Problem with calculating...

[koiguy1969]

when filling..........you can buy a inline meter that goes on your garden hose...or you can rent one from a tool rental... or like i did take a 5 gallon bucket, fill it and time it.. for me it was 40 seconds.. that means 7&1/2 gallons a minute. time filling your pond.. times the number of minutes by the volume per minute mine was 2hours 20 minutes = 140 minutes x7.5= 1050 gallons... came out 1065 on a meter... so real close!!

 

[kelli]

Wowie! Another math whiz!
Yep, I suppose I can find out when filling it, but my aim was to get a darned good (great) estimate before filling it. I think David's math/calculation was so thorough that I'm trusting his 1200 (1145) figure and running with it.

My only question now is how much stronger of a pump I'll need because of the stream length. =) When I said 35 ft long, the woman at Skippy's went, 'Whoa!' :coolgleema:


But hooray- I'm heading to Skippy's (Beautiful Ponds & Gardens) tomorrow afternoon and will see what they say. (anyone need anything?) :coolgleema:

 

[koiguy1969]

i can tell you this 10' of horizontal run is equal to 1' vertical in you plumbing. so your stream length will add about 3.5' of head heigth. your pond is 8' round so if you locate your pump at the opposite end as you should. and its 2' deep. you have 6.5 feet of head hiegth. you want to turn your ponds water volume over once an hour if possible, once every two hours is o.k. now the size of your filter is the next consideration for pump size,the larger the filter the more water you can pump thru it. with a big enough filter your pump choice can be purely estetics.

 

[kelli]

Thanks!

You bring up another curious thing I've been told lately- to build a shelf for the pump a foot down from the surface (well, and up, I suppose, since it's 2 ft deep). Shouldn't it be at the bottom of the pond?

Yep! I originally figured a 55 gallon barrel filter, but now I'm in love with the Rubbermaid stock tank's size & shape, so... we have a winner! No need to sink it where it's going and easier to landscape the top of it. ..and of course, the more time the water spends with the bacteria, the better.

Thanks for all of your responses!
I'll let you know how it goes @ Skippy's.
(I'm sure you can hardly wait)
:icon_rolleyes:

 

[koiguy1969]

check out my "my 70 gallon skippy filter" in the diy forum and the video 'stock tank skippy filter" posted in the same forum. they'll help in the construction process.

 

[DrDave]

I have round stepping stones in the bottom that I place my pumps on. That way they are several inches above the bottom. One time, that saved my breeder Koi since the water got bypassed and pumped out the pond while we were at work.

 

[kelli]

Stepping stones. Good idea! Gives me a few inches up and I won't have to press liner around another shelf.

KoiGuy, thanks! I'm not so worried about the construction part, but I'm interested in the video nonetheless. Building I can do, but this 'fitting the stream into the pump/GPH equation' has been nothing short of a headache.

The other day I called the pond place. The woman said (after being told all measurements involved) that I need a 2200 or 2400. Wow, okay. Really? For an 1150 gallon pond? Yes, she said, but I could go as low as 1800 for a soft flow.
Okay. Thanks!

So today I went IN to the shop, and she wasn't there. A guy helped us out, (who was also very nice) and said that we'd need a FOUR THOUSAND, if not a 4800!

:banghead3:

Wha? No way. Right?

So I'm about to compromise & go down a notch to the 3200 and seriously call it a day.

I mean, I'll get whatever I need, but I want to make sure I'm getting what I need, eh? If it really needs to be that powerful, then cool by me.



I can't wait to actually build this thing, but this pre-pond-prep stuff has been a downer. (okay, really just the pump) However, I must say, finding this forum has been a blessing. Very happy to have found some kind-hearted and patient folks to... bother.
(sorry)
(and thanks again for all the help!)

 

[kelli]

Hi again,
Sorry to ask again... No advice between the 2400 and 4000 GPH? Did anyone else think that sounded way too high for an 1150 pond/stream, even if the stream IS 35 feet long?

Thanks in advance for any input/suggestions!

 

[koiguy1969]

even with your head heigth a 2400 gph pump should turn your pond over at least once an hour...which is about ideal. i run 1200gph thru my 70 gallon, what size filter are you building?

 

[David]

I will try to help you this evening.

 

[kelli]

Thanks you guys!

*sniff*

I'm feeling a little desperate. I just got off of the phone with yet another store. 2 actually. This time? 1900 GPH from one based on everything, and the other said 5000 GPH based on that size pond with ANY stream/waterfall function and said it doesn't matter how long the stream is. (so confused)

I've also now heard from 2 shops that mag drive isn't the way to go because they're not as strong as direct drives.

The 4000 & 4800 suggested to us the other day was the PondMaster (meg/direct) Hybrid: (both high $200's at the shop that suggested it) http://www.brownmilbery.com/pondmaster-4800-gph-hydrive-.html

The one today was the Easy Pro 4900 (mid $500's at the shop. yow!)
http://www.brownmilbery.com/easy-pro-th401.html
(looks huge!)

But I'm still thinking both would give me rapids when all I want is a nice, steady flow.

I'll check back here later on this evening- I can't thank you enough for all of your help. You guys are great!


Oh! Koiguy- The filter will be the Rubbermaid 70 gal. Unless I can't find one by the time I need it (July 5th) and revert back to the 55 gal barrel I already have in my possession. The local Tractor Supply stores have every single size BUT 70. I like the shape of the Rubbermaid better. Lower profile.

Have a great day!

 

[koiguy1969]

any TSC, TRACTOR SUPPLY COMPANY store has them if not in stock will ship one from another store to the closest one to you. me and my friend did this. 3 days you can pick it up.

 

[DrCase]

To get a nice flow in the stream it does take the a lot of water..
I would go on the large pump side . check ebay for pumps i bought my 4200 lauguna for 180$ with free shipping

 

[David]

I have a very large inventory of pond pictures.
So I looked for a pond with a stream that may be what you are looking for.
I do not know the pump size but with other peoples help we may just come up with a good pump size.
But first is this what you are looking for?
The water seams to be about ½ to 1 inch deep and about 3 feet wide.
If I were to guess I would say that the GPH is between 2400 to 3200.
But that is only a guess.
I have other pond pictures that have streams as well but the water flow was much larger.
I hope that these pictures will also help you in your design.
Please note that this pond was built by someone that I know.
But all the pictures were taken by me.

 

[David]

And some more.