I am new to pond-making and wondering how to exclude tadpoles, frog
eggs and fry from being sucked into a submersible pump. If it matters,
the pond is about 700 gallons and I haven't bought a pump yet. I'd
also like to know how strong of a pump I need. Any advice will be
greatly appreciated.

Pat wrote:

I am new to pond-making and wondering how to exclude tadpoles, frog
eggs and fry from being sucked into a submersible pump. If it matters,
the pond is about 700 gallons and I haven't bought a pump yet. I'd
also like to know how strong of a pump I need. Any advice will be
greatly appreciated.

Eggs are usually fastened to something- plants, rocks, whatever.
Tadpoles and fry are another matter.

My Savio 'Water Master' is called a 'solids handling' pump. When it
dies I'll take it apart to see what the impeller looks like- but it
says it will handle up to 1 1/4" solids.

It is separated from the pond in a skimmer, behind a mesh net and a
fiber filter.

Yet the occasional tadpole or fish fry finds it way through and
through the pump, through 15' of pipe, through the filter on my
waterfall weir-- and into the top 'pond'.

In 2 years I've found dozens of survivors, and only one injured fish -
a 2" Rosy Red- in the upper pond. Unless these guys have salmon
blood, there is no way to get there except through the pump.

Jim

We get the odd goldfish or mosquito fish through our 1/2" solids
pump. Don't know how many don't make it. Our intake is a 1 1/2" pipe
in a 5 gal bucket with as many 1/2" holes as I could drill. The pull
per hole is very little. We have vegie filters, so there is no
filter in the intake. Things have fit through the 1/2" hole to get
into the pump. The intake is close to the bottom of the pond.

Jim

On Aug 8, 3:52 pm, Phyllis and Jim wrote:
We get the odd goldfish or mosquito fish through our 1/2" solids
pump. Don't know how many don't make it. Our intake is a 1 1/2" pip
e
in a 5 gal bucket with as many 1/2" holes as I could drill. The pull
per hole is very little. We have vegie filters, so there is no
filter in the intake. Things have fit through the 1/2" hole to get
into the pump. The intake is close to the bottom of the pond.

Jim, what size and model pump are you using?

Pondmaster 2400gph. Seems to do well. I would have reached for the
3600, but they don't do it here any more as far as I can see. The
2400 is doing fine for us. I note that some versions seem to come
with a bladed entrance filter and a 'bag' to protect it. I would view
a mesh bag as an invitation to clog. The benefit of 1/2" holes in a 5
gal bucket is that they did not clog over a 10 yr period that I had
our old pump. The beauty of the pondmaster is that it can be used
submersed or not (We are doing 'not' so that we can replace it without
swimming!). The design also has just the impeller and so it is both
cheap and durable.

Others may have their favorites as well. I am less an advocate that a
pleased user.

Jim

I just reviewed your post and note that you have a 700 gal pond. If
your pump turned it over every 2 hours, you would need only 350 gph
flow (plus some for pushing the water up to a fall or something for
the return. My guess is that you would do fine with a pump that
pushes 5-600 gph. If you are running a veggie filter (i.e. small pond
with plants) as a filter, you would want to take that additional
volume into account).

Again, others may have other wisdom for you.


Jim

On Sat, 7 Aug 2010 22:45:14 EDT, Pat wrote:

I am new to pond-making and wondering how to exclude tadpoles, frog
eggs and fry from being sucked into a submersible pump. If it matters,
the pond is about 700 gallons and I haven't bought a pump yet. I'd
also like to know how strong of a pump I need. Any advice will be
greatly appreciated.

Hi Pat,

You'll need at least a 700 gph usually. Depends on where the output is
going, a fountain or waterfall, how high up does it have to pump and how
wide across is the waterfall and/or stream?

If the pump is in the pond you can enclose it in mesh baskets:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/koipond...s/set1/09s.jpg remove any foam in
front of impeller as it will quickly clog and you'll be pulling the pump
out constantly to clean it. Mesh baskets will usually keep out small fish
that are several days old, the rest and eggs will go thru, but they're not
usually hanging around the pump at that age.

My lily pond has a bottom drain and I had to put a big mesh basket over it
to keep even some of the larger fish from being sucked down and into my
filter. Most make the ride, but I would prefer they stay in the pond, thus
the mesh basket. I do find baby fish in the pre-filter, but I think that is
from eggs making the ride and not the little fry. HTHs and welcome to
ponding. ~ jan :-)

------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

On Aug 10, 6:32 am, ~ jan wrote:

If the pump is in the pond you can enclose it in mesh baskets:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/koipond...s/set1/09s.jpg

Thanks Jan. By any chance is there a larger version of that pic? I can
scarcely see what it is.

On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:54:10 EDT, Pat wrote:

On Aug 10, 6:32 am, ~ jan wrote:

If the pump is in the pond you can enclose it in mesh baskets:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/koipond...s/set1/09s.jpg

Thanks Jan. By any chance is there a larger version of that pic? I can
scarcely see what it is.

Click on my website below, click on "my pond pics" and go to page 7. Click
on pic and you should see a bigger version. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

On Aug 11, 6:38 am, ~ jan wrote:
On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:54:10 EDT, Pat wrote:
On Aug 10, 6:32 am, ~ jan wrote:

If the pump is in the pond you can enclose it in mesh baskets:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/koipond...s/set1/09s.jpg

Thanks Jan. By any chance is there a larger version of that pic? I can
scarcely see what it is.

Click on my website below, click on "my pond pics" and go to page 7. Clic
k
on pic and you should see a bigger version. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds:www.jjspond.us

Ok I found the pic but still can't make out what it is. Where do you
get this "mesh basket clamshell" and how do you fasten it to/over the
pump?

On Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:57:00 EDT, Pat wrote:


Ok I found the pic but still can't make out what it is. Where do you
get this "mesh basket clamshell" and how do you fasten it to/over the
pump?

The mesh basket are what nurseries sell as aquatic baskets for plants. You
buy 2 the same size that when hooked together at the open ends (with zip
ties) it forms a big clam, with pump inside. All you have to do is make
holes big enough for piping and cord. HTHs

http://users.owt.com/jjspond/koipond/photos/set1/09.jpg hexagons
Or this type of square basket:
http://i973.photobucket.com/albums/a...P7150001-1.jpg ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

On Aug 13, 6:53 am, ~ jan wrote:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/koipond/photos/set1/09.jpg hexagons
Or this type of square basket:http://i973.photobucket.com/albums/ae212/jj
spond/P7150001-1.jpg

Thanks, Jan, that is very helpful!

What are the foam tubes for in the second pic?

On Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:06:19 EDT, Pat wrote:

On Aug 13, 6:53 am, ~ jan wrote:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/koipond/photos/set1/09.jpg hexagons
Or this type of square basket:http://i973.photobucket.com/albums/ae212/jj
spond/P7150001-1.jpg

Thanks, Jan, that is very helpful!

What are the foam tubes for in the second pic?

I was demonstrating how to make a plant island, see the whole set of pics
he http://Photobucket.com/jjspond
Bottom of page 6 & top of page 7. ~ jan :-)
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us