What Are Submersible Garden Pumps Or Submersible Pond Pumps?

What Are Submersible Garden Pumps?

The vast majority of fish ponds use submersible pond pumps, sometimes referred to as an In pond pumps. These pumps have been designed to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year totally submersed inside of the pond, slightly off the pond bottom, so as to avoid the impellor being clogged up with debris. As a rule this type of fish pond pump is well priced, reliable and isn't expensive to run in terms of electricity costs. Here is my choice of recommended suppliers for 9 out of 10 water garden ponds Hozelock Cyprio, Fish Mate and Oase of Germany.

There are plenty of manufacturers, whose garden pumps are capable of offering years of trouble free service in the majority of backyard pond environments. The function of a pond pump for use in a fish pond or garden pond is to supply oxygenated water to the biofilter and / or to supply water to the top of a waterfall or fountain ... correctly specified submersible garden pumps will save you time, effort and money.

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You will now understand that to specify and buy a submersible pump that will do a good job it is necessary to know how much water is to be pumped and how high that volume of water must be pumped. Without both bits of information you cannot specify a submersible pump accurately.

 

Submersible Pond Pump PictureSubmersible Fish Pond Pump Example

Submersible fish pond pumps are capable of producing a fixed amount of pressure (energy) that is used to pump water through the pond system, and in some cases to also lift water to the top of a waterfall. These two factors are closely related and are respectively known as Pond Pump Head and Pond Pump Flow.

As each submersible garden pump can only produce a predetermined amount of energy then as a larger percentage is given to the flow then the amount of lift will reduce and vice versa. To be able to specify a pond-pump correctly you need to know how much water is to be pumped and to what height. If you are wanting to pump more water to a higher height then you will need a more powerful model. One size pump is not able to provide for all situations as the amount of energy produced by the pump motor is constant. Stick to the golden rule of pond keeping "If in doubt go bigger".

Submersible garden pumps can be purchased to operate:

  • Using mains power (110 – 240 volts) - The most common form for the vast majority of garden pond situations.
  • Using low voltage (12 or 24 volts) - Ideal for safety conscious environments where there are young children such as shopping malls.
  • As a solar powered pump - Only recommended in climates with lots of sunshine and as a back up pump. They can cause several problems within the garden pond, particularly if they are used to supply a biological pond filter.

Europe - Home of submersible garden pumps

The vast majority of submersible fish pond pumps are manufactured in Europe, where manufacturers such as Oase, Hozelock Cyprio and Heissner are based. Italy has a tradition of producing quality submersible pond pumps as well as small fountain pumps. The far east and in particular China now produces some quality submersible pond pumps. Submersible pond pumps have been designed to be safe and physically incapable of being repaired electrically for obvious reasons.

If you're searching for a reliable, good quality pond pump and you live in the USA then consider Danner Pumps. They produce low cost, energy efficient pond pumps and have been in business for over 50 years. If you have a large Koi pond then you will find that a submersible pump isn't powerful for your needs. You will need a much more powerful external pond pump. I would recommend the Sequence centrifugal pump range. They are powerful and energy efficient and specifically designed for use in Koi pond applications.

What about solar powered submersible pond pumps?

Solar powered submersible pumps are becoming more popular as solar technology improves. They are energy efficient and have practically zero running costs. There is a downfall however; they need lots of sunlight to charge the solar battery and are only really suitable for warm climates. Remember that your pond filter is powered by your choice of pond pump. A biofilter needs your pump to run 24/7. What would happen if there isn't enough sunlight? Personally I would choose a mains powered option, as the last thing you want is for the pump to stop working.

Tips for selecting submersible pond pumps

  • Ensure you select a model that is efficient in terms of the amount of electricity used. Look for models that have a low power consumption.
  • Avoid models whose warranty is less than 2 years. This should be displayed on the pond pump packaging.
  • Long 3-core cable to avoid having to join cables.
  • Don't  under any circumstances use a water feature or aquarium pond pump in your pond. These types of submersible pond-pumps are banned for use in garden ponds. However certain retailers overlook this fact when offering advice. They usually have short cable and  are 2 cord.
  • Ensure the pump is certified to say that it conforms to your particular countries electrical specifications.
  • Useful instructions and performance details printed on the pond pump packaging. A Pond Pump Curve diagram should be shown.
 

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