crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
crsublette said:
:banghead3: Quick correction. If the sieve is grevity fed, then obviously the sieve must be below pond water level. :chair:
Bottom drain, plumbing and pump advise needed
- Thread starter pecan
- Start date
:banghead3: Quick correction. If the sieve is grevity fed, then obviously the sieve must be below pond water level. :chair:
crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
As far as pumps goes, I don't know. I just got a second hand used pump from a buddy, but here are some thoughts you need to consider before selecting a pump.
The length of pipe, number of valves, and number of adapters or reducers or other pipe connector will add restistance to your water flow rate. This resistance is talked in terms of friction loss and head loss. As the system's resistance increases, then this means your pump's flow rate will be reduced. All pump manufacturer's have a pump flow chart and this chart references to the reduction in flow rate according to the amount of resistance present. So, all I did is very roughly calculated the length of pipe used and totaled up the number of pipe connectors, valves, and elbows.
Then, your filtration system will also add some resistance. Unfortunately, this portion is just a guessing game.
Once I have written down all this information, then I applied it to some math to figure my future pump's head height requirement.
Head height is essentialy the pump's strength ability to overcome this flow resistance. When you choose a pump with the appropriately higher head height ability, then this means your pump will experience less flow rate loss and the actual flow rate, when the water dumps back into the pond after filtration, will be closer to the pump's original flow rate.
Plumbing, head, gravity flow, system curve, etc. - If you can get past the author's odd grammar and presention and lack of pictures, then it is a decent thread that helped me.
It looks like a new member here created an Excel file to better streamline these calculations. Here it is at the thread, useful calculations.
Here is an example of a submersible pump and I generally do not recommend submersible pumps since they consume much more electricity than you need it to consume. Here is the old pump I used to use. Tsurumi 3PN Pump. Notice it has a head height ability of 30 feet, which is crazy high and overkill for the basic pond newbie, but the flow chart is what I wanted to point out. Notice how, when there is a system's resistance demand of 14 head height, then the pump's 3630gph rating is reduced to 2500gph rating. If all of the plumbing and filtration creates a demand of 14 head height, then this particular pump will only push out 2500gph, that is only a 31% reduction in the 3PN pump's original flow rate. Now, from looking at that chart, notice how fast the flow rate changes for the Tsurumi 3PL pump, which is a 3,000gph pump with only a 14 foot head height ability. So, if you were to use this pump in a pond system that requires 14 head height, then the actual flow rate from the 3PL would only be around 500gph, that is roughly a 83% reduction from the 3PL pump's original flow rate.
A way to circumvent this is by simply just getting a pump with a higher head height around 30 feet. A typical pond might only need a quarter of this, that is around 7 head height ability. Unfortunately, electricity consumption costs increase with the pump's increase in head height ability and some of these high head height pumps can cost an arm every month to operate. So, low ball the pump's head height ability if you just want to guess which pump to purchase.
"Choosing the right pump" is really not that easy when you are aiming to obtain a specific flow rate.
So, just do the best you can and, just know that by the time the water leaves your filtration system, do not assume your actual flow rate will match the pump's original flow rate.
The length of pipe, number of valves, and number of adapters or reducers or other pipe connector will add restistance to your water flow rate. This resistance is talked in terms of friction loss and head loss. As the system's resistance increases, then this means your pump's flow rate will be reduced. All pump manufacturer's have a pump flow chart and this chart references to the reduction in flow rate according to the amount of resistance present. So, all I did is very roughly calculated the length of pipe used and totaled up the number of pipe connectors, valves, and elbows.
Then, your filtration system will also add some resistance. Unfortunately, this portion is just a guessing game.
Once I have written down all this information, then I applied it to some math to figure my future pump's head height requirement.
Head height is essentialy the pump's strength ability to overcome this flow resistance. When you choose a pump with the appropriately higher head height ability, then this means your pump will experience less flow rate loss and the actual flow rate, when the water dumps back into the pond after filtration, will be closer to the pump's original flow rate.
Plumbing, head, gravity flow, system curve, etc. - If you can get past the author's odd grammar and presention and lack of pictures, then it is a decent thread that helped me.
It looks like a new member here created an Excel file to better streamline these calculations. Here it is at the thread, useful calculations.
Here is an example of a submersible pump and I generally do not recommend submersible pumps since they consume much more electricity than you need it to consume. Here is the old pump I used to use. Tsurumi 3PN Pump. Notice it has a head height ability of 30 feet, which is crazy high and overkill for the basic pond newbie, but the flow chart is what I wanted to point out. Notice how, when there is a system's resistance demand of 14 head height, then the pump's 3630gph rating is reduced to 2500gph rating. If all of the plumbing and filtration creates a demand of 14 head height, then this particular pump will only push out 2500gph, that is only a 31% reduction in the 3PN pump's original flow rate. Now, from looking at that chart, notice how fast the flow rate changes for the Tsurumi 3PL pump, which is a 3,000gph pump with only a 14 foot head height ability. So, if you were to use this pump in a pond system that requires 14 head height, then the actual flow rate from the 3PL would only be around 500gph, that is roughly a 83% reduction from the 3PL pump's original flow rate.
A way to circumvent this is by simply just getting a pump with a higher head height around 30 feet. A typical pond might only need a quarter of this, that is around 7 head height ability. Unfortunately, electricity consumption costs increase with the pump's increase in head height ability and some of these high head height pumps can cost an arm every month to operate. So, low ball the pump's head height ability if you just want to guess which pump to purchase.
"Choosing the right pump" is really not that easy when you are aiming to obtain a specific flow rate.
So, just do the best you can and, just know that by the time the water leaves your filtration system, do not assume your actual flow rate will match the pump's original flow rate.
crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
So, in a more simpler way of saying it about pumps. Choose an oversized pump. If you are wanting a 6,000gph flow rate, then look into getting a pump bigger than this, such as 8,000gph flow rate, with a reasonable head height ability that is higher than your system needs.
Hopefully, others will chime in here to share their experiences and reasons for buying particular pumps.
Hopefully, others will chime in here to share their experiences and reasons for buying particular pumps.
I don't know if that will be necessary? You seem to be handling it all by yourself Charles. :compute:crsublette said:
Better watch out or we are going to have to start calling you Encyclopedia Chuck.
As far as pumps go, I prefer multiple smaller pumps only because if one pumps fails I wont end up with standing water till I can replace it. Right now I have a 5000 GPH and a 2000 GPH running. I would probably just add another pump like maybe a 3000 GPH to the mix. I am going to go back and read all your posts. It might take me a while to make sense of it all. I am better with pictures and big print LOL.