Water Pumps are essential for most Hydroponic or Aquaponic Systems. Hydroponic plants require an efficient flow of water and nutrients to stay healthy. A hydroponic system will almost always have a water pump to play the role of moving water, thus providing nutrients and hydration for your plants.
Checking what your System requires
A hydroponic water pump is an essential part of your hydroponic system. Your choice of water pump should meet the needs of your hydroponic system.
Some systems like the traditional Deep Water Culture (DWC) do not require a water pump because your plants’ roots are directly in contact with the nutrient-based water.
For the other systems like the Ebb and Flow system, Aeroponics, Aquaponics, you need to have a water pump.
You can learn more about the different types of Systems here.
Choosing the best Water Pumps for your Hydroponic System
Knowing what your hydroponic system requires will help you in choosing a suitable water pump.
In choosing a fitting water pump for your hydroponic system, here are some factors you should consider.
The Type of Water Pumps
The two commonly used types of water pumps for hydroponics are the submersible and inline water pumps.
- Submersible water pumps are directly placed inside water tanks. They are commonly preferred for use in small scale hydroponic systems. Their capacities are measured in Gallon per Hour (GPH), which is the total gallons of water the pump can move per hour.
They are easy to set up, cheaper, and produce less noise. They are ideal for systems with not more than 1200GPH. - Inline water pumps are placed outside water tanks as they are air-cooled. They tend to create no heat in your reservoir and have more power and durability. Because they are powerful, their capacities are measured in Horsepower (HP) instead of GPH.
Inline pumps are used in large hydroponic operations; they are best for use in hot places.
Head height
It is very important to consider how high you need to pump your nutrient-based water when choosing a water pump for your hydroponics.
The height at which your water pump will lift water is known as the head height of the water pump.
Head height is determined by measuring the distance from the top of the water level in your water tank to the highest point you need the water to reach.
It is likely for your measured head height to change when water is being pumped in the grow beds of your plants. You’ll experience this in the Ebb and Flow hydroponic system.
To avoid water shortage issues, you should go for an oversized water pump that can accommodate the head height changes.
The Efficiency of the water pump
The efficiency of your water pump is determined by the gallon per hour (GPH) of the pump. The higher the GPH, the more efficient your water pump is.
The GPH of your pump helps you in determining the time it will take the water pump to move water from your reservoir through your hydroponic system. This makes the efficiency of your pump an essential factor to consider when choosing your water pump.
Recommendations and Advice
There are varieties of water pumps with different specifications for you to choose from. You should buy a water pump relative to your budget and your hydroponics system’s needs.
Ecoplus Pump, Ponicspump Submersible pump, Hydrofarm Active Aqua Submersible Water Pump, VicTsing Water Pump, Tetrapond Water Pump are examples of some of the best water pumps you may consider buying.
You should note that cleaning your water pump regularly is quite important. If you don’t, debris might block your pump and cause it to make a lot of noise or even stop working.