I bought this for our small outdoor fish pond. I don't know the exact size or volume, but it's about 3' x 4'. Our previous pump/filter had given out partly because it was too powerful for a tiny pond. This seems to be just right. It makes a nice little fountain & filters the water really well. (We used the fountain nozzle from our other pump/filter because we wanted a more traditional tiered fountain, but this kit includes the basic bubble and waterbell type water pattern.) We had clear water again after just one day. It has been a little over a month since we installed, and no problems. It's easy to clean, and at this price is such a great value.
UPDATE: It has now been a year and this pump is still working great. We kept it running all winter without the fountain part attached and it provided enough movement that our little pond didn't freeze solid and it kept our comets happy and healthy during this unbelievable winter! Now that it's warm out, it continues to keep the water crystal clear, doesn't clog over-easily and is easy to clean. I have not had the problem that others spoke of with the tab of the cover breaking off, but I also don't just try and rip it off. Very satisfied with this product! SECOND UPDATE: It has now been almost 2 years (and a very rough winter in the northeast!) and this pump is still working beautifully! My fish survived the winter as this kept the water moving even in the deep freezes we had. Great product!
Pondmaster PMK190 190gph Pump and Filter with Bonus Fountain Head is exactly what I needed to clear that funky split-pea soup (algae-ridden) water in my Shubunkin, Comet and Koi ponds! Simple to use..., Has a very sturdy handle (convenient for lifting the unit out of the pond for cleaning). Takes about 2 minutes to hose off the 3 (very thick) filters and put the unit back in pond. The 190 gallons per hour "pump-suck" is quite powerful and quiet. My ponds were crystal clear in two days. I don't use the optional fountain head because I have spitters and waterfalls, already -not using it creates a very nice rippling agitation effect on the surface of the pond. Your neighbors will be in total awe. :) My fish are quite happy now that they can actually see me coming to feed them -and see their food pellets floating on the top of the water. Perfect! --Katharena Eiermann, 2007, the Realm of Existentialism -Presidential Hopeful
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The pump works quite well and does create a nice spherical pattern. The head is adjustable so you can make different patterns. For example, it can also shoot jets out perpendicular to the head. There are no instructions for how to change the pattern and it's definitely not obvious, but you just have to rotate the very top of the head. The filter is very large and easy to access for cleaning.
I've tried to use solar-powered pumps and filters in my pond, but they're not powerful enough and tend to get clogged easily and break quickly. This is a much more powerful and sturdy pump with a far larger filter, so it should do the job much better. Definitely a good pump for the price.
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I purchased this thru Amazon about 3-4 months ago....and it suddenly quit.
Worked great until then. Not sure who to contact......
UPDATE:
Contacting the company and found out that Amazon is not a "designated distributor" for their product so they won't take it back!!
I tried to take apart the pump as per their suggestion and found out the pump impeller was Broken!....and the whole thing is now good as a door stop.
I don't have the money to waste.
And this was definitely a BIG WASTE.
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Bought this product in May 2010 for my 200 gallon 4' X 6' pond. This is a magnetically driven pump that uses low wattage, a plus. But within weeks the impeller (the only moving part) broke and within 6 months the second impeller broke. So I bought two more. This time when it stopped, it turned out to be the motor itself, not the spare impellers.
So I've decided never again with this brand. I've had my fish pond for 25 years and have run pumps 365 days/year through harsh winters and thick ice. For over 22 years, I used a Little Giant® brand pump, 3 of the same model. So that's what I am going back to. In my experience, the Pondmaster pump is inferior and poorly engineered.
Washed it before use it works well in my tank no problems with my freshwater tank so far. This is my first time using sand so we will see how it holds up.
