Pond Pump Pitfalls: Avoid This Common Mistake in 2024 - Expensive vs Budget

This video is all about the latest price increases in pond pumps and the costs of running a pond pump each month and year. Are expensive pumps worth it and just how good are budget pumps?

There are four pumps that we discuss:

Pontec Pondomax 8000
Aquamax Eco Classic 8500
Blagdon Amphibious IQ 6000 - 12000
Aquamax Premium 8000

All monthly wattage amounts are calculated up to date using this tool and website:

Hope you like the video, if so click and subscribe for more...

#pondpumps
#pondpumprunningcosts
#oase pump
#pondomax
#blagdon pumps

[helenazzopardi]

I am newbie, my hole is dug and going to be around 10, 000 ltrs. I am already confused. You are absolutely right, I don't want to be ripped off. I want value for money. But I know when i go into the store to buy my pump and filter, they're going to try to tell/sell me what they want not what I need. So I'm trying to educate myself here. So, thank you, and to the other subscribers who have left their thoughts,

[keithbstar]

I USE Jabao DCP pumps Never had a problem from pumping to filters to water fall venture all adjustable flow, they run 24\7

[Flossy_tops]

At the moment I’m looking at smaller pumps for another project, but with everything being so expensive these days, this is really useful information. Thanks 👍

[jimargenio]

Absolutely great video well needed in the industry very transparent, nice to see folks that aren’t sellouts, subscribed

[kensteeplejack]

Hi thats good to know. I have been using the super fish pumps on my pond, for the last 6 years, I started with the 5000ltr and after 2 years or so changed to an 8000ltr pump. the original still works like new, I keep it as a spare, the main benifit is the price and the low wattage of them. "SuperFish Pond Eco Plus E 8000" is the model i have and it only uses 41watts.

[markfleming]

I think pump quality has improved in recent years but I buy top premium pumps with the last one running 24/7 for 12 years until it failed. Even under warranty who wants the agro of removing a manky pump and posting it to the manufacturer? If you can afford it, buy the best and forget about it for many years.

[leecalladine]

I have to say a lot of what your saying in this video is bang on. makes you really think for sure.

[paulhoward]

Brilliant & informative video!
👍👍👍

[alanthecat]

You can run the IQ dry, dry running kit is in the instructions as an option (it's amphibious ) . The direct equivalent model Blagdon IQ 9000 ( 8700 LPH ) is 30 to 60w variable FYI. IQ 12000 measured at over 8000LPH at its lowest 40 watts setting ( in my pond ) test it... Also for six / five months?, you can reduce the IQ at the controller to what works on your pond, with no need for a valve ( which is stuck at the same power usage ) . To start with i ran it at 85 watts full power, however i have found the pond filters great at the 40w setting and have kept it there for two seasons now. It also has run dry protection and soft start/ jam protection systems to protect the pump and your pipe work. What's the max head on the four? how good are they at pumping with restrictions like say through a pressure filter or the lift of a waterfall and pipe work friction? what happens to the flow per watt value then? does it change the running cost for water moved for power? my calculations make it considerable. pontect 8000 at 2M head ( normal back pressure for a pond system ) 70w / 2650 LPH = 37.8 LPH per watt spent.IQ 9000 at 2m 60W / 3500 lph= 58.3 LPH per watt spent. Its this pence per watt water moved at a decent pressure which is the true value of a pump's performance for energy used. Like an MPG for a car. Flow at zero head is like having a car MPG at an average speed of 5mph, it's not real-world use. You can optimize a pump to look good at zero head, or be good at real-performance world back pressure/head. I would like to see this comparison as i think would be very helpful when choosing which is the best value. The cost at the start between say an IQ 9000 and pontec will be easily saved in energy usage on your electric bill in the first year by my calculations. ;)...An energy saver IQ 6000 actually dose the same flow 2600lph at 2 meters as the pontech 8000 using only 35 watts!, so 35W / 2600 = 74 LPH per watt ! With power bills as they are say 30p per kilowatt hour it is worth some calculator twirling to save £££££ per year might be worth spending a little bit more i think.

[stormbroke]

Loving your videos. I’m from West Sussex. Would not have known of you without the vids. Keep it up. Very informative. Not sure if you are aware but Oase is a German brand and Oase is German for oasis.

[readmore]

I have a hoselock 9000 pump with fountain and built in uv light, it does the job. I've put it on a timer, off at 10pm on at 8am. No problems

[jamesmgreen]

Interesting. A friend has an amphibious pump. Pretty sure it's proud of the waterline but really close to the outtake and he seems to get away with it. Not suggesting you are wrong or giving advice, just that he seems to get away with it even when something blocks it. Sadly everything else he gets wrong thus far (after taking over running it), but that is a different story. The advice from the bricks and mortar Koi shop was don't get it wet - Incredible.

[Auto_Blip]

I have one of the Oase AquaMax Eco Premium pumps and it’s a great but if kit. One thing you failed to mention which is pretty important is that that pump has twin Inlets so you can attach it to a skimmer or satellite filter which is a massive bonus and the reason I bought mine.

[matcrutch]

i always go for the cheapest pond pump with the lowest wattage. 4years later and there still working. if they did fail it would still be cheaper in the long run to replace with another cheap pump than what i would have paid for an expensive pump. there all well made in my opinion. probable the same parts.the same make of pump ran in my dads for over 10 years

[roppie]

I owned 3 Oase pumps, they all broke down way too soon, changed to Pontec, best choice of my life.

[gerrysones]

Important consideration is quality and longevity. Oase takes some beating if you take these considerations into account. I have a large pond and many pumps and bitter experience has taught me don’t go cheap.

[richardsandwell]

With pond pumps I despair a bit sometimes, they have certainly not kept up with the times.
Before I started generating my own electricity I could not even afford the electricity to run a Fridge let alone have my Oase pump running all the time using 80 watts of power on top of all my other monthly out goings.
Now that I am off grid and using Lead Acid batteries my current problem is having to use a mains pump at all, I only use an inverter when I need mains, everything else runs on 12 volt and few pond pumps of any size seem to, it means running a dedicated inverter with the usual nasty quiescent current draw of about an amp from the batteries. Managed to get a cheap 12volt 20watt pump off the internet, which seems to work great but apart from tiny water features, aquarist shops have not really embraced the world of solar power yet. The way forward with ponds is very low flow rates at night and in winter and higher flow rates when more solar is available.
Also larger direct solar powered pumps from there own larger panels.

[rackprime]

If you're comparing only on price vs power consumption the of course the "premium" pumps will looks expensive. However, if you took the time to really understand the differences you'd know that, cheap pumps do not pump the same pressure as higher end pumps. Head height means more than the physical height. It's also about the backpressure of your filters etc. Also the Aquamax Premiums have 2x inlets so you can run skimmers etc. They also pass 10mm solids so don't jam up as often as cheaper pumps. The Premium range also has SFC (Seasonal Flow Control) on the larger pumps where it steps the power and flow down depending on water temperature so sure, at full pelt it's only a little bit more efficient but over winter, you'll save a fortune when the pond is in hibernation.

I agree that there are different price points and not everyone needs an expensive pump but you can advise someone to buy a Kia over BWM just because it's cheaper.

[judechopper]

I have 16, 000 lt per hour au$600 Laguna, 5 years old, just replaced impeller $102, had 3 cheap pumps before that all lasting 2 years, I do have outdoor river with lots of debris, bog filter pond 2000litres, silver perch, koi, turtles, and Aussie Natives! All in 4 separate flowing ponds total 25m long 2 foot deep.

[muppit]

My biggest problem with the warranty from Oase is the only thing that can really go wrong with them, the impeller, (its the only moving part) is not covered by the warranty. The chances of anything going wrong with it is almost non existent. I can’t comment on the others.