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Ponds in the UK

Pump: leave on while away?

21 years ago

I'm going to be away for a week soon, and I'm not sure whether I should leave my pond pump on or not.

It's a small pond, and the pump takes water up to a header pool from where it flows back down a chute into the pond. There are two goldfish and a multitude of tadpoles in the pond. The ph and nitrite levels are fine, and it's well stocked if not overstocked with plants.

I'm worried that if I leave the pump on and anything goes wrong I could come back to a drained pond, but if I leave it off the fish could suffer through lack of aeration and through noxious gases from decomposition in the warmer water not being dispersed.

What would people recommend?

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Comments (9)

HissyFit
21 years ago
At the very least, don't leave your pump at the bottom of the pond... then if anything goes wrong in the plumbing it can't completely empty your pond. If they are not already, you could also move the pipe from your pump into the chute, so that if there were any leaks or loose connections, the water will stay within the "system".
Sean_McKinney
21 years ago
I'd switch it off.
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Scotty24
21 years ago
It won't hurt to switch it off for a week if you want peace of mind while you are away.
Goldfish are VERY hardy and I think you are worrying unnecessarily.
My first pond had no pump or filters and the goldfish and shubunkins thrived in it.
Sue
alison_froglady
21 years ago
I agree with Sean and Sue - unless you have a very friendly neighbour that would keep an eye on it for you, I would switch it off. The fish will also have plenty to eat in and around the roots of the plants and any algae so nothing to worry about.
Alison
bill_d
Original Author
21 years ago
Many thanks for your replies, everyone - I'll switch it off!
retropwr
21 years ago
Having come home from work to a half drained pond yesterday I have to agree with the switch it off brigade.
Beenz
21 years ago
How did that happen retropwr? I would guess the only explanation was the filter got blocked so your pond water spilled over the edge of the filter base and into the garden? Did it only drain halfway due to stopping where your pump is and if so is your pump not knackered now -sucking in air?.

Sorry for all the questions but I have just today installed my first pump & filter and admit this happening is a concern. My base is higher than the pond and secured onto a slab. I am thinking that it would be possible to channel the water back into the pond should this happen to myself, if I have assumed what happened to you was correct
retropwr
21 years ago
The foam sheets in the filter (a Green Genie 12000) got bunged up so the water wasn't going through them any more.
Unfortunatly, over the time it's been in, the end away from the built in overflow that would have returned the water to the pond, had sunk and was lower than the overflow, this has now been rectified. At least the bamboo was well watered.
It hadn't got as low as the pump so that is still OK, I got home in time to switch it off.
Beenz
21 years ago
You were lucky you caught it when you did, I can see why no-one advises to leave it running unchecked for a week. I will keep a close eye on my filter now, thanks

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