Pond Pump Maintenance

Pond pumps require regular maintenance to ensure they continue to work efficiently and have a long-life expectancy. It can be common for pumps to stop working because of a lack of maintenance, which is not covered under any warranty from any manufacturer; so to save yourself money in the long term, its always best to look after your pond equipment.

Because of their role in ponds, the pumps need regular maintenance to keep them free of debris, algae and other materials (like blanketweed). This keeps them operating at peak efficiency and your pond will thank you for it.

If your pump stops working, it is best to follow the below instructions to see if the problem is due to the unit being blocked. For a specific guide on how to clean your pump, please refer to the pumps instructions or contact the manufacturer of the pump for more information.

1. Switch off the pump: Switch off the pump and filter at the power source and unplug them.

2. Take the pump out: Remove the pump from the pond by the hose. Do not pull the pump out via the cable. Tip: You can always attach some rope to the handle or strainer cage of the pump.

3. Remove the pump cage: Unscrew, or remove any clips, to open the cage. If there are any foams or biomedia inside, remove them as well. You may need to disconnect the hose from your pump, depending on the pump you have.

4. Scrub the cage and brushes: Use a brush and water to remove any debris from the inside of the cage. If there are any foams, clean the foam in a bucket of pond water. Do not clean any biomedia.

5. Access the impeller: Access the impeller by removing the impeller cover inside the motor. Depending on the pump you have, you may be able to access this by twisting the impeller cover off or you may need to remove a few screws.

The impeller is the part that moves, as it spins in its chamber. If the impeller is blocked or broken, the pump will stop pushing water and you may hear the pump making an erratic noise.

6. Remove and clean the impeller: The impeller is magnetic, so you will need a small amount of force to pull the impeller out. Be careful, as the small white shaft inside the impeller can snap.

Using a small gentle brush, manually clean the impeller and rinse it in water until it looks clean. Check the impeller for signs of wear or damage and replace it if necessary.

7. Clean the impeller chamber: The chamber and impeller shaft also get dirty so use a small brush to get right inside the chamber, remove any grit, snail shells and dirt, and get it clean and free of debris again.

8. Re-insert the impeller: Put the impeller back into its chamber. You should feel the magnet pull the impeller into place. You may want to try spinning the impeller at this point. If it spins with resistance, then the impeller is working as it should. If the impeller spins without resistance (or spins freely), then it will need to be replaced.

9. Replace the impeller cover: Put the impeller cover back onto the pump.

10. Re-assemble the pump cage: Put any foams back into the correct position inside your unit, if there are any. After this, re-assemble the cage via any clips or screws.

11. Put your pump back in the pond: Your pump should be clean and like new. Place it back into the pond, connect it to any filters, plug it back in and switch it back on.

If your pump continues to have a low flow rate, or if it is not working, please check out our blog post on pump troubleshooting.

To help with understanding when maintenance should be undertaken on your pump, we have created a schedule below which may help. We find that pumps that are actively maintained often last much longer than a filter that is hardly maintained.

If you have any queries, please email us on info@pondkeeper.co.uk.