. 1- run the cord inside some pipe to keep it from getting cut by a shovel, weed eater, or lawn mower. Never know who might be helping out and not know you have a cord hiding in the landscaping. 2- Tape down your connections really well with Electrical tape and tie the ends down with strong string, fishing line, or zip ties to prevent the tape from coming loose and water getting behind the tape. I usually run the tape back and forth several passes where the cords connect and run if all the way out 2-3" across the cords them selves. then tie the tape down tightly at the cord to prevent moisture from getting in. (We also did the to make water tight electrical connections for running tools down in oil wells a mile or more deep, So I know it makes a solid water tight/ water proof connection.) 3- Always use a cord that is rating higher than the amps being pulled. Not only will this help to prevent fire but it also helps in lowering the draw of current ending up in less KW's used at the meter. 4- If you must run a extension cord, PLEASE always plug into a GFCI plug in. Not only does this protect the fish from electrocution, it protects, you, your family, and friends as well.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
30,783
Messages
508,595
Members
13,043
Latest member
cisifom

Latest Threads

Top