Spare pump

[MajorDan]

Wondering how long you have after your main pump dies until your fish/pond has a real problem? We have a generator so I am not concerned about a power outage but a pump that dies might be a real problem. I also am not real keen on buying a spare pump just to have it sit in a box just in case. So is there a rule of thumb for how long you have until you fix the problem?

 

[Tula]

I have an older pump that is smaller then the one I now use. I figure it , along with additional aeration, would work till I got a new pump.

 

[mrsclem]

If your pump is running your filter, the pumps should be replaced within hours. Your good bacteria will start to die off. I think most people keep a backup pump handy for this situation. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, just something to keep water moving.

 

[mgmine]

Since I shut my pump down in November and don't turn it on until May I would say 6 months. If the weather is hot you might want to consider putting in an air stone and maybe a garden hose after a week or so. In the dead of the summer I have left mine off for weeks at a time when I was working on the stream.

 

[MajorDan]

Thanks all for the needed info. Backup pump getting ordered.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Yep, keep an extra one on hand. Pumps only fail at the worst possible time. Having a spare in your 'rucksack' is invaluable.

 

[addy1]

I have three spares, mainly because two were a deal I could not pass up and one is from my pond in AZ. I had two running there, one of the two is still running here, the other waiting to be used.

 

[mrsclem]

I have a 35 gallon barrel in my basement with my pond breathers as well as my extra pumps. When I cut my window box bogs from 11 to 4 I pulled an 800 gallon old pump. Too old. It gave up after 6 hours so now have a new pump ordered from Amazon. 880 gallons- $26. Will see how good it is.