There are several things to consider in order to make a good
decision for a pump purchase. The first thing is to determine your
required flow rate. You will want your minimum flow rate to be at
least half of your pond volume (Pond
Volume Calculator). For example if you have a pond that contains
2,000 gallons of water  then
you will want to pump at least 1,000 gallons per hour (gph). This
is a starting point. You may find that 1,000 gph is not enough if
you plan to have a waterfall that is more than 10 inches wide. Generally
for a waterfall you will want 100 - 150 gph per inch of width of
the weir (the portion that the water spills over). This amount will
vary depending on how smooth or rough the weir is. If you want less
than a full flow then less flow is acceptable. You will also need
to consider your filter and ultraviolet sterilizer (UV) to make
sure that you are moving the right amount of water for these devices.
If your filter or UV has a maximum flow that is less than
your required flow rate for good circulation of your pond water,
then  you
will need to divert some of the water around these devices and
back into the pond. This is accomplished by adding a tee fitting
in the pipe coming from the pump and before your filter and/or
UV. A ball valve is added between the tee and the filter. Another
ball valve is installed on the other leg of the tee. Add more
pipe to this leg of the tee and extend the pipe to the waterfall
or to the pond. Adjust the ball valves to get the appropriate
amount of water flowing to your filter.
>> Step 2: Calculating Head Pressure
Step 3: Submersible vs. External
Step 4: Operation Expenses (cost calculator)
Step 5: Which Pump?
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