Find out the actual performance of a pump for any garden fountain

For small pools with tiny waterfalls or just simple fountain effects there are excellent 24volt submersible pumps on the market that are perfectly adequate for a small waterfall or fountain, but are hard pushed to provide for both.

A good visible fountain that is a pyramid of water roughly a metre high might come from a pump spraying 450 litres per hour (90gallons per hour). This might be the maximum performance of the pump or a significant proportion of it. The larger the pump the less significance the effect the fountain on the pump performance will be, but it is a constant to bear in mind.

Dont get too ambitious with the proposed height of your fountain. Allow at least the height of the fountain again before you reach the side of the pool to prevent the spray blowing out of the pool. Fairly wind resistant jets of water come with the gushing style of foam fountain. These make good aerators for the pool but require a proportionately powerful pump to make them effective.

A pump for a fountain with a fine spray needs to have a fairly efficient grill or pre-filter to prevent any solids getting sucked in and lodging in the jet. A really good fountain pump of this nature would be useless for a filtration system.

As on this Heissner P750 a sponge prefiter helps prevent fine fountain jets getting blocked.

Fountain ornaments are another case in point. The internal pipework of most fountain ornament can have a severe restricting effect on the performance of a pump. Pumps like the Blagdon Amphibious that are electro-statically driven seem to struggle the most. Seek advice from the manufacturer for a suitable brand and performance of pump for the ornament in the situation you have in mind. If the ornament is spilling into the main pond from a large bowl you find that the pipe work is Teed off at the main bowl, with the pipe diverting some flow further up the ornament whilst the bulk fills the lower bowl and spills into the pond. On occasion I have seen it necessary to use 2 moderately powerful pumps to get the required level of flow.

The internal pipework on this superb Haddonstone fountain ornament can have a severe restricting effect on the performance of a pump.

Pumps like the Blagdon Amphibious that are electro-statically driven seem to struggle the most. Seek advice from the manufacturer for a suitable brand and performance of pump for the ornament in the situation you have in mind.