While I’m not an environmentalist, I do believe that we should be good stewards to what God has given us. With energy prices still fairly high and the economy still very shaky in many areas of the country, it just makes good economic sense not to waste money.
The next time you replace that cheap waterfall pump, check the energy consumption of the replacement pump. Many direct drive pumps show a range in the power consumption numbers. Direct-drive pumps use less energy as head pressure increases. As most water garden applications use under 5’ of head pressure, use the largest number when deciding on a pump. Pondliner.com has a handy energy cost calculator so that you can see just how much money that particular pump costs to operate.
New pump technologies can give you a longer pump life at a lower operating cost. For the last two years, we have been switching our customers from the Cal Pump PW Waterfall Pumps into their PWM Waterfall Pumps. The Cal Pump PWM Waterfall Pumps less about 30-40% less energy and warranty returns have dropped by 800%.
If you are looking at replacing your filtration system or just building a pond, I highly recommend the OASE products. Although the initial price is higher, the savings in energy alone will pay for the cost difference in less than 18 months. The OASE systems also include a Clear Water Guarantee that is good for the life of the pond.