Pond pump clogging

4 years ago

I have a small pond ..guessing 8x5x3.I have had a pond for the last 20 years or so. My question is have any of you found a way to keep the pump screening attachment from getting clooged up with debris ? I have to clean mine out about every 2 months or so .I was using a Henri Studio 1200 GPH pump but it just bit the dust so I need a new one .Can anyone recommend a good 1200 GPH pump as this model has been replaced with a new model that does not have that little screening attachment . Thanks for any and all advice!!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

Nevermore44 - 6a
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I've been using a Harbor Freight pump for a bit now and really am liking it... plus a good price. For most submersible pumps you actually don't want the pump sitting on the very bottom since they can clog quickly from larger debris which you will need to net out by hand. That means putting it up on a brick or something else. It should indicate on the instructions the height off the bottom it should be positioned. Also look for one that can “handle” solids… meaning it will puree items pulled in. Regardless though if a few decent sized leaves sink down and make it to the intake grill… it will still block up and potentially burn you motor.

The other option is to make a prefilter box around the pump and you won’t need to worry about raising it from the bottom. My pond is a bit larger then yours and I ended up putting my pump into a black egg crate on it’s side cutting out any plasitic to allow the output hose. Then get a mesh clothes bag… or mesh sports bag to wrap the whole egg crate and filter. The mesh will filter out any large things from getting to your pump. The mesh bag then synches down tight around the box. I got a cheap one at Dicks Sporting goods. If you get a black egg crate and black mesh bag…. The whole thing blends in nicely at the bottom.
Monzi zone 8a South Carolina
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks for your quick response. I already have a prefilter setup.I made a filter box out of a small plastic tote with a snap on lid.I put the pump in ,cover it with lava rocks and then put a thick layer of quilt batting on top .I drilled holes in it for the tubing and cord and more holes for water flow .It works very well for filtering the water but little bits of plant matter get in and clog the intake strainer on the pump.Its not quite such a big deal as I only have to clean it every 2 or 3 months in the warmer months.I am going to try your bag method.Thanks so very much!
Related Discussions
Pumping water from pond...what pump?
Q
Comments (2)
That pump will not work. Assuming your sprinklers will use 2.5- 3 GPM and given the info you provided you will need a pump that will produce around 190 ft/head pressure @ 12-15 GPM. You will need to see a pump curve to know for sure but this pump says max head pressure is 164 ft/hd. You do not want to use a pump at its max head pressure but rather find one that will fit your system and work in "the efficiency range". You will need something more like this http://www.starite.com/specs/sys_dss4hg_series_specs.pdf It's probably stronger than you need but if you contact http://www.starite.com/ they can tell you exactly what you need. Be prepared to spend some money. The will probably be 2-3x as much as the pump you were looking at previously but with your elevation change you need a stronger pump. p.s. use at least 1-1/4" main line for the irrigation.
...See More
winter 3000 gallon pond deicer / pond pump UNDER 2x4 wood frame
Q
Comments (2)
Craig, Thanks for the reply. all my goldfish died last winter :( > My pond is 3000 - 3500 gallon 20 x 12 foot oval pond 2.5 inches deep. I never had to use anything over the winter. no cover, deicer, aerator - nothing. every year the fish were still alive and happy. Then last years Im still searching for the best reliable deicer, pond breather and or livestock tank heater etc. i can buy for total of $250 -300. This year, i spent the last 3-weekends building a 20 ft x 14 ft wood frame over the pond with 2x4 and 2x2. I then raised it 20Ã¢ÂÂÃ¢ÂÂ high using 2 x4. I bought some hanging brackets for some of the 2x4 for additional support. I created 2 (for now T expanding gutter vents with 45 degree 4Ã¢ÂÂ wide ends to add more ventilation to pond. They are supported with 2Ã¢ÂÂ pvc pipes hammered into the ground (NOT YET IN GROUND ) I only have a net over the pond right now. I will cover with plastic and tarp. I saw home depot has large styrofoam sheets for about $11 which i am going to try to place between plastic with a garden tarp cover over part of the frame at night / heavy snow - frigid temps. when it is sunny out i ll just keep the plastic on to try to create the greenhouse effect. BTW I absolutely loved the pondexpert covers but they were over my budget as i need to still buy a deicer, stock tank heater, pond breather / aerator. My dad has several of thees steel pipes already but they are really heavy that i feared they would collapse if i alone installed them without concrete or something similar. iÃ¢ÂÂm sorry to hear you experienced the winter pond deicer problems as well. did you go with the pondexpert cover?Ã¢ÂÂ¦ Sam ..
...See More
Pump impeller getting clogged
Q
Comments (1)
Mastiff37, You might try using a fine mesh bag in the skimmer basket. If your impeller is closed you really need to remove the motor and impeller from the pump to clean. Open impellers will generally clear themselves. Suction cleaners are notorious for this type of problem because they direct ALL debris directly to the pump.
...See More
Problem with new pond & keeping submersible pump clear
Q
Comments (4)
I guess that if your pond depth is really 3.5' that your volume may be correct. In any case, 900gph is way low for the generally suggested ratio of flow to pond volume. BTW, I have an auxillary pond that has no flow. It can be a total mess of muddy water after a big rush of accumulation from our French Drain. However, this crud will precipitate and this catch basin will become completely clear, again with no pump! I have been very lucky and never had pea soup type issues. I am assuming that this is what you are referring to and not just some string algae, which is a good thing anyway. You failed to indicate your location or garden zone. It may be useful information. I hear that ponds without much plant cover are more likely to get algae problems. I suppose hotter brighter conditions increase the problem. My aux. pond (without any flow) is in the woods with minimal sunlight. There are plenty of in pond pumps that work fine. I don't actually understand where your crud that restricts flow is collecting. I have a 2500gph pump contained inside its own overall slitted case. I remove leaves and other crud that get sucked to the surface every few months. Perhaps your pump is so close to the surface that it catches most of your leaves? Perhaps at the bottom instead, right where leaves fall? BTW, the bottom is not the right place for a pump because a big plumbing leak/break will drain the pond.
...See More
jrb451
4 years ago
Sounds like you have a pretty good set-up if you're only having to clean out your pump intake every couple of months. I had a similar sized pond when I started out. I buried my OASE 1200 gph in a mesh laundry bag filled with bio balls, cinched the draw string and stuck it in a black milk crate. That served as my primary filter until adding a BioFalls filter a couple of years later.

They have really improved the efficiency of pond pumps. I replaced a 15 yo OASE 2700 gph pump with a 3000 gph one that uses 40% less electricity. My electric bill dropped $10 a month; well worth the higher initial investment, IMO.

Pond pump clogging

Comments (3)

Nevermore44 - 6a

Monzi zone 8a South Carolina
Original Author

Related Discussions

jrb451

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Pond pump clogging

Comments (3)

Nevermore44 - 6a

Monzi zone 8a South CarolinaOriginal Author

Related Discussions

jrb451

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Monzi zone 8a South Carolina
Original Author