Energy

Energy is becoming an increasingly hot topic worldwide. Besides the fact that we need to switch en masse to sustainable energy, we're also seeing energy prices rise sharply. In short, it's important to keep energy consumption as low as possible for both our wallets and the environment. However, we must be careful not to compromise the environment for our finned friends. The trick is to save energy without compromising water quality.

Resistance

The first potential savings lies in the diameter of the piping. The thinner the pipe, the higher the resistance. Just try breathing through a straw for a few minutes, and you'll understand what I mean. The higher the resistance, the more energy you need to move a given amount of water. So make your piping as large as possible in diameter. Be careful that the water doesn't flow so slowly that dirt can settle. A common misconception is that if the pump outlet is 40 millimeters, for example, there's little point in making the rest of the piping larger in diameter. Nothing could be further from the truth; increasing the diameter as quickly as possible significantly reduces resistance and therefore the energy consumed. Bends also create additional resistance. It's better to use two 45 degree bends than one of 90 degrees. When using taps, remember that ball valves give less resistance than Sliding valves . So, more expensive to buy, but cheaper to run.

Equipment

A submersible pump that can move 35 cubic meters per hour costs only a few tens of euros. However, it uses a lot of energy. It's worth considering energy-efficient pump to buy, which is expensive to purchase, but low in energy costs. If you do the math, you'll find that within a few years you'll be better off with the energy-efficient pump. Is there still a frequency controller , you can then reduce the capacity in winter to save even more energy.

You can safely turn off air pumps below 10 degrees Celsius, as cold water naturally contains more oxygen than warm water. Leaving the UVC on in winter also has little added value.

If you want to heat your pond, consider a heat pump. It generates more heat than you'd draw from the grid in kWh. It's also worth exploring whether solar panels could reduce your long-term costs.

Airlift

By using air to return the water from the filter system back into the pond, you essentially eliminate the need for a pump. You'll be aerating and pumping water with just one device, whereas you normally need two. Just Google "building an airlift pond" and you'll see that building one yourself isn't rocket science.

Author: Joop van Tol (Koitoday)