If you are planning to build a new pond for your garden, there are so many different variables that you have to take into account. The location and size of the pond – as well as the amount of sunlight it will receive – are all critical factors. But you also have to consider the hardware you’ll be using. In this post, we’re going to take a closer look at the best type of pond pump you should use if you plan on stocking it with fish.
Maintaining Water Quality
Fish are beautiful creatures that can make your pond even more enjoyable. But they also eat, excrete and shed scales in the water. They’re certainly not making your pond any cleaner. The answer to this conundrum is filtration.
Upon first consideration, you may assume that the filter has nothing to do with your pond’s pump. While it’s true that your pump and filter are two different mechanisms, the filter relies on the pump to operate. The only way that it can capture undesirable particles and remove them from your pond is if water flows through the filter. The pump makes that happen.
For a pond with no fish, the general rule is that all of the water in the pond needs to circulate through the filter at least once every two hours. In other words, a 1,500-litre pond would need a pump that circulates at least 750 litres per hour. Add fish to the equation, and you’ll need to double this again.
Determining the ‘Fish Load’ of Your Pond
But the actual amount of circulation you should aim for depends on your pond’s fish load. This is essentially a way of representing the mass of fish in your pond compared the volume of water it holds. In other words, the more fish you have (or the bigger your fish are) in a given pond, the higher the fish load.
It’s difficult to give a hard-and-fast rule in this department. If you’re not sure if your pump is filtering enough water based on your fish, feel free to get in touch with our team. One of our representatives will ask a few basic questions about your pond and offer advice on which of our pumps will perform best.
A Few Final Thoughts on Pumps for Fish Ponds
Flow rate is the most important consideration for choosing a pump, but there are a few other miscellaneous variables to consider. One is how much power your pump consumes. Once you’ve narrowed down the selection of pumps to those providing the proper flow rate, do yourself a favour and choose the one with the lowest wattage value. This pump will consume the least amount of power and help save you money in energy bills in the long run.
Finally, as far as submersible and external pumps are concerned – either is fine for your fish pond. It really comes down to what you prefer. External pumps make a bit of noise, but that won’t have an effect on your fish. Submersible pumps are quieter.
You’ll find we have a wide selection of OASE pumps available in our online shop. Feel free to have a look around, and let us know if you have any questions.
