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Pump inlet - rpowell - 03-02-2006 01:24 AM
Howdy again,
Thanks for your speedy response to my post yesterday.
I have another question. As background, this new waterfall and pond was scratch-built rather than a kit, so I am learning the axiom: measure twice, cut once. Also, when we remodeled the house and backyard my better half wanted a large waterfall and pond, so LARGE is what she got, because our small fall and pond had to make way for the retaining wall.
I installed a huge above-ground pump for the waterfall and it moves a lot of water. Perhaps too much. I'm stumped as to what to do with its inlet. Should I simply cover it with a large, commercial basket-type guard about 3in. in diameter to keep fish from being sucked in? I have a separate biofilter assembly with its own pump on the opposite side of the pond. Should I reroute the waterfall pump's inlet (it's 2 in. PVC) and install a skimmer assembly at pond level.
Also, since the waterfall pump is moving so much water can I slow the volume by installing a control valve at its outlet. I've been told that restricting the intake is a no-no and will trash my pump.
Your post suggested a few plants should be put in early on and i was wondering about plant baskets. I've built shelves into the pond and have been told that baskets help with keeping plants in place. From the photos on your web site it looks as though you use a gentle slope at the edge of your pond and use stones as a border, hence, plants can be placed among the stones/rocks. We built this pond such that our dogs (God love em) are less likely to try to swim with the fish, but can drink from the pond without falling in - I know, I know, our vet hates that the dogs drink from the pond, but at 13 years old we feel that they should be allowed some pleasures in their old age.
I just purchased a digital camera and i can forward a few photos if this helps.
Thanks in advance.
Rod Powell
RE: Pump inlet - The Pond Digger - 03-02-2006 03:57 PM
Howdy again,
Thanks for your speedy response to my post yesterday.
I have another question. As background, this new waterfall and pond was scratch-built rather than a kit, so I am learning the axiom: measure twice, cut once. Also, when we remodeled the house and backyard my better half wanted a large waterfall and pond, so LARGE is what she got, because our small fall and pond had to make way for the retaining wall.
I installed a huge above-ground pump for the waterfall and it moves a lot of water. Perhaps too much. I'm stumped as to what to do with its inlet. Should I simply cover it with a large, commercial basket-type guard about 3in. in diameter to keep fish from being sucked in? I have a separate biofilter assembly with its own pump on the opposite side of the pond. Should I reroute the waterfall pump's inlet (it's 2 in. PVC) and install a skimmer assembly at pond level.
Also, since the waterfall pump is moving so much water can I slow the volume by installing a control valve at its outlet. I've been told that restricting the intake is a no-no and will trash my pump.
Your post suggested a few plants should be put in early on and i was wondering about plant baskets. I've built shelves into the pond and have been told that baskets help with keeping plants in place. From the photos on your web site it looks as though you use a gentle slope at the edge of your pond and use stones as a border, hence, plants can be placed among the stones/rocks. We built this pond such that our dogs (God love em) are less likely to try to swim with the fish, but can drink from the pond without falling in - I know, I know, our vet hates that the dogs drink from the pond, but at 13 years old we feel that they should be allowed some pleasures in their old age.
I just purchased a digital camera and i can forward a few photos if this helps.
Thanks in advance.
Rod Powell
Hey there,
Well the intake of the pump in a perfect world will pulling from inside the bottom of a skimmer. The tech part of that is; if you have a liner pond, the installation of the skimmer is a breeze, if it's a concrete pond it poses a different problem. Since you measured twice and cut once, I'm going with the liner approach.
The Aquascape Skimmers that we use, start with a 6" opening and can handle appoximately 4000 GPH (Gallons Per Hour). Sounds to me like your pump is a real sucker! Your best bet is going to be with the 8" Aquascape Skimmer that can handle approx. 9500 GPH.
With that being said if the pump is too much for the waterfall you will need to restrict the the flow of water to your waterfall and you are correct, most pumps don't like the back pressure on em', so plan on putting a relieve valve into your plumbing scheme. You can dump the extra water into the pond thru a spitter, jet, u.v., secondary filter, an additional waterfall, you get the picture I'm sure. Fax us a diagram of you schematic if you need help @ 909-793-8517.
All of our aquatic plants are planted in the gravel and between boulders! All the easier to consume excess nutrients, fish waste, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, you know - pond scum! If you can get away with no pots, you'll be better off.
We have built a pond or two just for dogs (See the "Dog Pond" post!) and as far as the dogs drinking outta the pond, shoot I drank pleny of pond water over the years and look at me, I turned out alright!
Good Luck,
The Pond Digger