I use teflon tape on the fitting connecting my pump hose to a Savio waterfall tank.

I thing the purpose of the tape or paste is to prevent leakage. Whatever does the job is fine. IMO tape is easier to work with and easier to remove.

I have always used tape on all my threaded fittings. Works great and is much easier to remove than paste.

I use teflon paste and it has held up great. Either one will work. It just depends upon preference.

Thanks guys/girls. I went with the paste again as had some and didn't have any tape. Pond is finally running put the fish out (with their 300 gals from garage tank as already cycled--jump starts the pond). They were begging for food within two hours of going in the pond. I'm expecting a major algae bloom as it was 29C today and my water lilies are just starting to leaf out. Havn't got to my favorite pond plant store to get any parrot feather or hornwort (for the bottom) so surface is pretty bare. I know our springs are really late compared to most of you but it is really wonderful after all that snow to see everything growing like crazy!

Don't you just love Spring!
Glad you got the pond up and running smoothly! Now you can enjoy it!

Jalal, when do you put your fish back in the water? I usually wait until the water is the same temperature as the basement stock tank. Hopefully this week. I find the sunny days really help warm the water, then again I think my pond is smaller than yours. I just added my water lilies yesterday. I store my tubers in the fridge crisper for winter, it works well. So I just pot them in top soil and throw stones over the top of the basket, maybe part of a jobe fertilizer spike.

Glen

I used no tape or paste on most fittings, and have no leaks. I also use a sequence pump.

Glen this year my fish went out the earliest yet--only because the pond was finished. Last year it was the first week in June but I had to wait for my pump to arrive. I usually wait until the pond water is about 55F or until the forecast is for no snow or frost! Their water in the tank in the garage was actually colder than the pond by a few degrees. I was mean this year and did'nt even set their bucket in the pond--you know add pond water etc. I just transferred them from the holding tank to the pond--no deaths yet and it's been almost a week. I leave my water lilies in the pond in the deep end which is about 45 inches deep. Pond musn't freeze to the bottom as we had a very cold winter this year and the lilies are all growing. The only plants that look doubtful are the pickeral rush which I had buried in the flower bed and covered with peat moss. They look kinda mushy on top--will wait for a bit and see if they do anything. It was pouring rain today and only 8C so quite a temp change from Sat. Madtripper lucky you no leaks? Most of my pipe/fittings are ABS and I use ferncos as are easy to disconnect. The valves are all glued except for the section that has the check valve--it comes out for the winter. I drain all my lines in the winter and so far havn't had any valves or pipe crack just that leak where the fitting screwed into the pump. Happy ponding! Patti

Tape vs paste:
Teflon tape is typically used for metal to metal threaded connections. When torqued down metal fitting are less likly to crack.

Paste is typically used with PVC threaded connections. PVC and nylon threaded fittings are tightened by hand and then about another 1/4 to 1/2 turn by wrench to finish. The paste lubricates the threads during tightening and fills the threads to seal. Just be carfull during application to not let any gobs squeese out and get into the pump. Tape can have a higher rate of cracking PVC fitting when overtightened. Female threaded fittings are at risk for cracking when overtightened. The paste seals better with less torque.
JJ