Fountain pump clogging 170 gallon small pond- Help!
ilovemilkbottles
16 years ago
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Comments (31)
ilovemilkbottles
16 years agoRelated Discussions
Using a fountain pump in small preform?
Comments (2)Thanks Philips, I have this one sitting at the bottom of the preform, about 1' under the water. I have the tube on it sticking just out of the water about 1". I hope that won't stress it too much. Its sitting in the middle of a big filter I made for it with scrubbies. I actually borrowed my better pump and filter from my 300 gallon stocktank to inititally clear the preform better, and now I'm back to the fountain pump. Is your aquarium gravel cleaner just a gravity-powered thing? I think I have one of those I use when I drain my above-ground stocktanks. I had so many leaves and mud in the bottom of this little preform, I just had to net it all out. Like I said, I couldn't believe there were any living beings in there! I think they'll be lots happier now with clean water........or it will kill them. ;) Thanks for your help Philips....See Morepond pump and filter confusion, help please!!!
Comments (5)You have a lot of questions but you gave much more info than most newbies it makes up for it. LOL! I can't answer all your questions but there will be others along to correct that. No one pond is exactly like another and no ponder is just like another. I can't quite visualize your pond but maybe it will come clearer later on. You don't say why the pumps fail. If it is the same reason each time then I would think you should go to another type altogether. Or provide what it is lacking. If debris is damaging the pump then you need a prefilter which prevents damage to the impeller. Most pumps have a small and totally inadequate sponge in front of the impeller. Most of us toss it and install some sort of prefilter in it's place. Looking at your pump, I don't see even that, just a cap with lots of slots for water flow. Options could be change pump type, or remove filter cap and attach prefilter with sponge or other filter material. Algae is endemic when the pond gets lots of sun. You could use lots of chemicals but that is rarely satisfactory. A UV filter could work just fine by using a diverter or adding a small pump and filter. With your waterfall pump I suspect a separate pump would be easiest. More later, Sandy...See More35 gallon pond
Comments (21)I know I am late (very) to this discussion but I have had a 35 gallon pond for years and last fall put in another. I tried all sorts of feeder goldfish fish for awhile and they either died or the racoons got them. No pump because no electic hookup on that side for me. Finially I tried Rosey Red Minnows. They are really SMALL (half inch or so). The big aquarium pet chains carry them as feeder fish. Get about a dozen. This way you can have the drama of lots of fish that you could not with something bigger. Their color makes them easy to see. The racoons do not notice them but my pond stays clear and I can see them swimming around in a bunch. I never feed them, they live off the misquioto lavea and any algea that even thinks about growing. About once a week or two I put the hose into the pond and add some new water (not too much for the chlorine) and let the old flow out and over the top. Any messes stirred up settle down in a few hours. Each spring I totally dump the pond and wash it (above ground remember) refill, let stand and as soon as its warm enough, add the Rosey Red Minnows. As I said before, the water stays clystal clear. Honestly I have tried the Rosey Red Minnows in half barrel containers that get the most gunky water and never any filtration and they do surprisingly well....See MoreHelp? What to do with this darned pond! Pump/Filter/Etc PICS!!
Comments (21)Hi Mike, OK, Im glad I understood its the red one. Something right! Whoo To Mike, buyorsell888, and calamity_j, The kitties are totally stressed out right now, but I think they'll be OK. The one black cat seen in the pix above, had some teeth pulled, but he seemed almost fine the next day. His brother on the other hand - totally freaked out. The anesthesia didn't wear off, he was scared, and probably in pain all night, so I stayed up with him. Ever since, he's been sleeping in kitchen nightly, which is unusual for him. (The outside boys aren't allowed in any further than the kitchen - long story). The girls indoors - well the one with recurring cancer is acting very needy and wanted to be close *all the time* *every minute of the day*. I cant blame her, shes stressed. Shes had a several surgeries and doesnt like the vet much at all As you can imagine. The other girl had to have some tests, but after a few days, we found they all turned out all right. Shes still feeling a bit crabby with us about having been taken to, The Awful Place. (She holds a grudge, as many of you with kitties will probably know what I mean!) Thanks for asking and well wishing. :) Even though the girls are in their senior years now, theyre like my babies and I stop everything when they are ill. Its so hard that they are getting old! As to the pond, our plan is like something out of a slapstick movie, though we are hoping it might work anyway. Were going to hook up the hose, as Mike suggests, and weve got a tarp weve put a slit in and will place the fountain through, then duct tape, so that any runoff from inside the pipes and fountain gets funneled over the tarp and out to the trees not into the somewhat clean pond water. Its about 105-110 degrees out there today and neither of us are looking forward to working on it!...See Morecharlie_so_il
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