I hope this is the proper place for this question.............

[April55]

Hi there.....I signed up here to pick the brains of fellow ponderers.

I have had a 10,000 gallon koi pond for quite a few years now and think I know a little bit about pumps etc but I have a question I am hoping someone can help me with. I have an external pump and bead filter/UV etc but I am on my third submersible pump now for two new gargoyle spitters. I had one cheapy gargoyle hooked to a 500 gph and when it got damaged I got the new ones. They are quite nicer than the old but I am having problems with water flow. I knew the 500gph was way too small so I went up to a 1360 gph but it only produced a dribble out of each. Then I bought a 2400 gph and the water does hit the pond now but not in the way I was hoping/expecting.


I have a 3/4" fitting coming out of the pump running uphill about 3' to 4' vertically and 6 or 7' horizontally to a tee that reduces to 1/2" tubing that corresponds with the gargoyle fittings. I am getting ready to drop a couple more hundred dollars on a Little Giant 5500 that has a 2" outflow so I will have to use creative plumbing but everywhere I have read says that the flow will be reduced and the pump power wasted if I plumb down to 1/2".
I want it to spray halfway across the pond and think the bigger pump should produce the results of a hose sprayer that you can crank down to a forceful hard spray but please tell me if I am way off base here.

If so any ideas to create the spray I desire? Thanks so much for any help with this.

April

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome @April55.

Do you have any pictures you could post?

How deep is your pond?

I have several DIY spitters [1/2" or 3/4" black tubing connected from pumps to PVC arrays]. I have each pump [from Home Depot] enclosed in one of the black pump boxes [the kind that come with 2 sponge filters]. I don't recall the gph of the pumps, as they were all sort of left-overs and are different sizes. I never have a problem with flow, and I only clean the filter pads twice a year. However, my spitters are designed for the water to drop directly back into the pond and I don't expect the water to flow out at with any distance.

I'm sure someone else here can help you. I just hook things up and hope for the best.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

You wil likely need a special nozzle for this long of an arc.
See this and look at the accompanying chart to determine flow rate for desired arc.
http://www.graystonecreations.com/E...-Fountain-Nozzle-SJN50-SJN-Series_p_2827.html

 

[Mmathis]

You wil likely need a special nozzle for this long of an arc.
See this and look at the accompanying chart to determine flow rate for desired arc.
http://www.graystonecreations.com/E...-Fountain-Nozzle-SJN50-SJN-Series_p_2827.html

I never would have thought about something like that, but will keep in in mind if this ever comes up again.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I never would have thought about something like that, but will keep in in mind if this ever comes up again.

Similar nozzles are what are used for fancy fountains like the one at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

 

[Mmathis]

Similar nozzles are what are used for fancy fountains like the one at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

OOOOOO! I've seen that one!

 

[April55]

Hello and welcome @April55.

Do you have any pictures you could post?

How deep is your pond?

I have several DIY spitters [1/2" or 3/4" black tubing connected from pumps to PVC arrays]. I have each pump [from Home Depot] enclosed in one of the black pump boxes [the kind that come with 2 sponge filters]. I don't recall the gph of the pumps, as they were all sort of left-overs and are different sizes. I never have a problem with flow, and I only clean the filter pads twice a year. However, my spitters are designed for the water to drop directly back into the pond and I don't expect the water to flow out at with any distance.

I'm sure someone else here can help you. I just hook things up and hope for the best.

 

[April55]

Here is a picture of them with the 2400gph pump. I want them to spray across more than half the surface. Thanks for your helpful information.
The pond is 4' deep in the middle with shelves of 2 1/2' and 1'.

 

[April55]

You wil likely need a special nozzle for this long of an arc.
See this and look at the accompanying chart to determine flow rate for desired arc.
http://www.graystonecreations.com/E...-Fountain-Nozzle-SJN50-SJN-Series_p_2827.html

Thank you! Would that go in between the 3/4 and 1/2" I guess?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Thank you! Would that go in between the 3/4 and 1/2" I guess?

Not sure what you are asking. This nozzle is for use on 1/2 inch tubing or PVC.

 

[April55]

Not sure what you are asking. This nozzle is for use on 1/2 inch tubing or PVC.

Oh I would need two; one for each 1/2" on the gargoyles, not coming off the pump on the 3/4" tubing. Thanks.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Be sure to match, and not exceed, the recommended flow rate (in gpm) for the desired arc length as indicated on the chart shown at the above link.

 

[April55]

Be sure to match, and not exceed, the recommended flow rate (in gpm) for the desired arc length as indicated on the chart shown at the above link.

Thanks!

 

[peter hillman]

Yes you'll loose flow rate but it's pressure you need to arc the water across the pond. The mentioned spray nozzles will do what you need. Nice pond by the way, keep the pics coming for us.

 

[April55]

Yes you'll loose flow rate but it's pressure you need to arc the water across the pond. The mentioned spray nozzles will do what you need. Nice pond by the way, keep the pics coming for us.

Thanks for the help and kind words about my pond. I built it all by myself when I was younger (couldn't do it now!) and I will post pix once I get those gargoyles to really spit!