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

I loved reading this too! As a result of reading these tips and techniques years ago, we always make a 'filter box' from a plastic file folder type container with a handle lid, we've also used shorter ones depending on the pump size. I like for the box to be twice the size or better than the pump. I use hubby's hole saw attachment for the drill to create many holes all over the container, leaving the bottom and a couple of inches of the bottom sides undrilled. I buy the nylon netting in the fabric department at Walmart for maybe 79 cents a yard and wad that up in the bottom, place the pump inside and route your power cable and pump output through the holes in the top. Stuff another wad of the nylon netting over the top and close the box. Sink it into the pond and finish your plumbing. I place a pot of iris or a decorative rock on top to disguise the filter. I do the whole thing for $10 or $15. I do leave the foam filter in place to prevent the netting being sucked into the intake. If you have fish, I highly advise rinsing all of the materials (plastic box and netting) just to be safe.

I have not heard that before. Did anyone tell you why to do it that way? My pumps are below. One is a submersible in my skimmer box and one is an external. When I planned on placement of both, I took into account is the "lift" of the pump.If you place your pump at or above your falls you will have to account for a lift of 3.5 feet ( the height of your falls) as well as the run of your pipe. If you place your pump at or above your falls you will have to account for a lift of 3.5 feet ( the height of your falls) as well as the run of your pipe. That would take a more powerful pump than one placed below the falls.Below is some info I found doing a search on pump lift. For Fountains (Indoor or Outdoor) - When choosing a pump for your fountain there are two terms that you will see when looking for your pump. GPH (gallons per hour) and "lift" or "head". For a fountain the GPH is not an issue, that is a guide used for ponds. The lift or head is what you will need to know. How far does the water in your fountain have to travel from where the pump will sit in your fountain to the top of the fountain where the water comes out. You will need a pump that lifts higher than that measurement. If that distance is 24", than you will need a pump that lifts at least 36" high. The "maximum lift" means that is the maximum height that the pump will lift the water. So you will get "0" flow at the maximum lift. For a Waterfall or Pond Pump - For a waterfall, the decision to be made is how wide you want your flow of water. For every inch of stream width or waterfall "sheet you will need to pump 100 gallons per hour at the height you are pumping. For example, if the pump has to lift the water up 3 feet to the top of the waterfall, you need a pump that will move 100 gallons per hour at 3 feet For a Pond Rule of Thumb - The Length of tubing is also an important factor when choosing a pump. Every 10Â of tubing equals the same restrictions as 1Â of lift. Hope this helps.

There is often debate over whether it's necessary to filter a pond, and always a few people who claim they have great luck with letting the pond "go natural" with no human interference. A man-made pond, though, is not a natural environment, and will only benefit from some form of filtration or at least aeration. Filtering keeps the water cleansed of organic wastes that can cause cloudy, smelly, murky, or even toxic water. It simplifies maintenance, conserves water by cleansing and recycling it, and can help create "gin-clear" water that allows optimal viewing of the pond and its inhabitants. If you plan on creating a water garden and keeping only plants in the pond, you should be able to get away with little or no filtration, depending upon the type and number of plants you grow. A small pump used with a spitter, fountain, waterfall, or similar feature, should create enough movement to keep the water from stagnating, and diligence in keeping dead plant life from accumulating in the water will help maintain water clarity. However, most people find that, once they've created the pond, they want to add fish, and this is when filtration becomes vital. The more fish you have, the more filtration is necessary to keep the water and the fish healthy. Fish produce ammonia from both their gills and kidneys. Ammonia is also produced from other organic matter decaying in the pond. Whatever the source, ammonia is toxic to fish and must be removed from the water. Frequent water changes and ammonia binding water conditioners will help temporarily, but the addition of a biological filter is the best and easiest way to deal with this toxin. Briefly, a biofilter works by creating a suitable living environment for certain types of bacteria which do the cleaning for you. As pond water is slowly pumped though the biofilter, Nitrosomonas bacteria consume the ammonia, turning it into nitrites (which are also harmful to fish.) Nitrobacter bacteria then oxidizes the nitrites into nitrates, which become food for the plants in your pond. Although these "good bacteria" are present on every surface in your pond, they are not usually there in large enough numbers to reliably cleanse the water of these compounds that are so deadly to fish, and so biofiltration is strongly recommended when there are fish in the pond. Mechanical filtration (that which removes solid waste) is always beneficial, but simply keeping the water clear of solids does not guarantee fish-safe water. Ammonia and nitrites can not be seen except through the use of water test kits. Ideally, water will first pass through some type of mechanical filter that removes solids prior to entering the biofilter, where the toxic compounds are oxidized to nitrates and sent back to the pond where the nitrates will be absorbed by the plants therefore keeping the pond healthy for both your fish and plants. These beneficial bacteria cease to function at temperatures below fifty degrees, so running the biofilter all winter is futile if you're in a cold winter area. The fish will not be eating and producing their usual amount of waste during the winter, so the biofilter will not be needed anyway. Once the autumn temperatures are below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, clean and store the biofilter until spring returns. If you're lucky enough to live in a warm climate, it should be kept running year round. Start the filter up again in the spring as the temperatures get into the upper 40s to low 50s. The nitrogen cycle takes about four to six weeks to establish once the bacteria begin colonizing in the warmer temperatures, so be diligent about testing your water for ammonia and nitrites if the fish are eating. It would take far too many pages to describe here all the types of filters available. Research and ask questions of more experienced ponders, and join several of the informative forums on the Internet. Do not always believe a manufacturer's advertisements, and if tempted to buy something being touted by a salesperson, research it before making an investment. There are many plans for do-it-yourself filters that are simple to make, produce excellent results, and are much less expensive than most of the commercial filters available. And remember - you can never have too large a biofilter! Ronaye, Steve and David