Filter pumps, or dirty water pumps, are designed to handle larger lumps of solid waste. They have a single outlet which is attached directly to the filter or a waterfall via a hose.

They require much less maintenance than other pumps and most can pump the water over a good distance before their flow-rate reduces. Filter pump ranges tend to have a maximum pump size of 12,000 Lph to 14,000 Lph, and come with either a 3 year or 5 year guarantee.

There are a few varied designs of filter pump; some have adjustable inlet sizes so that small fish or tadpoles don’t get sucked into the pump. Others have multiple inlets which allow the installation of satellite strainers or portable surface skimmers, allowing water to be drawn from more than one area of the pond.

A recent manufacturing feature, which can be used for pump comparisons, has been the reduction of running costs. Many filter pumps are now very economical to run, which is a good selling point with electricity prices rising and the pumps running 24/7. Read more about Filter Pumps here.