Pump(s) Ideas

[DanAZ]

This post is a few questions about my proposed water pumping ideas. I'm pretty sure there are some flaws in my design, so I'm posting it here with the questions that I know. If you see something else wrong with my plan - feel free to comment.

Background: ~500gal (7'x5'x2') pond (might go another foot deeper). It's HOT here = 120 degrees. Pond is shaded. Pond will have a waterfall.

I'm planning on having 2 pumps.
Pump #1 will run 24x7 feeding a Skippy (a homemade biofilter, is that what you call it? a Skippy?). It is sourced from a t-shaped 1" pvc with holes drilled in it on the bottom of the pond. The return from the biofilter serves as a jet at the bottom far end (away from the waterfall) to help keep circulation throughout.
Pump #2 will be on a timer to run from about 6am to 11pm - that will feed the waterfall. The source for pump #2 will be a surface skimmer 4 feet away. From the pump the water goes straight up about 4 or 5 feet (from the bottom of the pond). The waterfall is fed by 3 or 4 tubes/rills poking through a wall. I might just have 1 rill about 3 or 4 inches wide and the others are just tubes hidden behind the rocks.

Question #1: I thought two 500gpm pumps would be enough. After reading some threads here, I'm thinking I'm way off on this.
Question #2: I thought pump #1 would have 1" pipe going to the filter, then 2" pipe running back to the pond. Does that sound reasonable?
Question #3: My surface skimmer idea scares me. I think I might have lots of trouble with this. I really like the idea of a 12" diameter copper circle just below the water surface. There are citrus trees around that drop a lot of leaves in the pool, so I think I am going to have to deal with them somehow. Anyone have a better idea?


Here are two amateur drawings of what I am talking about:

 

[addy1]

The surface skimmers work well, I have one in my arizona pond. The tubing on the bottom with holes drilled in it is similar to how we are setting up my pond here.

You might want to have 2 inch pvc going to the filter.

The water fall will really help keep the water cooler.

The pumps you are saying are 500 gpm (minute?) you would be turning your pond over every 30 seconds with two of them running if you pond is only 500 gallons in size.
That might be a little aggressive.......lol That is if my brain is thinking right this am.

 

[DanAZ]

Oh - good point, that's 500gph (gallons per hour).

Since one of my must-have requirements is that the waterfall doesn't run all night, I will need two pumps. So, I'm going to buy the first one that I plan to use for the filter (PondMaster MagDrive 5 - 500gph). I'll hook that up to my waterfall fittings and see what kind of throughput it delivers. It would be great to find out that my secondary pump needs much less. Even though the cost of the pump doesn't vary much from 250gph to 700gph, the wattage sure does (24w - 60w).

Any feedback on PondMaster mag drive pumps? They all look the same to a novice. I just don't want to be buying a new pump every year.

 

[addy1]

I have a sequence 3500 gph and a 4500 gph one uses 1.4 amps and one 1.5 amps. Both bought used but work great.

Both recommended by long term ponders. I have heard of the pondmaster but don't know anything. Ask dodad, he sells pumps and may be able to help you in your choice.

 

[j.w]

I've got two pondmaster mag driven pumps and they are wonderful. One I've had for over 8 yrs w/ no problems at all and the other I just bought a couple yrs ago just to use for draining some water etc.

 

[addy1]

great jw! my dragons have been running for over 8 years now........ hope this sequence does as well

 

[j.w]

I think mine is rated for 2400gals. It's hard to pick a pump cuz there are several good brands out there. I've heard too that sequence is very good. I just happened to find a good deal at BigsAls online with mine. If you buy one make sure you get the kind w/ the long cord for outside ponds cuz they have the short corded ones also for huge aquariums inside too