Which pump & filter brand.

[catnwaz]

Hi,

I am currently digging my pond. Its 3 metres by 2.2 metres. 1 metre deep for 60% and 50cm deep for remaining 40%. will have a waterfall, fish and plants.

I am looking at a Fishmate 15000 kit (includes fishmate 9000 pump).
I was previously looking at an Oase system but pond has already gone way over budget so am having to make cut-backs wherever possible and fishmate system is approx £240 cheaper.
Will the fishmate model do the job?
Does anyone have any experience with fishmate they could share? I would appreciate your experiances (positive or negative).
Thanks in advance
Wayne

 

[sissy]

keep in mind energy use and also warranty .I have a laguna and it says it uses 115 watts and put watt tester on it and it is using around 135 watts and 140 watts .I had one of those small fishmate ones for my smaller pond .Not bad but not great either for the money I spent on it and now it sits in my basement unused .Not sure about the bigger ones but had one of those that you self flush and it smelled like a sewer after 2 weeks of flushing it 4 or 5 times a day and pond looked terrible I opened it up and was :cheerful: greeted by the smell .

 

[catnwaz]

Thanks sissy,

I think I may have to swallow more over budget expenditure and go for the Oase system judging by your feedback. Your honesty is much appreciated.
Waz

 

[HTH]

With a limited budget I would suggest you think about buying a good pump and DIY the filter.

 

[sissy]

Thing is pumps seem to not last long .I had one get hit by lightening and other one clutzy hands here dropped and cracked the casing and one burned out from low water .Fish knocked pump side was and water spitted out over the side of the pond during a blizzard here .Terrible have to run hoses from inside the house with snow falling so hard you could not see what you were doing .I have a cheap one 2400 gph and has been great for over 3 years and other is the new laguna one I had to send back 2 times so far .Once was wrong pump in the box and other time was it kept stopping on me and over heated .But harbor freight one has worked and not one single problem with it and it uses 150 watts