Bigger isn’t always better, and cheaper may not be the most financially viable option. Yes, we’re talking about the pump size for your pond or water feature and how to make sure that you’re making the best choice.
What do we need to consider when choosing a pump for our pond?
Energy Efficiency and More
Pumps in ponds, fountains and waterfalls are made to run 24/7. This always-on requirement keeps the water circulating and therefore, safe, as well as maintaining the flow for a water feature.
The most obvious red flag here is the energy requirements. As the cost of electricity climbs here in South Africa we tend to veer away from power-hungry appliances and make sure that we’re getting the most energy-efficient option possible.
Purchasing the cheapest pump may result in higher energy bills due to an inefficient system, and more frequent replacement costs. However, choosing a larger pump size than is necessary is not much better as you’ll be using more power than you need.
How much power do I need?
Ideally, your pond pump should be able to circulate at least half of the water volume every hour. Pumps are rated by litres per hour (or in some cases, litres per minute) so a pond containing 1000 litres of water will need to be powered by a pump capacity of around 500 litres per hour.
Another important factor to bear in mind is the ‘lift’ required from the pump. The measurement from the pond water level to the highest required elevation will determine the maximum head where only a trickle of water will be pumped out. It makes sense then, that a more powerful pump will be needed to push water to a higher elevation.
However, there are other considerations which will determine your ideal pump size.
While we’ve spoken mainly about ponds which don’t usually require a particularly powerful pump if they are simply circulating the water for fish life, things change when we’re discussing fountains or waterfalls.
The formulae to determine flow rate and pump size can get a little complicated when we have bespoke requirements, and this is when you need to chat to the Pool Spa team. We have decades of experience behind us designing and installing swimming pools, home water features and major commercial dancing fountains.
Chances are, we have what you need.
