5 Best Pond Pumps Compared

by Tory Jon | Last Updated: January 07, 2022

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Pond Pump Comparison Chart

	Description	Type	Price
	Tetra Pond Debris-Handling Pump	Submersible pump		Buy on Amazon
	Pond Boss Pump & Filter Kit	Submersible pump		Buy on Amazon
	Beckett Corporation Pond Pump Kit	Submersible pump		Buy on Amazon
	Tetra Pond Water Garden Pump	Submersible pump		Buy on Amazon
	Alpine Cyclone Pond Pump	Submersible & External pump		Buy on Amazon

*Buying through links in this chart may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.

5 Best Pond Pumps Reviewed

Tetra Pond Debris-Handling Pump

• Best Large Pond Pump

The Tetra Pond Debris-Handling Pump is a popular and durable water pump designed for clog-free performance. It has a cage protecting the submersible water pump, preventing large debris from clogging it up. This makes it a great choice for ponds under trees or simply prone to lots of outside debris blowing into them.

It features an impeller motor for energy efficiency, a wear-resistant ceramic shaft for longer life, and its epoxy encapsulated to protect the motor from the water.

It's available in two models, one rated at 3,690 GPH and one at 4,235 GPH. And their max head height is 11.4 ft and 13.1 ft, respectively, so keep that in mind if you plan on using it to power a waterfall, fountain, or other water features.

Pond Boss Pump & Filter Kit

• Most Energy Efficient Pond Pump

As the name suggests, the Pond Boss Pump & Filter Kit is a two-in-one pond pump and filter… that comes in a kit.

Perfect for small ponds up to 500 gallons of water, this kit is a great cost-saving solution. Not just upfront cost-savings, but the energy-efficient 23w pump only costs an average of $1.66 per month to run, making it a great long-term saving solution, as well! Who doesn't love to save money on their electricity bills?!

The included filter ensures a long pump life by capturing debris with a two-stage mechanical and biological filter system. The biological filters also help the growth of beneficial bacteria in your pond.

Along with the submersible pump and filter, this kit comes with a fountain water spray nozzle, nozzle extensions, and a diverter valve.

Beckett Corporation Submersible Pond Pump Kit

• Best Value Pond Pump

The Beckett Corporation Pond Pump Kit comes with a pre-filter to protect the unit from debris, three fountain heads, a two-way control valve, and two adapters.

This submersible water pump has a maximum flow rate of 500 gallons per hour (GPH) with a max head height of 6.5 ft.

The unit has a fairly impressive water flow rate for how little energy it consumes. The average monthly running cost is only $2.45 per month.

Tetra Pond Water Garden Pump

• Best Magnetic Drive Pond Pump

The Tetra Pond Water Garden Pump is a submersible pond pump that can easily power most waterfalls, fountains, streams, filtration systems, and other water features.

This magnetic drive water pump comes in 4 different sizes, so you'll want to pick the one that closely fits your pond.

Pump Model	Maximum Flow Rate	Max Head Height
26586	325 GPH	6.5 ft
26587	550 GPH	7.5 ft
26588	1000 GPH	8 ft
26589	1900 GPH	16.5 ft

This line of pond pumps utilizes its magnetic drive technology that is reliable and energy-efficient. Plus, they come with a solid 3-year warranty.

Alpine Cyclone Pond Pump

• Best External Pond Pump

The Alpine Cyclone Pond Pump is unique because you can use it in or out of the water! And it can be used vertically or horizontally, allowing for a greater range of placements in or out of the pond.

The high-performance and energy-saving motor is protected by a large pre-filter cage that can be easily taken apart and cleaned with the use of any tools.

There are seven different models available for the Alpine Cyclone, so pick the one that best suits your pond's size and needs.

And feel confident with your purchase with the solid 3-year warranty

While this pump doesn't include a bunch of fountainhead attachments and other add-ons, it is our highest recommended pump purely based on reliability, performance, and the ability to handle any pond task.

Oh, did we mention the insanely long 33-foot power cord!

What Does a Pond Pump Do?

A pond pump is essentially a water pump – an electrical device that moves your pond's water.

Think of your pump as the heart of your pond. It circulates water and powers your pond's features, such as a pond spitter, fountain, waterfall, and even streams. And if you have a pond filtration system, it forces the water through your filters which can help keep your water clean and clear.

Pond pumps can also help aerate your pond. This is the process of adding oxygen to your pond, which can help improve water quality, reduce pond muck, and may be essential if you have fish or other aquatic life in your pond.

Do I Need a Pond Pump?

Yes, you will want to run a pump in your pond in most cases.

Does that mean you can't successfully have a backyard pond without one? Of course not. But you'll need to do a lot of careful planning when building your pond and potentially a lot more manual maintenance to keep your pond clean and clear.

If you are dead set on never running a pond pump, be sure to:

1. Have some form of pond algae control. I'd recommend adding lots of pond plants to help naturally filter and aerate the water. Plus, plants will consume nutrients that would otherwise fuel algae growth.
2. Either don't add any fish or keep the number of fish very low. Fish like to poop. And that poop can increase nutrient levels, which will help algae grow. Also, overfeeding your fish can increase nutrient levels. Let your fish eat natural food already in the pond.
3. Line the sides of your pond with rocks. Microbes like to live on rocks and help keep your pond clean and free from foul odors.
4. Put a pond net in place to help catch debris before it enters the pond and sinks to the bottom, becoming muck on your pond floor.

Even if you follow the above advice, you may still run into pond scum issues, murky pond water, and oxygen levels too low for your fish to thrive in.

Using a water pump will help with peace of mind and may even be required in some ponds (heavily stocked koi ponds), so don't skimp out on this investment. If running costs are a worry for you, solar pond pumps may be perfect for your specific pond setup.

Types of Pond Pumps

The two main types of pond pumps you'll run across are submersible water pumps and external pumps. Each type of water pump have their pros and cons, so let's break down each one to see which is the best pump for you.

Submersible Pond Pumps

As the name suggests, a submersible pond pump is placed and runs entirely underwater.

This is arguably the most common type of pump available today for a few reasons:

• They're much easier to hide than an external pump, as they simply live underwater.
• Because these pumps are submerged, they produce less noise than their above-water counterparts.
• Installation is a breeze.

Submersible pumps come in various sizes and water flow rates making it easy to find a solution no matter how big or small your backyard pond is.

As with most things, there are a few drawbacks with submersible pumps, the main one being that they can be more difficult to maintain and clean. This is because your pump generally sits at a low point in your pond, so to perform any maintenance to it, you would have to reach down to this point and manually remove your pump. This might not be an issue for smaller ponds, but for larger (and deeper) ponds, this can be a hassle.

Running costs can also be slightly higher for submersible pumps than external ones.

External Pond Pumps

On the other hand, external pond pumps sit outside the pond and are generally hidden inside a box or underground.

These types of pumps are typically bigger and more powerful than submersible pumps. However, you can still find an external water pump for just about any sized pond – large or small. These pumps are a great choice if you have a very large pond or need a powerful pump because you stock a lot of pond fish like koi.

By nature, an external pump will be noisier than a submersible pump, but this can be remedied to a certain degree by housing the pump in a box or placing it underground next to your pond.

And while the cost may be a little more upfront for an external pump, the monthly operating costs are actually lower than the average submersible water pump – with all things being equal.

External pumps require more effort to install, as well, as you must run plumbing to and from it, plus you'll need somewhere to house it. With that said, you don't have to remove it from the water to access it!

What Size Pond Pump Do I Need for My Pond?

When sizing your pond pump, you'll need to know your pond's volume. Why? Because, generally speaking, you'll want your pump to circulate the water in your pond every 1 to 2 hours. In other words, if you have a 500-gallon pond, you'll want a pump rated at 250 – 500 gallons per hour (GPH), at the least.

To save you time, I'm going to refer you to our pond calculator, which will tell you exactly what sized pump you need for your pond and a ton of other useful information (like filter size, pond liner size, volume, and much more).

Another time-saver is pond kits. With a pond kit, you'll get everything you need to get your pond up and running in no time. And they take the guesswork out of trying to find all of the right-sized components.

What Size Pump Do I Need For A Waterfall?

There are a few extra considerations to consider if you plan on featuring a waterfall in your pond, mainly the head height and the gallons per hour (GPH). But it's pretty simple to calculate.

Step 1: Calculate The Waterfall Head Height

The head height is the distance from the top of the waterfall down to the pond's surface. So, let's say it's 3 feet from the top of your waterfall (where the water comes out) to the pond's surface, then your head height is 3 feet.

Step 2: Determine GPH

Now, let's look at how wide your waterfall flow is. For your typical waterfall, you will want a pump rated at 1500 GPH for every 12 inches of width. If the water discharging from your waterfall width is 2 feet wide, then you'll want a pump rated at 3,000 GPH. If you want a lighter or heavier water flow, then adjust the GPH accordingly.

Step 3: Putting It Together

Using the above example, you would simply be looking for a pond pump rated at 3,000 GPH with a head of 3 feet.

Keep in mind, if the tubing from the water pump to the top of the waterfall is longer than 10 feet, you'll want to add a foot of head height for every 10 feet of tubing. This is due to a loss in pressure the farther the water must travel.

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Pond Pump?

Unless you're running a solar pump, you will run into monthly operating costs.

How much depends on your pump's wattage and the cost of a kilowatt-hour from your utility company.

It's a good exercise to figure out the running cost before you buy it, so you don't run into any surprises when you get your next utility bill.

Luckily, figuring out this cost is relatively easy.

Step 1: Multiply your pumps wattage X the average daily run time in hours = Daily Usage

Step 2: Daily Usage / 1000 = kWh usage per day

Step 3: kWh usage per day X days in month = kWh monthly usage

Step 4: kWh monthly usage X cost of 1 kWh on your latest electric bill = Monthly Operating Cost

So, for example, you have a pond pump that operates at 200 watts, which runs 24 hours in a 30 day month, and your electricity costs .12 per 1 kWh.

1. 200w X 24 hours per day = 4,800
2. 4,800 / 1,000 = 4.8 kWh usage per day
3. 4.8 X 30 = 144 kWh monthly usage
4. 144 X .12 = 17.28

Your pumps monthly running cost would be $17.28.

If you're trying to save money and your pond is 500 gallons of water or less, the Pond Boss Pump & Filter Kit only costs a measly $1.66 per month on average!

Are Solar Pond Pumps Any Good?

Solar-powered pond pumps are a zero-running cost way to power small water features in your pond. These pumps have their benefits, and I recommend them in a lot of situations. But, like most things, solar power pumps have their drawbacks and won't necessarily work in every situation.

Let's start with their benefits:

• They are super easy to install. You don't even have to worry about an outlet being near your pond, which means no running electrical wires.
• As we mentioned, solar power pumps have zero running costs.
• An eco-friendly solution
• Little to no noise during operation

And here are the drawbacks of solar pond pumps:

• They aren't as powerful as an electrical pond pump
• They only work when there is visible sunlight. There are solar pond pumps with battery backups. But with the commercially available models, the backup won't power the pump through the night. It's typically a few extra hours at most.
• They're not going to replace your main electrical pond pump.

Simply put, if you want to power a fountain or small water feature during the day, then a solar-powered pond pump is a great option. But, don't rely on it to perform the main functions of an electrical pump, like power your water filtration system or provide constant aeration to a fish-heavy pond.

Check out our solar pond pump reviews if you're interested in this option.

What Kind of Pump Do I Need for My Koi Pond?

Most pond pumps will work just fine for your koi pond. There isn't necessarily a specific type of water pump for just koi ponds.

However, if you have koi in your pond, there are some extra considerations you may want to consider when choosing the best pond pump for your koi pond.

Pond fish, especially koi, produce a lot of waste, which adds to the harmful nitrite and ammonia levels. Koi pond owners also often overfeed their fish, which the nutrients in leftover food can help feed algae growth. For these reasons, you'll want to choose a pump that can turn over your pond entirely once every hour. What this means is that if you have a 1,000-gallon pond, you'll want a pump rated at 1,000 gallons per hour (GPH) at a minimum. This will ensure that your pond's water can pass through its filtration system every hour, keeping it clean and clear. So, pond pump size is a big factor.

And, of course, since you'll need a more powerful water pump that can turn over your koi pond at twice the rate of one without fish, you're more likely to incur higher operating costs. Doing your research and finding the most energy-efficient pump for your needs can save you a lot of money in monthly running costs.

What Is the Best Pump for a Small Pond?

To find the best pond pump for a small pond, you need to look at:

• The size of your pond
• Whether or not your pond contains fish
• If you plan on powering a waterfall or other water features.

First of all, you'll want a pump that has a water flow rate that matches your pond's size. Assuming you have no fish, you'll want your pump to completely turn your pond over at least once every 2 hours. So, if you have a small 200-gallon pond, you'll want a pump rated at 100 gallons per hour (GPH).

If you have fish, especially koi, you'll want to make sure your pond's water is completely turned over at least once every hour. So, using the above example, for a pond that holds 200 gallons of water, you would want a pump rated at 200 gallons per hour.

Lastly, if you plan on powering a waterfall, you need to consider the head height of the waterfall and how heavy you want the waterfall flow to be. You can see exactly how we calculate this earlier in this article.

With that said, we do recommend the five pond pumps at the beginning of this article, so find the one that best fits your pond's needs and feels comfortable knowing you got the best pond pump on the market today.

Should a Pond Pump Be On the Bottom of the Pond?

The pump should be positioned at the bottom of the pond to efficiently draw in crud that has settled near the floor. If you have fish, you may want to elevate the pump on a brick to prevent it from pumping the pond dry in case of a leaking pipe, etc.

A few expert tips that I wish I knew about as a beginner include:

• Attach a rope or cord to the pump so you can easily lift it out if it's in a deep part of the pond. Do not pull the pump out by the power cord.
• A float switch installed on the pump will allow you to place it directly on the pond floor and not worry about it accidentally pumping your pond dry, potentially killing your fish.
• Do not turn the pump on until it's been completely submerged.