Pumps & Filters

Pond Pumps and Filters in Canada

We stock Aquascape and Laguna pumps, filters, aerators and de-icers, and ship them across Canada from our yard in Mississauga. Most ponds need a pump and a filter working together, so the sections below cover how to pick each one and how they pair up.

How to Choose a Pond Pump

Two numbers decide it: how much water you are moving, and how high you are lifting it.

• Flow rate is measured in gallons per hour. The usual rule is to turn the whole pond over about once an hour, so a 1,000 gallon pond wants a pump rated near 1,000 GPH.
• Head height is the vertical distance from the pump to the top of your waterfall. Every foot of lift costs you flow, so a pump rated 2,000 GPH at ground level delivers considerably less at the top of a 5 foot fall. Check the pump’s flow chart at your actual height rather than the headline number.

Our guide to choosing the right pond pump works through both calculations with examples. If you are running a waterfall or stream rather than a fountain, the waterfalls and spillways range is the other half of that build.

Which Pump for Which Job?

• Laguna MaxFlo and Aquascape Water Pumps are the general purpose circulation pumps, suited to waterfalls and filtration.
• Aquascape AquaSurge pumps are built for pondless waterfalls, where the water disappears into a basin instead of a pond.
• Laguna Pond Fountain Pump Kit and the Aquascape Ultra Pump Fountain Head Kit come with the spray heads, so they suit a fountain feature rather than a full pond.

Pond Filters

Filtration does two jobs. Mechanical filtration traps the solids you can see, and biological filtration grows the bacteria that convert fish waste into something harmless. A pressurised filter does both and can sit buried beside the pond.

We carry Laguna Pressure-Flo and Aquascape Ultra Klean pressurised filters, plus Laguna Pressure-Flo service kits when the foams and lamps need replacing rather than the whole unit. Smaller wearing parts live in pond parts and accessories.

Do You Need Both a Pump and a Filter?

For a pond with fish, yes. The pump moves the water and the filter cleans it, and neither does the other’s job. A pump on its own will keep water moving and aerated, which is enough for a purely decorative feature with no fish in it, but stocked ponds need filtration to stay clear and healthy. Size the filter to your pond volume and to how heavily it is stocked, since fish load is what the biological stage has to keep up with.

Green Water and UV Clarifiers

If your water has turned green and cloudy, that is suspended algae, and a UV clarifier is what clears it. The Aquascape UltraKlear 1000 passes water by a UV lamp that causes the algae to clump so the filter can catch it. Worth knowing: a UV clarifier does nothing for string algae clinging to rocks, which is a different problem with a different fix.

Aeration

Aeration adds oxygen directly rather than relying on surface movement, which matters in hot weather when warm water holds less of it, and through winter under ice. We stock the Aquascape Pond Aeration Kit, the Laguna Aeration Kit and the Laguna Air Pump Kit. Our pond aeration guide explains where to place the diffusers and how deep they should sit.

Pond De-Icers for Canadian Winters

A de-icer is not there to warm the pond. It holds a small opening in the ice so the gases produced by decomposition can escape and oxygen can get in, which is what keeps fish alive through an Ontario winter. We carry the Aquascape 300W de-icer and the Laguna Power Heat in 315W and 500W. Pair it with an aerator and read our guide on preparing your pond for winter before the first freeze.

Pond Pump and Filter Questions

What size pond pump do I need?

Aim to circulate the pond’s full volume once per hour, then check the pump’s performance at your actual head height rather than its maximum rating.

Can I run a pond without a filter?

Only if there are no fish in it. A decorative water feature can run on a pump alone. Once you add fish, the biological filtration is what keeps the water safe for them.

Why is my pond water green?

Suspended algae. A UV clarifier fitted after the pump will clear it. String algae on rocks and liner is a separate issue and UV will not touch it.

Do you ship pumps and filters across Canada?

Yes. Pick up at the yard on Ninth Line in Mississauga, take GTA delivery, or have it shipped Canada-wide. The full pond supplies and kits range ships the same way.