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  • Results 1 to 10 of 10

    Thread: Tired Pump

    1. #1
      hambone is offline Member
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      Question Tired Pump

      My pond is about five years old and the water flow is not at all what it used to be when the pond was new. What used to be a sheet of water coming down the sheer descent waterfall is now a trickle. I have pretty simple pond plumbing. A bottom drain and skimmer merge and lead to a basket and then to an Elite pump which goes through an Ultima II filter. From the filter, the water returns through a UV light and then to a sheer descent and a simple pipe outlet in the pond.

      I have pretty much eliminated the filter as part of the problem. I just had it professionally cleaned and if I bypass it (Recirc) the water flow from the waterfall is about the same. If I run the water to waste, the flow is about the same as from backwash. So, it must be the pump or the pipes, right? The pros who cleaned the filter want to sell me a much more powerful variable speed pentair pump to replace the Elite pump.

      But why was my pond running so well when it was new? What happened? I was talking to my swimming pool service guy about it and he said that in his business pumps don't lose their effectiveness. "It's all or nothing!" But I was thinking pond pumps process a lot more gunk than a swimming pool pump. So, maybe the pump is all gunked up. Do pumps need to be cleaned? Can pumps be cleaned? I saw some new pumps that can handle solids so it seems that some pumps CANT handle solids - and mine is one of them. Full disclosure, my pump had a rough early life. The check valve was not installed correctly so for a couple of years, the pump would run dry for long stretches when it would periodically lose prime. Finally someone came along and fixed the check valve but maybe there was damage done. But I keep coming back to what my swimming pool guy said - a pump doesn't pump less water as it gets older.

      So, the questions are, should I replace the pump? Clean the pump? Hire someone to scope the pipes?

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    2. #2
      Fishmover is offline Supporting Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by hambone View Post
      My pond is about five years old and the water flow is not at all what it used to be when the pond was new. What used to be a sheet of water coming down the sheer descent waterfall is now a trickle. I have pretty simple pond plumbing. A bottom drain and skimmer merge and lead to a basket and then to an Elite pump which goes through an Ultima II filter. From the filter, the water returns through a UV light and then to a sheer descent and a simple pipe outlet in the pond.

      I have pretty much eliminated the filter as part of the problem. I just had it professionally cleaned and if I bypass it (Recirc) the water flow from the waterfall is about the same. If I run the water to waste, the flow is about the same as from backwash. So, it must be the pump or the pipes, right? The pros who cleaned the filter want to sell me a much more powerful variable speed pentair pump to replace the Elite pump.

      But why was my pond running so well when it was new? What happened? I was talking to my swimming pool service guy about it and he said that in his business pumps don't lose their effectiveness. "It's all or nothing!" But I was thinking pond pumps process a lot more gunk than a swimming pool pump. So, maybe the pump is all gunked up. Do pumps need to be cleaned? Can pumps be cleaned? I saw some new pumps that can handle solids so it seems that some pumps CANT handle solids - and mine is one of them. Full disclosure, my pump had a rough early life. The check valve was not installed correctly so for a couple of years, the pump would run dry for long stretches when it would periodically lose prime. Finally someone came along and fixed the check valve but maybe there was damage done. But I keep coming back to what my swimming pool guy said - a pump doesn't pump less water as it gets older.

      So, the questions are, should I replace the pump? Clean the pump? Hire someone to scope the pipes?
      I would start with cleaning the pump, especially the impeller. If something solid made its way through to the impeller it could have worn it down, resulting in less flow. Also Snails can attach to the impeller and reduce flow. If after cleaning the pump you are still not getting good flow, I would then look to see if there is an issue with the pipes being clogged/dirty.


      Been ponding for a while, with lots of successes, and lots of failures.

    3. #3
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      Quote Originally Posted by Fishmover View Post
      I would start with cleaning the pump, especially the impeller. If something solid made its way through to the impeller it could have worn it down, resulting in less flow. Also Snails can attach to the impeller and reduce flow. If after cleaning the pump you are still not getting good flow, I would then look to see if there is an issue with the pipes being clogged/dirty.
      Thank you!

    4. #4
      icu2's Avatar
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      Solid handling pumps are usually submersible pumps, not external ones.

      So the BD is plumbed into the skimmer and then to the pump; does the skimmer
      ever empty so the pump is pulling air? Is there air in the priming pot before the pump?

      Is the pump still situated like this?

      --Steve



      Koiphen 2021 Koi Person of the Year!

    5. #5
      hambone is offline Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by icu2 View Post
      Solid handling pumps are usually submersible pumps, not external ones.

      So the BD is plumbed into the skimmer and then to the pump; does the skimmer
      ever empty so the pump is pulling air? Is there air in the priming pot before the pump?

      Is the pump still situated like this?

      You're very resourceful! Yes, it is exactly! The skimmer never runs dry. There is an autofill in the skimmer. Things would have to be pretty bad for that to happen.

      As for the primer pot, yes there is a considerable amount of air in there. The pot is not filled. You can kinda see the water coming from the inlet tube into the pot. Thanks, Charlie

    6. #6
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      Sounds like an air gap preventing the water from moving into the pump


      Been ponding for a while, with lots of successes, and lots of failures.

    7. #7
      coolwon is online now Senior Member
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      What sort of pond people do a 1/2 job?

      People that don't know the first thing about water pumps.

      If your pump impeller is the enclosed type and is partially blocked, it cannot deliver the correct volume of water.

      Disconnect the inlet pipe and remove the pump end cover.

      Have a look see, if the impeller passages are partially blocked.

      Refit the suction pipe,disconnect the discharge pipe and see what sort of flow you get when it is not piped up to the filter.

      Discharge the water straight into the atmosphere.

      That should give some idea where the fault lies.

      Mind the electrics don't get wet.

      Put something like a plastic sheet over them.

      Garfield
      Find more about Weather in Durban, ZA

    8. #8
      vegaskoi89032 is offline Junior Member
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      We have a Evolution pump, which is very similar to yours and once in a blue moon a leaf or piece of sludge will get caught on the impeller and drastically reduce the output. Pull the impeller cover off and see if there is something stuck on it, these type of pumps are all or nothing so if there is a decrease in output there is something in the system somewhere.

    9. #9
      ccokeman is offline Junior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by hambone View Post
      You're very resourceful! Yes, it is exactly! The skimmer never runs dry. There is an autofill in the skimmer. Things would have to be pretty bad for that to happen.

      As for the primer pot, yes there is a considerable amount of air in there. The pot is not filled. You can kinda see the water coming from the inlet tube into the pot. Thanks, Charlie
      Sounds like you may have a bad o-ring sealing the lid on the priming pot. Sitting in full sun they degrade due to UV light and will crack. I usually end up replacing the lid o-ring on my pump each year. Combined with debris in the impeller or priming pot screen you end up with a low flow situation.

    10. #10
      Kent Wallace's Avatar
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      I agree with the restricted impeller info. The most common things I’ve found are snail shells and pine needles packing up the impeller.

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