| If you are considering installing a large water | | | | feature is to make sure that you buy a pump |
| feature in your yard, then you will want to look | | | | that is self priming. By that, it means that the |
| into external pond pumps. These units are | | | | pump can take water into itself as needed. If |
| designed for exactly what you are going to need | | | | your electricity goes out, the pump will drain. |
| and once you put one in place you will see how | | | | When the power returns the unit comes back on |
| much of a work horse it really is in performing it's | | | | dry and burns up. There are two classic solutions |
| job. They are designed specifically to be more | | | | to this problem. One is to install a check valve, |
| efficient and still handle larger volumes of water | | | | and the other is to place the unit below water |
| effectively. | | | | level and let gravity work for you. |
| Anyone who has ever seen a pond may or may | | | | One of the most important things to remember |
| not have noticed that the pump is typically | | | | when purchasing these external pond pumps is |
| submerged in the water, out of sight and out of | | | | making sure that you get the right size. This is |
| mind. The great thing about this is that you only | | | | absolutely crucial to the life of your pond, since |
| need to monitor it if something goes wrong or if | | | | the pump is the central point of the entire |
| it needs cleaning. Other than that it is pretty self | | | | feature. When sizing a pump you need to know |
| sustaining. But the location of one of these types | | | | how many gallons your feature holds. The |
| is completely out of the water. This may cause a | | | | appropriate one will cycle the water volume once |
| little bit of a problem since they will be heard. And | | | | every hour. So if you have a pond that holds |
| if you do not want to have to look at it you will | | | | 1000 gallons then your pump needs to be a 1000 |
| need to find a way to camouflage it with it's | | | | GPH (gallons per hour) pump. Anything less and |
| surroundings. | | | | you are wasting your time and money. |
| Since the pump is on dry land, an important | | | | |