upgrade to an external pump?

If you are having problems with the in pond pump stopping up, then you may
have problems with an external pump clogging also, unless you put in some
sort of settling basin, or strainer in front of the pump. I have 3 Sequence
pumps running on 2 ponds with skimmers that have media pad, bottom drains
going to vortex separators with hardware cloth over the outflow pipe and
then to the pumps to send to the filters. I started off without any
strainers or hardware cloth and sucked up two frogs within the first month,
had to cut the plumbing to get them out of the elbow. One of the frogs had
a leg amputated in the process, but survived at least until sometime the
next year. I would recommend the large leaf trap that is available for the
external pumps to keep the big stuff out of the pump.

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RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/index.html
wrote in message
om...
My pond is 10x12 about 2 1/2 feet average depth and kidney shaped
I have been using a sump from Home Depot in conjunction with a
biofilter with built in UV light. Seems to work ok, but I hate having
to clean it by pulling it out of the pond and I fear it breaking and
spilling oil all over. What would be a good external pump setup for
me? Do you reccomend a bell shaped bottom drain? Any suggestions?
Power consumption seems high on this pump too
Thanks