[jambop]

Just been thinking through my garden watering procedure and have taken the decision to make more use of brown water for the garden. I have a 5m x3m x 1.5m unlined pond at the bottom of my garden which I have taken water from from time to time. The problem is that being below soil level every time I raise a bucket full of water I am lifting 20lbs and it is tiring especially when the weather gets hot. So I have bought a submersible pump to lift the water.  I am also considering a liner which would stop the soak away effect and make the water last much longer. I am also buying another 600 litre rain water collector and will join it into the two I already have this should give me a good chance of not having to use my auto watering system that uses tap water too much ... just wish I had spent a bit less on the auto system now 

[Yorkie]

Good luck! It occurred to me that it might be worth ensuring there's a filter on the water going into the pump, if there's a risk it might get clogged up with debris from the waste water.

[jambop]

Good luck! It occurred to me that it might be worth ensuring there's a filter on the water going into the pump, if there's a risk it might get clogged up with debris from the waste water.

Yes there is a pre filter for the pump although it does say in the specs that debris of up to 25mm dia can be coped with I was thinking that we do get newts and some other aquatics in the pond so it would spare them. There does have to be some balance as to how much water I extract you cannot lay waste to the wildlife! There is always some twist when it comes to being eco friendly on the one hand fresh water is saved on the other wildlife could be harmed. In dry summers the pond does dry out naturally so if this happens I am going to completely redo it and maybe make it a bit deeper and put a liner in which should help prevent water loss.

[jezza]

Hello if it' takes 25mm stuff through it  check it isn't a masserator pump with a blade in it I have one but had to take the blade out when we needed to empty a pond as there was newts in it we made a strainer out of a mesh pond basket   jezza

[jambop]

Hello if it' takes 25mm stuff through it  check it isn't a masserator pump with a blade in it I have one but had to take the blade out when we needed to empty a pond as there was newts in it we made a strainer out of a mesh pond basket   jezza

No the pump is just that no blades involved but you are right don't want to pump out the newts