Selection of a pump for a fountain depends on your needs. There are two types of pumps: external and submersible. Submersible sits in your fountain, and external sits on the outside of the fountain. External pumps are used for large commercial fountains. A submersible pump is the best way to go for a house. It is easier to use, runs quieter, is easy to install and is inexpensive. Buy the best pump you can afford; it will save you time and money in the long run.

Max Head Lift Is Important

To select a fountain pump, you need to know how high you want to raise the water. This distance is measured from the bottom where the pump sits to the tip of the fountain the water flows out. This will determine the max head lift you need. The golden rule of fountain pumps is that you always need a bigger max head then the actual distance the water needs to travel. For example, if your distance is 2 feet then you will need a max head of 3 feet.

Rating of Your Pump

Your fountain pump comes with two ratings: gallons per hour and max head height. The latter is the more important when it comes to fountains. Typically, a medium fountain will have 100 to 200 gph, which should be able to handle a head height of 3 feet. Larger fountains that push water over 6 feet will require anywhere from 245 gph to 350 gph. If you were to err, err on the more pressure, for most pumps will come with a flow control device so you can adjust the flow.

Size of Tubing Counts

Also consider the size of the outlet tubing. Buying tubing that is smaller than the outlet on your pump will reduce the flow and affect your max head lift. The amount or length of tubing will also affect the lift. Every 10 feet of tubing will restrict 1 foot of lift. The bottom line is to use the size tubing recommended by the pump.

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selecting a fountain pump

About Fountain pumps

Garden Pools and Fountains by Veronica Lorson 1999 pg 21