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[Dosry5]

next question on what’s going to be a ridiculously long list of questions as I build my pond......

Tubing/hoses—I’m in Iowa. What type of hose or tube do people use to run from the pump to the falls? The corrugated flexible black stuff I see has to crack in the winter, doesn’t it? I will be running it from pump I’m the skimmer to a waterfall, buried in a shallow trench.

I have irrigation in my yard and know that if you don’t blow those lines out they are likely to crack in the winter—how do ponders avoid this with their lines?

 

[Mmathis]

You can use flexible PVC tubing. Some on here use something like spa tubing. Right now I’m using the corrugated tubing. What I have in the pond is about 4-5 years old. It’s done well, but I did have to replace a section once due to a split. My future plans are for flex PVC.

Are you planning to run your tubing inside or outside of the pond? Oh, I just read about the trench.

 

[Dosry5]

You can use flexible PVC tubing. Some on here use something like spa tubing. Right now I’m using the corrugated tubing. What I have in the pond is about 4-5 years old. It’s done well, but I did have to replace a section once due to a split. My future plans are for flex PVC.

Are you planning to run your tubing inside or outside of the pond? Oh, I just read about the trench.

Pump in the skimmer, put the tubing in a shallow trench to the waterfall. Just can’t imagine that I won’t have problems with Iowa winters

 

[Tula]

My filter pump is in the skimmer and uses above ground PVC pipes......I shut it down for the winter. My waterfall pipes are buried PVC pipes, which are also shut down in the winter.

 

[RobAmy]

Pump in the skimmer, put the tubing in a shallow trench to the waterfall. Just can’t imagine that I won’t have problems with Iowa winters

My setup is just like yours. I use the Flex PVC. It has been fine every year except this year I did get a crack in it. I do shut it down in the extreme temps and drain it but there is one section I knew keeps some water in it and it caused a problem. A easy fix and I will put a "T" there this year so it fully drains. As long as you can drain it I see no issues, and if you can keep it running all winter then you will have no issues either.

 

[Panzer13]

Solid PVC would be the most durable. Flexible tubing is more susceptible to damage from the elements and will eventually crack.
I agree that the key here is to either keep the system running during the winter or drain it before a hard freeze. Even metal pipe will fail in a hard freeze if it is filled with standing water. A shallow trench will not protect from a freeze. It has to be deeper than the frost line in the ground, 12 inches is recommended.
If the pump is in the pond and you are pumping up to a fountain, the supply line will drain back to the pond when the pump is shut off. In this case you will be fine as long as there are no dips in the line ware the water can settle.
I use PVC hose used for hot water supply lines. It expands and contracts with hot and cold, so it doesn't get brittle like the clear hose does. It also cuts easier and is allot easier to use connectors with.

 

[Lisak1]

PVC flex in zone 5B. Most is buried 12 - 18 inches or so - never a problem.

 

[Panzer13]

PVC flex in zone 5B. Most is buried 12 - 18 inches or so - never a problem.

 

[snoozer]

I use flex PVC also. When I shut down the pond for winter i use the exhaust on the shop vac to blow all the water out of the lines. It's been buried 5 inches deep for 12 years without issues.

 

[addy1]

I used solid, never blow out the lines, external pump, just take the pump out leave the lines open, they have never cracked.

This was a very cold winter, all the lines survived.

 

[GBBUDD]

Some designs allow for a simple shut down of the pump and the water level may even out to where no more then half the pipe will be full of water. I can assure you if you have a foot of frost in the ground with a 5" burial and your pipe is full of water you will find a broken pipe sooner or latter. be it flex pvc, pvc or metal

 

[mrsclem]

I use the corrigated flexible pipe for most of mine. This last year I had a high pressure PVC T fitting drain on a stock tank and a knife valve drain both freeze and explode!

 

[Spartamets]

Flex PVC. It's the equivalent of rubber liner. Both cost a lot more than plastic alternatives, but only in the short run. They last decades, so you effectively only buy it once, unlike plastic tubing and liners. I find flex pvc hard to work with because it's so heavy (because it's very thick) and not super flexible--it's only good for gentle curves, not tight bends--but that's also indicative of why it's so durable, under any conditions.