!: Fountain Pump - How to Choose the Right Water Fountain Pump

Choosing the best fountain pump for your water project is very important. There are a lot of things to consider. To help you make the best choice, ask yourself:

Is the pump going to be used for a stand-alone fountain? Or will you create a more elaborate water feature with a pond and a waterfall?

Selecting a pump for a water fountain on its own is a simpler question to answer. Follow the fountain manufacturer's recommendation but also examine the guarantee or warranty of the product. When comparing prices be sure to look at the amperage and wattage of the pumps you're considering. Generally speaking the lower these two numbers the less electricity it will take to run the pump.

If you are planning to create a more elaborate water feature with a pond and a waterfall consider the following:

Will the pump be submerged in the pond or sitting outside the water? Unless you are planning a very large pond or very high waterfall, use a submersible pump. They are less expensive and quieter to run than external pumps. Choose a magnetic drive rather than a direct drive, it uses less electricity and will save you money longterm.
What is the volume of the pond? To maintain a healthy pond it is recommended you circulate the entire volume once every two hours. Therefore, if your pond has 1,000 gallons, you require a 500 g.p.h. (gallons per hour) pump.
What is the height of the waterfall and its distance from the pump? And how wide do you want the spillway be? When purchasing a pump you'll want one that exceeds your needs. Consider that it requires 150 g.p.h per inch of spillway width. And although substantially less, pumping water horizontally still puts a demand on the pump. Generally 10 horizontal feet are approximately equal to 1 vertical foot or lift.

For example, a 5 foot waterfall that is situated 20 feet from the pump, will need to account for a total of 7 feet of lift. A maximum head height of 7 feet, however, means that's as high as the pump can move the water. That means next to no water movement at the height of your waterfall. Probably not the effect you want. So be sure to consult the performance curve chart of any pump you are considering to select one that exceeds your minimum 7 foot requirement.

To see what your waterfall will look like before choosing your pump try this: use a standard garden hose and set it to flow over your waterfall where you are going to place the outlet from your water line. Turn it on full blast. Typical municipal water pressure can run from 800-900 g.p.h. So if you like what you see, you know you'll need at least a 800 g.p.h. pump. If you're not impressed, be prepared to go bigger.