Pond pump selection

mike95490

I win the bad timing of the year award

Too early for the Morningstar MPPT 60A
Too late for Dankoff
[Conergy has discontinued all of the solar (ex-Dankoff) water pumps as of Sept 2009.]
And the funds in my 401K

I'm looking for a DC or AC trash pump, I can "float" about 2' underwater in a pond, and pump up about 30' of lift to a storage tank where a float switch will be. I only need a couple (1-3) of GPM, and some of the $1,500 pumps seem like overkill. Boat bilge pumps don't have enough lift.

Suggestions?

Windsun

Re: Pond pump selection

And most of the smaller pumps, like the submersible and Shurflo surface pumps clog up with debris and pond scums and bugs etc pretty fast.

We are looking around for something to replace the Dankoff/Conergy, but not much available in the mid to low price range.

stephendv

Re: Pond pump selection

Lorentz? http://www.lorentz.de/offgrid/en/products/surfacepumps/boost

(No idea about price)

Dave Angelini

Re: Pond pump selection

Look at a marine impeller pumps for boats. Jabsco will pump to the top of the mast. Not very good with power but it will suck in sea weed/fish and spit it out. around $200....

JohnDoe333

Start by figuring out how much water you actually need to move per hour — that’s the foundation of choosing the right pump.

For most ponds, a good rule of thumb is to circulate the full pond volume once every 1–2 hours. So if your pond holds 1,000 gallons, you’re typically looking for a pump rated around 500–1,000 GPH (gallons per hour), depending on how heavily stocked it is with fish and whether you’re running a waterfall or just filtration.

But the number on the box isn’t the whole story. You also need to account for head height the vertical distance the pump has to push water. If you’re running a waterfall that’s 5 feet above the pump, the actual flow rate will drop significantly compared to the rated “zero head” flow. Always check the pump’s performance chart to see what the flow will be at your actual head height.

For solar setups (since this is a Solar Electric forum), power consumption matters just as much as flow rate. Look at:

• Watts required at operating head

• Whether it’s DC (often better for direct solar)

• Startup surge requirements (important if running from batteries or inverters)

As an example, if you have:

• 800-gallon pond

• 4-foot waterfall

• Light fish load

You might choose a 1,200 GPH pump rated at zero head, which would realistically deliver ~700–800 GPH at 4 feet. That keeps turnover close to once per hour without oversizing your solar array.

When comparing the Best Pond Pumps, don’t just look at maximum GPH. Compare:

• Flow at your actual head height

• Energy efficiency (GPH per watt)

• Continuous-duty rating

• Debris handling capability (especially if no skimmer)

Tip:
Match pump flow to pond volume first, then confirm performance at your real head height, and finally make sure your solar system can support the wattage comfortably. Oversizing slightly is fine — under sizing usually leads to murky water and frustration.