Pond Pump Blocked

Question:
How do I keep my 90 gallon pond pump from getting blocked up so often?
I see ponds with waterfalls in parks that seem to run fine all the time. I need to pull mine up and clean all the leaves and other debris that find their way in about once every 3-5 days or it slows down to a trickle. There must be a trick I don't know about since I know not everyone is pulling up their pond pumps to clean them out like this.




Answer:
Small pumps like that are almost impossible to keep clean. They are made for indoor fountains, not outdoor ponds. I would probably try to make a 'sock' for it out of a fine mesh. Be sure the sock material is kept away from the impeller because it will suck the sock right on it. You can make a box out of hardware cloth, cover the box with old panty hose or coarse foam and that will work better than what you have now, but in the long run, you will be better off with a larger pump made for outdoor use. It will probably come with it's own filter.
Another thing to try is to fill up a black plastic grow pot with lava rock and put your pump in the middle of it. That way the lava rock will act as a filter and you will get a longer time between cleanings.
Oh, and elevate the pump so it is not on the bottom of the pond. That will buy you some more time between cleanings.

Medium sized pumps

Medium sized pumps are normally used for spitters or fountains

The head will usually be from 300 gph to 660 gph, with the larger one used to get the water higher or stronger. Be careful with spitters and fountains because if the water shoots too far in the air, it can splash out of the pond and soon you have pumped your pond dry.

For medium sized pumps, I like the Little Giant 350 gph

Just be sure to keep the impeller clean on smaller pumps for longer life. They usually need to be cleaned once a month if you feed your fish.