Choosing A Pump

Choosing the Right Pond Pump

Selecting the correct pump is one of the most important decisions when designing or upgrading. Different pumps are designed for different applications, and choosing the wrong type can lead to poor performance, higher running costs and reduced equipment life.

Pond Filter Pumps

Pond filter pumps are designed to move large volumes of water efficiently while keeping electricity consumption as low as possible. As a pond filtration system runs continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, energy efficiency is a major consideration.

Before selecting a filter pump, you should consider:

The type of filtration system you are using.
Whether the pump needs to be submerged (wet mounted) or installed externally (dry mounted).
The flow rate required by your filter.

As a general rule, the entire pond volume should pass through the filtration system at least once every two hours. However, with many modern filtration systems, particularly drum filters, the recommended turnover is typically every 30 to 60 minutes. Most manufacturers will specify the minimum, optimum and maximum flow rates for their filters, so it's always worth checking these recommendations.

Head height is another important factor. Every time a pump has to lift water uphill to a filter, waterfall or stream, the flow rate reduces. This is known as head loss. Reputable manufacturers provide performance charts showing how the flow changes as the head height increases, allowing you to choose the correct pump for your installation.

Finally, always compare the power consumption (watts) of different pumps. A more expensive pump often uses more advanced motor technology, significantly reducing running costs over its lifetime. Because filter pumps run continuously, a more efficient model can save hundreds of pounds in electricity over several years.

Fountain & Waterfall Pumps

Fountain and waterfall pumps are designed to generate greater pressure than standard filter pumps while still offering excellent energy efficiency. This additional pressure is required to create attractive fountain displays and lift water to higher waterfalls and water features.

Before choosing a pump, consider exactly what you want it to do. The type of fountain nozzle, waterfall or decorative water feature will determine the pressure and flow required. Manufacturers usually provide guidance on the fountain heights and displays that can be achieved with each pump model.

Unlike many filter pumps, fountain pumps are generally not designed to handle dirty water. Clean water is essential for reliable operation, so regular maintenance is important.

We generally recommend choosing a pump slightly larger than your minimum requirement. Most modern fountain pumps include adjustable flow control, allowing you to reduce the output if necessary. It's far easier to turn a pump down than it is to make an undersized pump produce more water.

Drainage & Irrigation Pumps

Drainage and irrigation pumps are designed for completely different applications to pond pumps and are not normally suitable for continuous operation.

These pumps use larger, more powerful motors capable of handling dirty water, silt and debris, which inevitably results in higher electricity consumption. They are designed for intermittent use rather than running 24 hours a day.

For irrigation, these pumps are often connected to small-diameter pipework or standard garden hose. The restricted pipe size creates additional pressure, allowing the pump to deliver water over longer distances while maintaining a usable flow.

Typical uses include:

Emptying ponds during maintenance.
Draining filter chambers.
Removing flood water.
Irrigation and water transfer.

Although they can be used around ponds, we would not recommend using a drainage pump as your main pond filter pump due to the significantly higher running costs and the fact they are not designed for continuous operation.