How Do You Size a Water Feature Pump

Measure the diameter of the fountain spout with a tape measure. You will be calculating the gallons per hour, or GPH, by multiplying the diameter by 100. For example, if your fountain spout is 1 inch in diameter: 1 x 100 = 100 GPH, your pump will need to be rated at 100 GPH.

How big a pump do I need for my water feature?

A good rule of thumb is that pumps should be able to pump out about half the pond volume every hour. For example, a pump that moves 500 gallons per hour would be appropriate for a 1,000 gallon pond. You don’t have to refer to a fountain pump size chart to figure out the best water pumps for your garden.

How do I choose a water feature pump?

As a guide to maintain a good flow rate, for every 0.5m lift, a 500 litre pump would be required (1m lift will require a 1500 litre pump), you are always better to go bigger though. For larger ponds to run a fountain and a large waterfall, a 4000 litre per hour pump is required as a minimum.