Weak waterfall w/pond master

[Patchtig]

I just for a 5500 pondmaster clearguard pressurized pond filter. After installing my waterfall pressure has dropped dramatically. My pump is 6500gph.
I knew there would be some drop. Just not sure if there is something I am missing

 

[Meyer Jordan]

One possibility is that you are experiencing back-pressure from the Waterfall. How close is the filter to the Waterfall?

 

[Patchtig]

One possibility is that you are experiencing back-pressure from the Waterfall. How close is the filter to the Waterfall?

About 2' or less

 

[Smaug]

Really should use a filter rated to at least the same size as your pump. What size hose are you running?

 

[Patchtig]

I am using 2" hose

 

[Meyer Jordan]

2" is what is recommended by Danner.
How long is the piping run from pump to filter (If submersible pump--water surface to filter) and what is elevation of waterfall above pump or water surface?

 

[Patchtig]

12' ish from pump to filter with about 6' Above pump.
My pump can also be out of water, would that be better so I can have it next to filter?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

What is the make and model of your pump?
Have you checked the filter pad in the filter? It may be clogged. Danner seems to indicate that the filter pad is not necessary except when the pond water is cloudy. Have you tried running your system with the pad removed from the filter?

 

[Patchtig]

Alpine cyclone 6550. The pad in the pressure filter is new, I took off my pre filter on pump to see if that helped. Not much change.
Going to install my pump out of water and next to filter next.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

OK.
First of all the Alpine cyclone 6550 is a mag-drive pump. Mag-drive pumps are notorious for their rapid flow loss in gph the higher the head pressure. With the pressurized filter adding between 5 and 10 feet of additional head, based on the figures that you supplied your total head is between 15 and 20 feet. The Alpine 6600 performance chart shows a flow rate at 15 feet of head to be slightly less than 3000 gph. This is less than half of the base gph rating of this pump. I have never seen a mag-drive pump recommended for use with a pressurized filter, mainly because of this drastic reduction in flow rate.

 

[Patchtig]

Guess it is a lessons learned on my end lol.
Thank you for helping me

 

[Meyer Jordan]

You're welcome. Sorry that I could not come up with a more pleasant answer.

 

[Smaug]

I suggest a matala geyserflo 6300. It can more then handle your head height and flow needs.

 

[Patchtig]

For now until I get a different pump I have setup a swimming pool pump to run into filter and just keeping my pond pump for waterfall only. Pool pump works pretty good lol but it is to loud to running like I want.