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Concerning Mulch - PART TWO
Copyright © 2005 Tammy Clayton The use of shredded wood mulch exists for reasons unknown to many of us. It is true and a good point that the mulch does in fact control erosion in a new planting prior to the roots taking hold of the soil. The wood...
Gazebos - To Build or not to Build, that is the Question
Gazebos - To Build or not to Build, that is the Question
So you've made the decision that you would really like a Gazebo.
You've researched all the pros and cons of owning one. You've
researched the different kinds that are out there, from...
Lawn Tractors Safety
Lawn tractors are probably the most powerful tool you might offer to any garden. They are the best solution for advanced landscapers. Lawn tractors will help those people who don’t have much time to take care of their large lawns. Among many other...
Ornamental Plants That Improve Bird Habitats
Birds can be an important addition to any landscape. Selecting
the best ornamental plants that help improve the habitat of your
back yard should be choosen for features that provide birds with
food and shelter.
Viburnums provide...
Rooftop deck makeover
Flat rooftops can offer great opportunities for conversion into attractive entertaining or relaxing areas, but contemplating a vast expanse of drab concrete or asphalt and envisaging how to attack such a problem, can be a rather daunting prospect. ...
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Pond Pumps Vs Pool Pumps
Pond Pumps Vs Pool Pumps
Often people install pool pumps to run their water feature
because of the initial cost savings of purchasing such a
pump. This is ill-advised for a variety of reasons; most
importantly, the use of a pool pump can lead to massive
increases in your electricity bill.
Also, many unscrupulous landscapers and some retailers
provide quotations that include the supply of a pool pump
rather than a pond pump in order to reduce the final cost of
the quotation in an effort to win the work. They do not
inform the recipient of the quotation of the running costs
of a pool pump.
Simple arithmetic proves that the initial cost savings of
purchasing a pool pump to run your water feature can cause a
blow out of staggering proportions in your annual budget.
This is especially true when keeping fish or plants, which
requires that your pump is running 24 hours a day to
oxygenate the water.
Running Costs
To calculate your operating costs per year multiply watts
your pump uses per hour, by the number of hours you run it
per year (if you run it 24/7 then use 8,760 hours per year),
then divide by 1,000 to convert it to kilowatts, then
multiply by your cost per kWh (kilowatt-hour) ($0.1447 in
QLD – see www.energexinstitute.com).
watts x 8,760 / 1,000 x $kWh = $ operating costs per year
Example 1:
A Blagdon Amphibious P8000 Fountain Pump (169 watt)
169 (watt) x 8760 (hours per year) / 1000 x $0.1447 =
$214.22 per year
Example 2:
An Average 1.0 HP Pool Pump (750 watt)
750 (watt) x 8760 (hours per year) / 1000 x $0.1447 =
$950.68 per year
Total Cost Savings = $736.46 per year ($184.12 every
quarter!)
Below we have compared the smallest pool pump generally
available against the largest pond pump generally
available:
Example 3:
An Aquashift 15000 Pump (210 watt)
210 (watt) x 8760 (hours per year) / 1000 x $0.1447 =
$266.19
per year
Example 4:
A 0.75 HP Pool Pump (550 watt)
550 (watt) x 8760 (hours per year) / 1000 x $0.1447 =
$697.16 per year
Total cost savings = $430.97 per year ($107.74 per
quarter!)
Above we have only considered operational costs; however
there are a number of other considerations when comparing a
pond pump to a pool pump:
Guarantee/Warranty
All Pond Pumps supplied by Water Features Online are quality
pumps and are backed up by Continuously Rated Guarantees of
varying lengths (2-5 years). Continuously Rated means that
the pump is guaranteed to run 24 HOURS A DAY for the period
of the guarantee.
Conversely, while Pool Pumps may be of good quality, the
guarantees are NOT continuously rated and they are usually
guaranteed to run for approximately 6 hours a day (read the
fine print!) for the period of the guarantee. If a pool pump
is run for 24 hours a day then this effectively reduces a 2
year guarantee to a 6 month guarantee.
Noise
This is a factor often overlooked. Pond Pumps are generally
submersible and therefore silent. Pool Pumps are generally
dry mounted somewhere near the water feature and can be very
noisy. This is counterproductive when introducing the sound
of water into a garden.
Maintenance
Both Pool and Pond Pumps require some basic maintenance,
they need to be kept clean and free of debris. However, Pond
Pumps have fewer moving parts than Pool Pumps, therefore the
likelihood of breakdowns are greater in a Pool Pump. Often
the seals on Pool Pumps degrade and need replacing regularly
whereas a Pond Pump generally does not have a seal.
About the Author
Danielle Dickinson is an avid water feature enthusiast. She is a regular contributor to Gardening Magazines. Visit her website http://www.waterfeaturesonline.com.au for more information on building and maintaining any type of Water Feature as well as a huge range of water gardening products.
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