Can I use a solar pump for my waterfall pond?
The solar pump receives sunlight through a small panel made of photovoltaic cells that collect and store the energy. This energy powers the pump. No electricity is used. Other pond pumps run on electricity that is built into the pump. All pumps work the same. The only difference is where the power comes from.
Before we can decide whether a solar pump is right for you, we will discuss the pros and cons of using solar pumps.
The positive aspects of using a solar pump are:
• They are great for the environment. It is a natural resource. They do not release any dangerous substances into the air.
• It is efficient as you do not use electricity, only sunlight.
• You don’t have to worry about the pond or fountain being close to an outlet.
• No worry of electric shock. Your dog and children are safe!
• There is very little or no noise.
The negative aspects of using a solar pump are:
• Sunlight is required for the pump to operate. When the cloud cover increases or something blocks the sunlight, the energy to run the pump decreases. Those rather fluffy white clouds can really reduce the output of the solar array. I sure hope you live where the sun shines most of the time.
• It is important for a pond filtration system to keep the pump running at night. To do this, you will need to include a system of batteries and control equipment to store the energy.
• Flow capacity is lower than a regular pond pump.
• They are more expensive to purchase.
Pump operation is very important if you have Koi in your pond. The pump is responsible for circulating, filtering and oxygenating the water in your pond. It is the heart of the lake and is responsible for keeping everything going. In addition to providing oxygen to the fish, the pump provides oxygen to the bacteria in the fish tank’s biofilter. The job of the pumps is to continuously replenish the pond with fresh oxygenated water. The bacteria need oxygen from the circulating water to live and do their job of purifying the water in the pond. These bacteria use large amounts of dissolved oxygen that must be replaced. Oxygen is used the most at night, so it is extremely important to keep the pump running 24/7.
A solar pump is a great choice for a fountain. It wouldn’t be critical to keep it running overnight. If the solar pump is being used for a Koi pond and needs to handle basic filtration, you will likely have problems. The only way a solar pond will work with Koi is if you use some sort of battery system so the pump runs all the time.
#solar #pump #waterfall #pond
