I'm a newbie with pond questions

[Mmathis]

@sissy Rum water! That sounds tasty.....hic....!

 

[Chrissy]

Hey Chrissy- Also late in welcoming you and I see we are neighbors. I'm in Mechanicsville. As Sissy stated, Laguna pumps are great . I have several that have been running for years with no problems.

Oh that's cool! It's great to know I have someone nearby who shares my interests. Do you use submersible or exterior? I'm trying to decide on that as we speak. My pump will just not run today and I need to make a purchase asap. I'm just so unfamiliar with pond pumps as I've been using something different on my pond since I installed it last year. I now see the shortcomings in my idea on that, and need to go a different route.

 

[mrsclem]

I use submersible. If you need a pump fast, I would check out Harbor Freight. There's one in Laurel and also in Fredericksburg, Va. I have 2 koi ponds and lots of pumps. You need to have a backup pump on hand in case of a problem. Beautiful pond!

 

[addy1]

You need to have a backup pump on hand in case of a problem.

I have three back up pumps, so far have not used any of them.

 

[Chrissy]

Well guys. I took the plunge last night and bought a Laguna submersible pump. Mine has completely stopped working and I needed to make a decision. Hopefully, it will work great in my pond! I will also keep my eye out for backups pumps.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Well guys. I took the plunge last night and bought a Laguna submersible pump. Mine has completely stopped working and I needed to make a decision. Hopefully, it will work great in my pond! I will also keep my eye out for backups pumps.

What size did you purchase?

 

[Chrissy]

What size did you purchase?

I bought the 4280 maxflo. It says it handles ponds up to 8500 gal. If I find that it is insufficient, I will use it as a back up. I didn't see where laguna made a larger gph submersible. I think I will perhaps have to plan for an exterior pump in the spring.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I bought the 4280 maxflo. It says it handles ponds up to 8500 gal. If I find that it is insufficient, I will use it as a back up. I didn't see where laguna made a larger gph submersible. I think I will perhaps have to plan for an exterior pump in the spring.

This is an example of my top 'pet peeve' with manufacturers.
Laguna states that this pump will 'handle' (interesting word choice) ponds up to 8500 gallons, when the true guideline for pump sizing (and filter sizing) is Fish Load. This is a very misleading statement which gives the buyer inadequate and questionable information which can result in water quality issues at some future time.

 

[sissy]

You will be surprised at how much force it has once you get it .I have seen a couple of 4280 gph lagunas working in ponds in my little pond club i set up here through my garden center .I know even JW bought it and it was way to strong for the filter her hubby built .If i did not have 2 splitters on my 2900 gph one it would over fill the 60 gallon stock tank .My 2900 gph one is located on the other side of the filter and 2400 gph is on the side with the 60 gallon filter this way water is pulled from different sides .I did not want them on the same side as the filter they were pumping too .

 

[Meyer Jordan]

You will be surprised at how much force it has once you get it .I

??? 4280 gph is 4280 gph...no more, no less. One can change the pressure by changing the plumbing size, but the pump will still not pump greater than 4280 gph and this is the critical figure for determining turn-over rate.

 

[sissy]

Well then my 2900 gph should not even fill my filter tank when it has a ball valve on it and a spitter in my waterfall .The hose out of the water is 6 ft long and goes up to the crate .My hose is 1 1/2 inch hose ..The ball valve is fully open because it was to much water going to spitter and filter

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Well then my 2900 gph should not even fill my filter tank when it has a ball valve on it and a spitter in my waterfall .The hose out of the water is 6 ft long and goes up to the crate .My hose is 1 1/2 inch hose ..The ball valve is fully open because it was to much water going to spitter and filter

Well, 2900 gph is a considerable flow rate (almost 50 gallons per minute).

 

[sissy]

I just never realized how much even the 2400 gph is a bit much .I think i am going to add a spitter to it .i went with a bigger ball valve and adapted it to the 1/ 1/2 inch hose but I still had to add a splitter and run extra water across the bottom .I was told also to go with the 4280 gph pump by laguna but told them I preferred 2 pumps .My luck something would happen .I did burn 1 harbor freight pump out the 2010 winter when aggie knocked over the pump that was tied to a crate and it ran out the side and even behind the liner and it was a nightmare ( they replaced it under warranty and never asked how it happened ) .Snow pajamas and hoses do not mix .Lucky I had gone out and noticed it ,there was just over a foot of water left .I had to slowly put water in since the liner had water behind it .After that my pumps got tied to a pipe across the pond and hang there and it gives me a place to wire the pond heater over top of the pump .