Choosing the best pump for your garden pond

For pond enthusiasts there is nothing more satisfying than planning out and then creating your dream garden pond. Whether you want a preformed pond or to build your own using a liner there is one essential piece of equipment that you don’t want to get wrong; your pump. Your pump not only aerates the pool it also keeps it clean, and unless you want to play spot the fish in the murky depths or find them all floating on the top this is a bit of kit on which you shouldn’t try and cut corners in order to save a few pounds.

Bigger is not always better

Make no mistake, pond pumps should be viewed as an investment as this is one area where it is safe to say that you get what you pay for. A common mistake from pond creators is thinking they need the biggest, baddest pump out there when in reality they could get away with smaller, cheaper model just by doing their research.

Another decision you have to make it whether you want a submersible pump or not. A few years ago these pumps were fraught with problems as finding one that did what it said on the tin and was completely waterproof was a bit of a minefield. Now, however, the technology has moved on so much that these are the most popular models for garden ponds as they are quieter as well as being more energy efficient.

The perfect ecosystem

If you though that’s all there was to it then read on, as there are more things still to take into consideration. Do you want your pond to be one which has the emphasis on effects and features or one that is where the plants and living creatures are the main feature? Whichever you decide on the success depends on creating the perfect ecosystem and you pump plays a major part in both creating, and maintaining, this environment as the flow of the water has to be manipulated to create the effect.

If you are looking to combine both then you are best off considering two pumps as it is a big ask of one pump to do the job, despite what it may say in the blurb. A feature pond needs a heavy duty pump with constantly moving parts as it is the manipulation of the flow of water that determines how successful your features are. The pumps for pond life need to be low maintenance and built to last so they can be used continuously for months.

This may seem like an awful lot to take in just to buy a pump but if you have gone to the expense of creating a pond you want it to be a main focal point. By doing your homework regarding water volume, size of motor and which environment you want to create, you are eliminating the risk of forking out a lot of money for a pump totally unsuited to your needs and having to buy another one.