We have NEVER gone to the bottom of the pond to clean the pump.

It is now at the end of its 6th year. It lives at the bottom of our 'deep
well' (think old septic tank) in a 5 gal bucket with a vast # of 1/2" holes
in the sides, no holes in the bottom and a light grid (egg crate) over the
top. The bucket is supported by 2 bricks to lift it. The only things that
can get to it are less than 1/2" and the pump grinds them up.

There are no filter pads around the pump to clean! The only reason we would
go there would be if the pump broke or something got through the holes that
could jam it. Hasn't happened yet. May it not break in the winter.

We drain our barrels annually. Also our ponds.

I was thinking about Jan's preference for gravity fed filters. In a way, we
have both. The pump pushes up through the barrels and the water then flows
down through the VF ponds and over the falls.

J
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Check out Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $140+ per jogger) at:
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"Iain Miller" wrote in message
news

"Phyllis and Jim Hurley" wrote in
message .. .
Can't speak to comparison.

We have pump fed.
Pump in the bottom of the pond.
Three feeds up to barrels
Which then gravity feed the VF ponds.
Return gravity to pond
Total head about 4'

Works fine.

Thanks for that, but how often do you have to get in to clean the pump?

rgds

I