Looking to find the perfect pump for your pond? Our free Pond Pump Size Calculator takes the guesswork out of selecting the right equipment. Simply input your pond’s specifications and requirements, and receive instant, tailored recommendations to ensure optimal water flow and feature performance.
How Our Pond Pump Calculator Works
We’ve made pond pump selection easy! It analyses several key factors to determine your ideal pump size:
- Intended use (circulation, water features, or both)
- Pond dimensions (length, width, depth)
- The height of your water feature
- The width of an spillways, bowls, watercourses
Benefits of Proper Water Flow
Having sufficient circulation – or flow – from your pond pump is the difference between enjoying a happy, healthy water feature, and living with a swamp! And you don’t want to learn the hard way that there’s no way to turn up an undersized pump.
For Circulation
Maintaining adequate circulation is crucial for a healthy pond ecosystem:
- Promotes even distribution of oxygen
- Prevents stagnant water zones
- Helps maintain consistent water temperature
- Supports beneficial bacteria growth
For Water Features
The right flow rate ensures your water features perform as intended:
- Your feature will be a feature & not a dribble.
- Maintains consistent water levels
- Prevents dry spots in waterfalls
- Achieves proper fountain height
Common Pitfalls of Undersized Pumps
Choosing a pump that’s too small can lead to:
- Poor water quality and clarity
- Increased algae growth
- Weak water feature performance
- Higher maintenance requirements
- Stressed fish and plants
Calculating Pond Volume
To determine your pond’s volume in litres you’ll first need to measure your pond’s dimensions:
For Round Ponds:
- Measure width, average depth by 10cm section (eg: 100cm = 10)
- Multiply converted width by itself, then by 3.14.
- Multiply that number by the converted average depth
(or use our calculator 😉)
For Square, Rectangle, or Irregular shapes:
- Measure average length, average width, and average depth by 10cm section (eg: 200cm = 20)
- Multiply all converted dimensions
(or use our calculator 😉)
Calculating Flow Rates for spillways & overflowing bowls
Getting that perfect even flow over the edge of your spillway or water feature all comes down to having the right volume, and the key measures you need, to work out the perfect flow for your desired effect are:
- Head Height: The highest point your water will need to be pumped
- Edge Width: The width of the widest edge, your water will be cascading over. Noting that with bowls, this will be the circumference
- Desired Effect: Usually divided into two options
- Sheer Descent (non-projecting): Requires minimum 5Lpm per 10cm of cascading edge
- Projecting Blade: Requires minimum 16.66Lpm per 10cm of cascading edge
Ready to find your perfect pump? Try our calculator above or explore our complete range of pond pumps for every application.
