A fountain water pump is a small submersible that sits in a pond, birdbath or water feature and sends water up a fountain head or over a waterfall. Pond pumps do the same job on a larger scale, circulating water through a filter so it stays clear and fish get oxygen. Some are mains powered, some run on low voltage through a transformer, and solar fountain pumps run straight from a small panel when the sun is out. Describe your pond or feature and we pass your request to independent pump suppliers and pond specialists nearby, who quote you.
Sizing by flow at the height
Pond pumps are sold by flow in litres per hour, but the flow drops as the height rises. A pump that moves a lot of water at the surface may only trickle over a waterfall a metre up. Look at the flow at your height, measured from the pond surface to the top of the waterfall or fountain head, and allow for the hose length. Many pond keepers aim to circulate the pond volume at least once every hour or two; koi keepers often more. Ask the supplier for a pump curve.
Solar fountain pumps
A solar fountain pump runs directly from a small solar panel, with no cable to the house. It suits birdbaths, small features and places far from a plug. It only runs while the sun is on the panel, so the fountain slows in cloud and stops at night, unless the kit has a battery. For a fish pond that needs circulation around the clock, a mains or low voltage pump is the better choice. For bigger solar pumping, see solar borehole pumps.
Filters, koi and running day and night
A mesh pre-filter or foam sponge around the pump stops leaves and string algae from clogging the impeller. Koi ponds usually run a pump and a biological filter around the clock, and many owners keep a spare pump in case one fails. Lodges and estates with larger water features may use a bigger submersible or a surface pump in a pump room.
- Koi and fish ponds
- Waterfalls and streams
- Fountains, birdbaths and water walls
- Lodge and estate water features
Power, safety and care
Mains pond pumps should run from a plug point with earth leakage protection, and any new outdoor wiring should be done by a qualified electrician. Low voltage pumps are often chosen near children. Clean the pre-filter regularly, check the impeller for grit and snails, and keep the pump off the very bottom so it does not suck up sludge. A worn pump can often be checked by a pump repair workshop, though small units are usually replaced.
What to put in your request
- Pond volume or length, width and depth
- Height of the waterfall or fountain
- Fish or koi in the pond
- Distance to the nearest plug point
- Mains, low voltage or solar
Pond and Fountain Pumps for homes, farms and businesses
- Homeowners: a garden pond, birdbath or small fountain with a quiet submersible pump
- Smallholdings and plots: a farm dam fountain or a duck pond kept moving with a solar pump
- Farms: a homestead garden feature or small dam aerated with a fountain pump
- Complexes, estates and body corporates: entrance water features and estate lakes with larger fountain pumps
- Offices, shops, hotels and lodges: lodges, hotels and office parks with waterfalls and fountains in the gardens
- Factories, plants and depots: cooling and settling ponds aerated with floating fountain pumps
- Mines and quarries: rarely used, perhaps a fountain at a mine village or office garden
- Municipalities, schools and clinics: park fountains and civic water features with pumps in a pump room
- Contractors and drillers: landscapers and pond builders fitting pumps, filters and fountain heads
Frequently asked questions
What size pump do I need for my pond?
Will a solar fountain pump work in winter?
Should a koi pond pump run all the time?
Do you install ponds or fountain pumps?
Pond and Fountain Pumps by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg