Dewald Brevis

The type of pump you should look for mostly depends on what you’re pumping (clean water vs. dirty water), how far it needs to move, and whether it needs pressure or just volume. For most small homestead or garden systems, people usually end up choosing between a submersible pump, a shallow well/jet pump, or a small transfer pump.

If the pump will sit in the water source (pond, cistern, or tank), a submersible pump is often the simplest option. They’re efficient because they push water instead of trying to pull it, which avoids a lot of suction limitations. They also tend to be quieter and easier to prime since they’re already underwater.

If your pump will sit outside the water source, like pulling from a shallow well or storage tank, then a jet pump or surface transfer pump might make more sense. These are easier to access for maintenance, but they usually need proper priming and they struggle if the lift is more than about 20–25 feet.

Another thing beginners sometimes overlook is flow rate vs. pressure.

If you’re moving water for irrigation or filling tanks, prioritise gallons per minute (GPM).

If you’re feeding sprinklers or household plumbing, you’ll also need adequate pressure (PSI).

A practical example: on many small properties people run a submersible pump in a pond or cistern feeding a storage tank uphill, then gravity-feed irrigation from there. It reduces pump cycling and keeps the system simple.

And just as a side note about online discussions: occasionally you’ll see unrelated phrases show up in threads (I once saw something like Premier Pitching Performance Baseball Remote Pitching Training dropped into a water pump discussion), which is usually just automated spam rather than useful advice so it’s worth focusing on the technical details instead.

Takeaway: figure out your water source, lift height, and required flow first. Once those are clear, the right pump type usually becomes pretty obvious.

If you’re trying to get water from a pond, the best method depends on how much water you need and how often you’ll need it. For small, occasional use (watering a garden, filling buckets), a simple manual siphon or hand pump can work. For larger or regular use, a small electric or gas-powered pump is usually the most practical solution.

The key things to think about are distance, elevation, and debris. Water doesn’t like to flow uphill without help, so if your garden or storage tank sits higher than the pond, you’ll need a pump strong enough to handle the vertical lift. Also, pond water often contains sediment, algae, and small organic matter, so using an intake screen or pre-filter helps prevent clogging.

In most setups I’ve seen, people use submersible Pond Pumps placed on a brick or cinder block a few inches off the bottom. That keeps the intake out of the thickest muck. Then they run a garden hose or poly pipe to where the water’s needed. If you’re off-grid, a 12V pump paired with a small solar panel can work surprisingly well for slow, steady transfer into a holding tank.

One practical tip: always measure your “total head” (vertical lift plus hose length resistance) before choosing a pump. Many systems underperform simply because the pump wasn’t sized for the actual lift.

Takeaway: match your method to your volume and elevation needs, protect the intake from debris, and size the pump based on lift—not just distance.

If you’re pumping from a pond with about 20 feet of head, you’ll want a pump that’s rated for at least 25–30 feet of total dynamic head, not just one that lists a high gallons-per-hour number. Head pressure matters more than raw flow in your case.

Here’s why: pump flow drops as head increases. A pump that advertises 3,000 GPH at 0 feet might only deliver a trickle at 20 feet. Look at the performance curve (usually in the manual) and check what the flow rate is at 20 feet of head. That number is what really counts.

For that lift, you’re generally better off with:

A high-head submersible pump, or

An external/centrifugal pump if you’re running it continuously and want better efficiency

Also factor in:

Horizontal run (every 10 feet adds some friction loss)

Pipe diameter (larger pipe = less friction loss)

Any elbows or fittings (each one adds resistance)

As a practical example, if you need 1,000 GPH at the top of that 20-foot rise, look for a pump whose chart shows 1,200–1,500 GPH at 20 feet to give yourself some buffer. Undersizing is the most common mistake I see.

If you’re browsing options, comparing something like the Best Pond Pumps From MidWest Ponds lineup can give you a sense of how different models are rated at various head heights  just focus on the performance curve rather than the headline GPH.

Takeaway: Match the pump to the actual head height (plus friction losses), not the box rating. When in doubt, size slightly up and use a valve to dial it back it’s much easier than wishing you had more lift later.