Pond Pumps and Electricals

Pond Electricals: The Beating Heart Of Your Garden Pond

No garden pond is complete without the addition of some electrical equipment, chiefly a pond pump to keep water moving and your pond's inhabitants happy and healthy. When it comes to adding electrical equipment to your garden pond there's a lot of choice, from essentials like pond pumps and pond filters, to accessories like pond skimmers, pond UV clarifiers and pond heaters. What electrical equipment you choose to add to your garden pond will ultimately depend on its size (equipment often scales with pond size), its features (waterfalls and other features require some specialist equipment), and - perhaps most importantly - your budget.

What are pond pumps and why are they important?

There isn't any piece of electrical equipment more important for a garden pond than a reliable pond pump. A pond pump keeps water moving around your garden pond and supplies other electrical equipment, like pond filters, pond fountains, and pond waterfalls, with a constant supply of water. They're essential for maintaining a healthy pond and without them aquatic life would struggle to survive. Even wildlife ponds that typically don't require a lot of electrical equipment benefit from the addition of a pond pump as they keep water aerated and prevent it from turning stagnant.

There are many different varieties of pond pumps, all designed for slightly different tasks. Here's a breakdown of the most popular types of pond pumps and how they work:

• Filter Pumps - these pond pumps are designed to work in tandem with pond filters, supplying them with dirty water that pond filters then 'clean' with a combination of sponges and other filter media.
• Fountain Pumps - these pond pumps provide pond fountains with a constant supply of pond water at high pressure. They sit at the base of a garden pond, with their fountain attachments poking just above the water's surface.
• Water Feature Pumps - these pond pumps are similar to fountain pumps in that they provide water features, particularly pond waterfalls, with a constant supply of water. They too are often pressurised.
• All-In-One Pumps - these handy little devices are a pond pump and filter in one single, easy-to-install unit. They're great for first-time pond keepers and those with small ponds that don't have space for lots of electrical equipment.
• Solar Powered Pumps - these solar pond pumps are powered by sunlight and best suited to small ponds that get lots of it. They're great in spring and summer but may need to be replaced with a more reliable pond pump in autumn and winter.

How do pond pumps differ from pond filters?

Not to be confused with pond pumps, pond filters 'clean' your pond water while pond pumps pump it around your garden pond. Like pond pumps, pond filters are essential for maintaining a healthy pond, particularly one stocked with lots of pond fish. They work by forcing dirty pond water through a series of sponges and porous filter media. This process removes waste products from your pond water (mechanical filtration) and breaks down toxic compounds like ammonia(biological filtration) into less-toxic compounds like nitrate. These nitrates can be removed with a water change, or left for your pond plants to absorb as they grow.

What other electrical equipment do I need for a garden pond?

While a pond pump is the the most important piece of equipment for a healthy garden pond, it's not the only piece of equipment that you'll need. If you have a garden pond stocked with fish, then you'll need to pair your pond pump with a quality pond filter. You may also want to install an air pump to keep your pond water aerated and, in turn, keep your fish healthy and happy.

Other pieces of electrical equipment that benefit your pond include pond heaters and pond lights. Pond heaters are particularly useful during the cold winter months as they keep your pond's surface free of ice, ensuring healthy gaseous exchange. Pond lights aren't exactly a necessity, but they do illuminate your pond and turn it into an outdoor paradise that you can enjoy through the evening and deep into the night.

How do I work out the size of my garden pond?

Prior to purchasing any electrical equipment for your garden pond, it's important that you work out its size/volume. Most electrical equipment is limited by pond size, particularly pond pumps and pond filters. For example: a small pond pump, like the Swell Filter Pump 1400, isn't suitable for pumping water in a large garden pond with a volume of >10,000L. To avoid purchasing unsuitable electrical equipment, make sure you check the specifications detailed underneath each product listed on our website.

To work out the size/volume of your garden pond, measure its length, width, and depth. These can be rough measurements, there's no need to measure every nook and cranny of your garden pond! Then, input your numbers into our handy pond volume calculator and let it do the rest of the work for you. You can input your measurements in feet, inches, metres, or centimetres and the calculator will work out not only your garden pond's volume (in gallons and litres), but also the size of pond liner and protective underlay you'll need to line it.