Prevent Pump Hose From Clogging

[Ratsima]

This pond has a long history of pumps and hoses. The first pump was solar powered, so went off with the sun. That had a tiny hose, but it never clogged up. I replaced that with a very small AC pump which I put on a timer. On from about sunrise until bed time in the evening. That didn't really push enough water through the fountain so I bought a bigger one and used a ½" hose. That's when I first noticed the clogging. So, I have already tried a smaller-than-5/8". That didn't work.

From there I moved up to a larger pump and a 5/8" hose. That was probably seven or eight years ago. Since then I have been through at least a dozen pumps. It's just not easy to buy quality pond/aquarium pumps here.

(When I lived on Saipan I was able to order a decent pump from the US. That pump and the EPDM liner lasted until I moved away -- about 15 years later.)

I guess at this point the only option I haven't tried is a larger hose. I'll make a stab at finding something locally, but it's harder than you might think. Or, I might just order this one:

Alpine 1" PVC Flexible Hose

In spite of: $90.60 Shipping & Import Fees Deposit to Thailand.

This is the hose section of the the large hardware store near my house. I was there earlier this month. Nothing larger than ¾" except for a couple of small lengths of 1" transparent hose. To see how big the place is, have a look here:

Thai Watsadu Korat - Google Maps

 

[GBBUDD]

I think 1" is the largest ID hose I can manage without rebuilding the fountain and PVC passage through which the pump AC wire and hose travel. If I increase the hose size from 5/8" (16mm) to 1" (25mm) I will more than double the cross-section area of the hose. from about 200 square millimeters to almost 500. (If I remember my geometry.)

The problem with this is that the increased volume of water will overwhelm the fountain.

Just because you increased the hose size does not mean you increase flow. If that was true I'd be running 6 inch everywhere. When I was in the aquarium hobby the smallest spray bar holes constantly clogged . I got tired of it and changed lots of little hole for slits cut in the pipe. Problem solved.
So increasing you pipe size will not increase flow like your thinking it is just going to make it harder for algea to block the size of the pipe . Hopefully where it is reduced won't be enough to allow it to gather and clog .

 

[Ratsima]

I will hit the hardware stores tomorrow to see if I can find some one inch hose. What are the disadvantages of using transparent hose? That might be all I can find locally.

 

[GBBUDD]

That's the worst thing for your situation that will let light in and promote algae growth. Have you thought about using pvc hard pipe

 

[Ratsima]

I could use PVC pipe for part of the run, but much of it snakes through vegetation and around trees, so it wouldn’t be very practical. I could have done it easily when I first built the pond and before everything grew so much.

 

[GBBUDD]

That maybe the answer increase size and pvc but when done paint the pvc in the tropic pvc doesn't like to bake

 

[Ratsima]

That maybe the answer increase size and pvc but when done paint the pvc in the tropic pvc doesn't like to bake

The hose isn't exposed to direct sunlight except for a very short distance where it leaves the pond. The rest of the way it is either covered by rocks or protected by rather dense vegetation.

 

[GBBUDD]

if that s all thats available i'd still give it a quick spray paint

 

[Ratsima]

I cycled to the big hardware store near my home this morning in a second foray for hose. This is the only thing I found that was as big as an inch:

Clearly not fit for my purpose. It's just not flexible enough. The garden hose I've been using for years is much more flexible and has never developed a kink like this. So, I'm back to square zero when it comes to the pond. Not a total waste, though. I did buy a new screwdriver and drill index.

I'm now convinced that the only reasonable and economical solution to this problem is to continue to ream out the hose every 48 hours or so. I just have to resign myself to the task and stop worrying about the whole mess. The pond is supposed to be a restful, relaxing addition to one's life. Not a source of constant anxiety.

I'm done, but not without thanking everyone who took the time to respond and offer help and suggestions. For that, I am truly grateful.

 

[combatwombat]

Looks like basic vinyl tube. Might just need a gentle heat to get it to bend how you want.

Giving up in change for note is fine, too. Certainly better to ignore and enjoy than to
obsess without solution.

Maybe you can find an automated way to ream out your hose

 

[Ratsima]

My wife and I are headed up to the neighboring province to the north this weekend. I will try to persuade her to stop at some agricultural equipment shops to see if we can find some more suitable hose.

 

[Ratsima]

The saga continues. Our weekend road trip up north went through a major agricultural area: rice, corn, sugar cane, tapioca, etc. We stopped at a massive hardware store figuring that such a place in such a location would offer a huge variety of hose. Not so. About the same selection as the places near my home and certainly no hose as big as 1" except for the transparent plastic stuff.

So, I threw caution to the wind and ordered some 1" PVC Flex online. No telling when it arrives. I hope it's not long as the current hose now clogs up in less than 48 hours. When we got home from our wild weekend it was so clogged that the pump tripped the residual current device in the outlet. Not a good sign.

In the meantime I've started searching for 1" hose barbs. You'd think that such a standard hardware/plumbing item would be easy to find. Not so. Oddly, they do sell 1" hose clamps.

 

[combatwombat]

The saga continues. Our weekend road trip up north went through a major agricultural area: rice, corn, sugar cane, tapioca, etc. We stopped at a massive hardware store figuring that such a place in such a location would offer a huge variety of hose. Not so. About the same selection as the places near my home and certainly no hose as big as 1" except for the transparent plastic stuff.

So, I threw caution to the wind and ordered some 1" PVC Flex online. No telling when it arrives. I hope it's not long as the current hose now clogs up in less than 48 hours. When we got home from our wild weekend it was so clogged that the pump tripped the residual current device in the outlet. Not a good sign.

In the meantime I've started searching for 1" hose barbs. You'd think that such a standard hardware/plumbing item would be easy to find. Not so. Oddly, they do sell 1" hose clamps.

Careful with your hose clamps. They’re sized by their actual diameter, and your 1” hose is probably 1.25” or bigger OD.

 

[Ratsima]

Careful with your hose clamps. They’re sized by their actual diameter, and your 1” hose is probably 1.25” or bigger OD.

Right. The label said 1-1½". But, now that I got it home that seems a bit optimistic.

 

[poconojoe]

In the meantime I've started searching for 1" hose barbs. You'd think that such a standard hardware/plumbing item would be easy to find. Not so. Oddly, they do sell 1" hose clamps.

If you are using true schedule 40 flex PVC, you don't need hose barbs. You can glue it directly to standard PVC fittings. Screw a male PVC fitting into your pump, add a pvc adapter to that fitting to increase it to 1", then glue the flex PVC into that. It's a good idea to add a union there for a less permanent connection or quick disconnect.

Or...instead of gluing the flex pvc, you can use a Fernco coupling. It's basically a rubber coupling with two hose clamps. I've been running a Fernco for years with no problems.

 

[combatwombat]

If you are using true schedule 40 flex PVC, you don't need hose barbs. You can glue it directly to standard PVC fittings. Screw a male PVC fitting into your pump, add a pvc adapter to that fitting to increase it to 1", then glue the flex PVC into that. It's a good idea to add a union there for a less permanent connection or quick disconnect.

Or...instead of gluing the flex pvc, you can use a Fernco coupling. It's basically a rubber coupling with two hose clamps. I've been running a Fernco for years with no problems.

You couple ferncos to flex pvc and it doesn’t leak? Wouldn’t think the flex pvc is rigid enough.

 

[Ratsima]

If you are using true schedule 40 flex PVC, you don't need hose barbs. You can glue it directly to standard PVC fittings. Screw a male PVC fitting into your pump, add a pvc adapter to that fitting to increase it to 1", then glue the flex PVC into that. It's a good idea to add a union there for a less permanent connection or quick disconnect.

Or...instead of gluing the flex pvc, you can use a Fernco coupling. It's basically a rubber coupling with two hose clamps. I've been running a Fernco for years with no problems.

The pump already has a 1" barb. What I'm trying to do is figure out how to connect the other end of the hose to my fountain which is a piece of bamboo with a 1" ID. Right now the 5/8" hose fits through the bamboo. I'm pretty sure the 1" PVC Flex won't fit. The plan was to feed a length of ½" rigid PVC through the bamboo and then use an adapter (or two) to end up with a 1" hose barb to which I can connect the hose.

Keep in mind that I'm in Thailand where it's just not easy to find stuff that is common in the US. I had to order the PVC Flex from abroad. I cannot find a 1" hose barb locally and will probably have to order from China. I've never seen a Fernco coupling in a hardware store here. I cold probably order online.

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley in LA. I remember my Dad relying on a place called Larry and Joe's Plumbing Supplies which had everything you'd ever need. I've lived in Thailand for 17 years now and have never seen a plumbing supply store.

 

[poconojoe]

You couple ferncos to flex pvc and it doesn’t leak? Wouldn’t think the flex pvc is rigid enough.

Yep.
I have a Fernco coupling at the transition between my pump flex PVC (1-1/2") and the ridgid PVC in my bog.
It has been there for 2 years and has never leaked.
I did buy a union to replace it, but never got around to changing it.

 

[poconojoe]

The pump already has a 1" barb. What I'm trying to do is figure out how to connect the other end of the hose to my fountain which is a piece of bamboo with a 1" ID. Right now the 5/8" hose fits through the bamboo. I'm pretty sure the 1" PVC Flex won't fit. The plan was to feed a length of ½" rigid PVC through the bamboo and then use an adapter (or two) to end up with a 1" hose barb to which I can connect the hose.

Keep in mind that I'm in Thailand where it's just not easy to find stuff that is common in the US. I had to order the PVC Flex from abroad. I cannot find a 1" hose barb locally and will probably have to order from China. I've never seen a Fernco coupling in a hardware store here. I cold probably order online.

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley in LA. I remember my Dad relying on a place called Larry and Joe's Plumbing Supplies which had everything you'd ever need. I've lived in Thailand for 17 years now and have never seen a plumbing supply store.

I'd be a little concerned that switching from 1" down to 1/2" would only result in the same clogging problem.

What is the OD of the bamboo?
Maybe you could use a rubber coupling like a Fernco to slip over the bamboo and over your new 1" flex pvc.
They make those Ferncos in various sizes and combination of sizes. You can buy ones that have different sizes on each end, if need be.

Measure the OD of the bamboo and the OD of the 1" flex PVC. Buy a Fernco to couple the two.

 

[Ratsima]

Measure the OD of the bamboo and the OD of the 1" flex PVC. Buy a Fernco to couple the two.

I'll do that when the hose arrives. It may be a week or so.