Serial killing pond pump

[Gragson]

Have a small wildlife pond, no fish, lots of frogs, newts etc.
Replaced a failed 4000 LPH pump with a 6000 LPH because I am a stupid bloke.
Last week I noticed the fountain flow reduced so pulled the pump and was sad to see 2 newts dead sucked up to the inlet.
Could not work out how they got sucked up through the small housing slits, fitted stainless mesh gauze covering the inlet area, thinking job done.
Today the flow was right down again, pulled pump and even worse - more umph is not always a good thing

 

[8ob]

Stand the pump in a bucket riddled with small holes and fill it with shingle, drop the whole thing in the pond, stops all that.

Bob

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@Chillitt See they kill more than fish.

 

[Gragson]

Stand the pump in a bucket riddled with small holes and fill it with shingle, drop the whole thing in the pond, stops all that.

Bob

Would they not still get sucked in if they swim into the bucket from the top?
Was thinking just replace with a 4000 LPH, never had the problem before, don't want to kill anymore, feeling a bit bad about it soft **** that I am..

 

[MattF]

It's filled with shingle, so they can't get near the inlet, & there's no single point of strong suction.

 

[hunter27]

I think the holes in your stainless mesh gauze isn't mynewt enough

 

[Gragson]

It's filled with shingle, so they can't get near the inlet, & there's no single point of strong suction.

I missed that bit - bloody doofus!
99p B&Q bucket to the slaughter

 

[jimbo84]

Used to have a fish tank and put in some tiny neon tetras, found a fair few of them glued to the inlets of the filter pump the following morning.

 

[brightspark]

make a larger cage round the pump inlet and they wont get sucked in towards it as much

 

[Gragson]

Cut it down, drilled loads of holes, handle back on easier to pull out now, mesh net to stop the little stones getting pulled through, thought all this might reduce flow, not a bit!
Probably added benefit of not getting blocked with algae now either.
Top tips, thanks a lot

 

[Brad93]

I haven’t seen a newt in years

 

[Brad93]

They all appear to be common newts luckily

 

[MattF]

Wasn't lucky for the newts.

 

[Gragson]

Don't be calling my dead newts common
But yeah agree not crested or anything, but quite spotted red bellies, used to be loads of them when I was a kid in the filled in clay pits round here

 

[brightspark]

I haven’t seen a newt in years

was working in a pump pit last week and recovered 4 red crested newts and 2 frogs from it

 

[slim_boy_fat]

and recovered 4 red crested newts and 2 frogs from it

Dead? If alive, what if they were really happy in there and you've removed from their friends & family?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@Gragson Is that frog ornament metal, plastic or reconstituted stone? [Is his name Jabba? ]

 

[Gragson]

@Gragson Is that frog ornament metal, plastic or reconstituted stone? [Is his name Jabba? ]

I dig the holes, the mrs is responsible for all the ornamental tat that litters the garden - oh and the flowers thank christ !

 

[brightspark]

Dead? If alive, what if they were really happy in there and you've removed from their friends & family?

no alive the pit was only a meter deep and 3x4 foot wide with a lid on and only a gap for the 2 pipes up near the top they must have fell in the frogs were only small

 

[badabec]

I get quite a lot of newts with an orange belly, usually hiding under rocks.
Common or should I keep quiet about it?