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This information sheet has been designed to help you make an informed choice. |
How to choose Pond Hose.
You might be forgiven for thinking that pond hose is not the most riveting of subjects but it is worthy of attention as in our experience, many people make mistakes when choosing pond hose, which result in them being disappointed with pump performance. Choosing the wrong hose will effect the look of a waterfall feature or may result in poor filter performance. It may even mean an unnecessary up-grade to a larger pump with the resultant additional purchase and running costs.
Types of Pond Hose.
A plastic hose that has a smooth bore and is externally corrugated which allows it to bend and curve without risk of flattening that would restrict water flow. This is a huge advantage over smooth plastic hose to the extent that smooth hose is now very rarely used. The weak spot of this type of hose is the web of plastic in-between the spirals of harder plastic that produce the corrugations. This web can be pierced and will often fail in hose that is exposed to sunlight and not buried. It is available in several grades and it is worth purchasing a better quality one that will be more durable. This is the best selling type of hose with the majority of people choosing it for their pumps and filter systems.
PVC smooth hose has a smooth bore and a smooth exterior and is commonly available in clear, green and brown. The disadvantage to this type of hose is that a weight of soil over it will compress the pipe resulting in reduced water flow. The same compression occurs if the hose is forced to make acute bends. Because of this tendency it is not a suitable choice for waterfalls, filters or when any significant length of hose is required. It is suitable for short lengths and for connecting to small feature pumps that feed fountain ornaments or pebble pond features.
This plastic hose has a smooth bore and exterior but has an inner core of hard plastic wire that ensures it will not compress under the weight of soil or when making bends. Wall thickness is also significantly greater than that of standard smooth hose. This is a very durable hose but is more expensive than corrugated hose and can be difficult to work with, as it is heavy and stiff. Usually used on larger pond feature projects and filtration systems.
Pressure hose is an even heavier duty version of the Strengthened Smooth Bore and was popular for use with very large output pumps but the trend has been to use rigid ABS pipe on these larger installations.
Choosing the correct hose for a pond pump.
It is very important to choose the correct hose for fitting to a pond pump to ensure that the pump will deliver maximum performance. Always follow the manufacturers recommendations regarding the bore (Internal diameter) of the hose to use for a particular pump. Flow charts provided by manufacturers of pond pumps as a guide to performance have been calculated using the hose bore that will provide optimum results. Fitting a hose with a smaller bore than is recommended will significantly reduce performance. If the manufacturer does not provide a recommendation or you no longer have access to this information then use the guide below for reference.
Pump output / hose bore recommendations.
Output to 1500 Litres per hour (330 galls) -- Hose bore 19 to 25mm (3/4” to 1”)
Output to 3000 Litres per hour (660 galls) -- Hose bore 25 to 32mm (1” to 1.25”)
Output to 9000 Litres per hour (2000 galls) -- Hose bore 32 to 38mm (1.25” to 1.5”)
Output greater than 9000 Litres per hour – Hose bore 50mm (2”)
This is a general guide only and circumstances may dictate that further information is sought prior to making a choice of hose. The guide does not apply to water feature pumps, which are designed to run on a smaller bore pipe or pumps that have a special purpose such as high pressure uprights.
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