Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi all!
I am putting my system together and need to size a pump. I have a ~300 gallon FT, and starting with two small GB's.
I am assuming that I should be looking at a pump to turn over the water once per hour or so. That would mean around 300 gph pump. Is this right, or should I go a little bigger to have room to grow if the system expands? I will probably turn the system into a CHIFT-PIST as soon as I get a real pump. I am looking seriously at Pondmaster/Danner stuff, any other mfg good? Thanks in advance!

Hey willy, from experience I would say go double, as not much price difference and you will expand, I went small and ended up with a 4800lph for 2400lt tank, much better

Hey Nocky,
That's what I was hoping you would say . Now to convince the wife!

Question though... take for example the Pondmaster MD-5, a 500 gph that claims only 45 watts of power, but real electrical use is actually 96W. How does that figure?

Still not a huge amount of power, good pump, looks like.

Dont know willy 500gph is about 2000lph these pumps run at about 65w in OZ, and my 1200gph or 4800lph runs at 95w this appears to be pretty close as power bill hasn't gone up that much, don't know much about the US 110 volt system, we are 240 volts here, with a 300g tank I would go for a 600g pump, with power costs here at 95w running 24/7 works out about $17 per month to run

A 4500 lph pump can be as low as 65 watt, if it is a tornado pump.

Get the most power efficient pump that you can, and at least double the size you think you need.

It's not the size of the pump (it's what you do with it that counts) apparently

+1 with what outback wrote, you can always tee off the delivery line (back to tank) add a tap and control the water that way also gaining aeration and water movement in the tank.

Heh, yeah my pump size will be plenty large.
Wierd thing is, the pump I am looking at is $90-100 locally, but can be had for $35-40 online, and even with shipping is a much better deal. Should I tell the local stores they're pricing themselves out of sales? I'd like to support local businesses if possible, but not at those prices.

Most normal shopfronts wont care about one customer, and wont come near to matching prices. I couldnt even get one of our nurseries down $50 on a $325 pump, which I brought online for $170 delivered

These online prices are great until something goes wrong with the product. While some are still very professional, others simply ignore you knowing that it is going to be difficult for you to enforce your rights.

I'm with VB. If u want the service, be prepared to pay. I find it is always better to have someone local to talk to unless you really know your stuff inside out.
Remember if working flood and drain that pump might only be running 15 minutes in the hour so divide your water moving rate by 4.
Def go bigger, more reliable and as someone said, you can tee off back to the fishtank until you add the inevitable extra beds to the system.

I bought mine online at over 50% saving with postage, exactly the same pump that was at local store for $210 I got posted for $85, I live in a small country town and try to shop locally even if prices are slightly higher, but price difference here is ridiculous, I bought my first pump locally at $105, same pump online was about $45 posted, told the store owner after I found difference and he told me to p**s off and go online, so is that service?

Yeh - shits me when people react like that when you are just trying to help out with some feedback. Is reminiscent of the seed company that blacklisted me because I had the cheek to let them know that thye were not supplying the innoculent with certain legumes (eventhough they said in catologue that it was supplied).

Quite a number of interesting points raised here.
Ultimately we ALL want a good product at a reasonable price?
The Local shop cannot compete on price because,,of rent, wages etc.
The overseas product is cheap but no warranty!.
the compromise is to look for an on-line supplier ( lower costs as he does not need to maintain a shop-front,,,),,,based in Australia,,so likely to have warranty,,,but selling overseas manufactured products( keeps costs down).
Such an animal does exist,,,

http://stores.ebay.com.au/AquaCor-Aquarium

2 year warranty on jebao pumps,,,nil return costs.

If anyone can find a better,price ,with warranty than this PLEASE let me know.

Yes, except for us "Yanks" or whatever Aussies call Americans
Then we'd need something a little closer to home.
Well, (this'll be funny) I just found a pump not 10 Miles from from home. Thank you CraigsList! It's a 3/4 hp shallow well pump(see, now it's funny). Cheap, specs look good, reliable, plenty big for my needs.
Any thoughts from the peanut gallery?

Chappo point taken, I shop local and pay extra to help with rent ETC, but when they charge over double well!!! I would happily pay $30 - $40 more than ebay for a 4800lph pump, but not over $100 more, I still got a 1year warranty, RTB but if it fails I have another spare and change from the price of 1 from my store,