Recommendations on pond pumps?

[abollmeyer]

Hello everyone,

I have been trying to get my water garden going for about 3 years. Maybe it's time for help. I have a problem with submersible pumps going out, all the time. I have two out this time (of course, at the same time!). I've checked the electrical and know that it's good. One pump is a CalPump Mag-Drive and the other is a Fishmate 2000; both are submersible pumps. The CalPump has lasted about 2 years, while the Fishmate only lasted about a year and a half. Is this normal? Has anyone experienced these types of problems? I've read online that a good pump should last about 5 years. Does anyone have any recommendations on which pumps will actually last as advertised and where I can get them? I'm not opposed to getting an external pump, but I haven't dealt with these yet.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Ive heard great things about harbor freights. Dirt cheap and people have had them last years. Im picking one up tomorrow so Ill let you know if it works as advertised. There typically on sale for 30 bucks but at this time of year you can pick up the 1268 gph model for 15 bucks.

 

[mrsclem]

WElcome Abollmeyer-
Are you pulling your pumps out in the winter? We pull ours every year to keep them from freezing and every spring we would lose as least one. Then started reading here and saw that pumps should be kept in water at all times. The pumps we had never had that info in the books. Pumps now in buckets in the basement.

 

[abollmeyer]

Thanks for the quick replies! Clemsonguy, I will check out Harbor Freight. We have one a few miles down the road. Mrsclem, I've always kept the pumps in the water running. This is the first year I planned on pulling them out, mostly because last year the (above-ground) filters froze and busted the plastic. I work offshore on an oil rig, so my wife has to take care of that stuff while I'm gone. She saw a leak and turned off the pumps, allowing the filters to freeze.

 

[DrCase]

Welcome to the forum
My best pump lives have been laguna & cyprio

 

[j.w]

My vote goes to Pondmaster Supreme mag driven pumps. Had mine for 8 yrs or so with no problems whatsoever.............knock on a pond rock

http://www.bigalsonline.com/product...pping+Datafeed&utm_medium=Comparison+Shopping

 

[clemsonguy1125]

A little off topic but since it was mentioned, when there are temperatures below freezing should the pump be removed. I was planning on keeping mine in to stop my shallow pond from freezing.
Heres the pump I mentioned.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1268-gph-submersible-fountain-pump-47137.html

 

[koiguy1969]

Ive got a tetrapond pump ...1200.gph with 7 or 8 years trouble free !!! 2 other tetraponds with 3 years trouble free

 

[carolinaguy]

if you consider an external pump, you need to balance your pond design with the pump in question. these start out at around 2800 gallons per hour in volume, so unless you have around a 2000 gallon pond, they tend to be too powerful. that said, you can place a ball valve downstream of the pump to control volume based on your pond size, and this technique will not harm the pump. the pump will also use less electricity if it is valved down. externals cost around $400 now equipped with a strainer pot, one way check valve, and low water shut off switch, so you are probably talking significantly more money than harbor freight. i can't believe the price increase over two years ago when we spent about $280 for our first external sequence pump. but then again, there is no inflation. just listen to the national news. with that in mind, you can plan on an external lasting 10 t0 20 years.

 

[addy1]

I like the external pumps, only thing I have used in the my ponds, but a lot of people do well with the submersibles.

 

[carolinaguy]

A little off topic but since it was mentioned, when there are temperatures below freezing should the pump be removed. I was planning on keeping mine in to stop my shallow pond from freezing.
Heres the pump I mentioned.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1268-gph-submersible-fountain-pump-47137.html

good plan. we are in charlotte and our pump runs year around. if your pond is more than 18 inches deep, depending on where you are in NC, you should have no problem with a continously running pump. it will actually prevent the surface from freezing over and prevent exposed pipes from bursting.

 

[jethro13]

I have to agree with j.w.. I have ran a Pondmaster 5000 submersible for 5 years now. I take it in for the winter which means it runs 24/7 about 7-8 mos a year. It comes with a 3 year warranty and runs on 475 watts, I would buy one again in a heartbeat.

 

[j.w]

Jethro, I just take mine out of my filter container and then lower the pump down to the bottom of the pond where it will never freeze and it's been good that way for years during the winters

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Thanks, Actually my pond exactly 18 inches deep. Wold you reccomend placing it at the bottom or top. Im working in a system to circulate only the top water.

 

[DrDave]

I always circulate the bottom to keep the solids in solution so the filter will pick them up.