How to Specify Pond Pumps for Waterfalls and Fountains: You need to specify 2 items to select the ideal pond pump ...

Waterfall head Pond Pump First Specification:

The vertical height of the waterfall inlet above the water surface of the pond

Refer to this picture. It shows the 2 points between which you must measure to get the height "H".

Do NOT measure from the bottom of the pond ... measure this in feet to use the table below.

This is called the "pond pump head".

IMPORTANT: Increase the number by 20%. For example if your pond pump head is 3 feet then multiply this by 1.2.

This means you will work on a pump head of (3 x 1.2) = 3.6 feet in the table below.

Whenever in doubt ALWAYS go to next higher level ... for example in this case you might want to choose say 4 feet rather than 3.6 feet. The reason for doing this is to overcome what are called pipe friction losses which you can learn more about in the advanced sections of this website.

Pond Pump Specification 2:

Work out the water volume flow rate for a submersible pump when a waterfall is included in pump system ...

Waterfall has 2 seperate overflowsYou need to work out how much water flow is required to give you a nice waterfall which is a function of the width of the waterfall overflow(s).

This is how you determine the submersible pump flow ... If the stream section before the waterfall splits into a series of smaller overflows (see the picture) but all overflows are at the same level then add all the mini overflows together to get the true width in inches. In the case of the picture shown you would add the width of the first point to the width of the second point. This width is needed to work out the water flow you will need to specify the submersible pond pump. Now you can use the table below.

If you have no waterfall then pond pump choice is easier ... see below for simple pond pump choice and for a simple water fountain pump click the link

Waterfall & Pond Pump Selection Table ...

Check where waterfall height meets waterfall width in the table. This is the flow you require to specify your submersible pond and waterfall pump. 

To convert these flows to litres multiply by 3.8 (ie 3.8 litres = 1 US gallon)

  Waterfall Vertical Height (H) measured from surface of pond as in picture above ... (feet)
Width

Water

Overflow

(inches)

  1 ft 2 ft 3 ft 4 ft 5 ft 6 ft
3" 350 gph 500 gph 500 gph 500 gph 700 gph 700 gph
6" 700 gph 700 gph 700 gph 700 gph 1200 gph 1200 gph
9" 1200 gph 1200 gph 1200 gph 1200 gph 1200 gph 1200 gph
12" 1200 gph 1200 gph 1200 gph 1200 gph 1200 gph 1200 gph
Example ... you have a pond with a waterfall 3 feet above the pond surface and the overflow is 9 inches wide. You will then need a pond pump that will deliver 1200 gph of water at a pumping height (head) of 3 feet. See the box colored yellow above. If you have a waterfall 24 inches wide and 3 feet high you would need 2 model 1200gph submersible pumps TIP: always go for one size larger submersible pump if in any doubt ... Great range of USA pond pumps for small to medium ponds and waterfalls

If your pond does not have a waterfall and you only want  to circulate water through the pond filter then the specification is much easier. Refer to this pond pump selection table below ... NO WATERFALL ... you only need to know your pond volume or make estimate of the volume. It does not matter if you are not perfectly correct

Volume of garden pond ... (gallons) click to see pump range for all garden ponds
300 galls 500 galls 1000 galls 1500 galls 2000 galls 2500 galls
350 gph 350 gph 500 gph 700 gph 1200 gph 1200 gph
Example ... you have a pond whose volume is about 1250 gallons. Then a good pump choice would be one that can pump about half of this volume every hour. In this case a pump of 700 gph maximum flow would do a good job for you (see box colored pink above). You could if you really wanted to save some money get away with the 500 gph pond pump but if in any doubt always go one size bigger. For a much wider range and choice click here  Submersible pumps for small to medium sized ponds and waterfalls

In general these days avoid buying any pond pump with a sponge in the suction casing. Such submersible pond pumps become badly restricted by algae growth in warm weather and make for lots of pump cleaning hassles.

On the matter of cost do take note of the pond pump's operating cost .... normally the pond pump operating cost is far more important than the original pump cost and if you should take this electricity cost into account. This is discussed in other pump sections of the site.

Many retailers do not understand submersible pond pumps well enough to give money saving advice consistent with correct pond pump specifications. Selecting fountain pumps is easier than selecting a waterfall pump or submersible pond pumps.

For 90% + of all garden ponds the above pump selection tables will work well.

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