From the smallest barrel garden to the largest Koi pond. No water garden can survive very long without water movement. For water movement, a pump is essential. The pump has been called the 'heart of the pond' because it keeps the water circulating and the pond healthy. In addition, the most popular water features include water movement. A cascading, bubbling stream adds interest and serenity to a garden, while a waterfall can create a dramatic centerpiece. Fountains provide the additional benefit of aereating the water, essential for providing a healthy environment for fish. Water movement is also needed for filters to help keep the water clear.
To maintain a healthy pond, experts recommend circulating the water once every two hours, at the very least the water should be fully circulated two or three times per day. That means for a 1000 gallon pond you would need to pump at least 500 gallons an hour through the pond to recirculate it in two hours. Hence a 500 GPH pump or larger would be needed. Other factors to consider include how much water should be circulated through the filter and what will it take to make your waterfall or fountain look right
The higher a pump must push the water, the less water will be pumped. The term 'head height' is used to indicate the rise, measuring how high the water must be pumped for a particular application. Every ten feet of tubing the water has to be pumped through adds resistance equal to one foot of rise, reducing the pump flow.
When selecting a pump, look for the gallons per hour for each head height, as well as the maximum height the unit will pump. At maximum height' (max head), the pump will probably only put out a trickle of water. Be sure to get a pump that is suitable for your watergarden.
