How to Choose Economical Equipment for Your Pond!
There is often much misunderstanding about pond equipment. There are plenty of cheap options out there which can be so tempting when setting out in pond-keeping, but in our specialist experience, this can be false economy – so buyer beware!
Inadequate, Temporary Pumps: Not Designed for the Long-Term
A common problem that our pond expert, Peter, finds in the call-outs that we often attend, is that people have bought inadequate pumps, such as ‘sump pumps’, which aren’t designed for the real purpose of permanent filtration. This is often because they seem one of the cheapest options… Makes sense at the time, you think? However, whilst these pumps carry a very low price tag initially, they are actually occational use-pumps, for draining off surplus water, which are not designed to be used twenty four hours a day, three hundred and sixty five days a year, and therefore they do not last long when used in this fashion – and they only come with a very limited 12 month guarantee at max!
Hidden Negatives: High Running Costs
Furthermore, many people are unaware of the fact that the running costs of such pumps are ASTRONOMICAL when compared with the quality eco pond pumps available on the market. You might have bagged yourself a bargain bit of kit, but when you plug it in, your money is dissappearing down the drain!
What’s the Solution?
Whilst some of the really professional, quality pumps can cost more to buy, the savings on the electric consumption over the life of the pumps is really quite substantial in the long-run. Our favourite brand – OASE – really ensures that they provide the highest quality equipment. Not only are their ‘eco pump’ products exceptionally high quality, coming with a five year guarantee, but they are also extremely low running costs in comparison… Here’s an example of comparible pumps for you to show you:
Illustrating with a Comparison
| Type of Pump | Initial Purchase Cost | Running Costs Per Year | Warranty |
| Budget Brand Sump Pump | £100.00 | £960/year | 12 months |
| Quality OASE Eco-Filter Comparible Pump | £349.99 | £80/year | 5 years |
| COST SAVING IN RUNNING COSTS ALONE PER YEAR | £880/year | Plus 4 years warranty! | |
As you can see, this shocking saving equates to £880 a year in running costs by going for the slightly bigger initial outlay – and you also have the comfort of an extra 4 years of guarantee!
Over 5 years, the overall cost of running the budget brand (including the purchase cost) would be £4900, compared to £749.99 in total for the quality OASE pump – and that’s assuming that your budget pump will last that long! That’s a total 5-year saving of £4150.01! This was a worked example of a client of ours.
Peter hopes that these pearls of wisdom will help you make sensible economical choices. If you’d like to know more, feel free to make an appointnment to discuss your pond or equiment needs, however minor your query might seem!
Happy Pond Keeping,
Peter Mills
Pond & Lake Management Ltd