What is the Difference Between an External Pond Pump and a Submersible Pond Pump?

A person just getting into ponds may be confused at the terminology and types of pond pumps, particularly when trying to determine the type of pump they need for their pond. The most common questions is "What is the difference between an external pond pump and a submersible pond pump?"

The easiest and most simplified answer is to say that one is used outside of the pond (external) and the other is used inside of the pond (submersible). However this really does not fully answer the question.

It is true that an external pond pump is placed on dry ground outside of the pond, but there are other things to note about an external pump. External pond pumps. are going to be best for larger ponds due to the fact that they are more energy efficient and are capable of moving larger volumes of water. Usually ponds over a couple of thousands of gallons will benefit more from an external pump or ponds with larger water features may also need a larger external pump due to the distance that the water is going to travel to supply water to the water feature as in the case of a large waterfall. It is also important to note that some external pumps may also need to be hardwired and are not simply "plug and play" like the submersible units.

Speaking of submersible pond pumps Submersible pumps are going to be best used in small ponds or when powering smaller water features or equipment like a small filter. Submersible pond pumps are very easy to install. Basically they are placed in a desired location in the pond and plugged in and that is it. Furthermore, many submersible pumps come with fountain and spray attachments so that they can easily be utilized as a small fountain feature.

Remember to effectively choose the correct pond pump for your pond, pay attention to the gallons per hour (gph) that the pump move and select the pump that will move the entire volume of water at least once in an hour. So a 5000 gallon pond will most likely need an external pond pump with a rated GPH of at least 5000.

Casey Coke is a Marketing Manager for Natural Environmental Systems, LLC, a global supplier of microbial solutions for pond and lake management. The company markets their own brand of pond supplies under the registered brand name of Pond Keeper.