I used to have an above ground pool and when I started to look for pumps for my new pond I was surprised to see how much they were alike. I don't see any reason a pool filter wouldn't work for a pond.

Pool pumps pull more power making your electric meter spin faster. They are not made to run 24/7. You will also have to use a reverse flow if it is a sand filter. Unless you order a bigger filter on line, DIY looks like the cheapest way to go.

Happy ponding,
Scott

Hi, bugsb!
I converted my 12,000 gallon pool into a pond of considerably less gallonage due to plants, pots, etc. Although I swapped out my Hayward pump for a Sequence pump to save money on electricity, I'm still using a Hayward pool filter and it seems to be working fine after a year. Did replace the sand with pea gravel to minimize clogging and I back-flush if the flow slows down same as when it was a pool. I've even used my pool vac to clean out the bottom but had to backwash much more often than the pool. As things are now, I could drain it, powerwash it, and have a swimming pool again if I didn't love it as a pond, full of fish, frogs, and what-all. I'd definitely recommend it--basically the same as a pond filter but with different media and I would think a prefilter would make it even more efficient. Good luck whichever way you go with it.
Linda

We have an Ultima II filter that has worked great four the four years we have had it. Here is information. Filters are designed for up to 30,000 gal.

http://www.plantdoctors.com/ultimaii.htm

swimming pool sand filters were designed to filter water that was already chemically cleaned. A sand filter on a pond is very difficult to maintain. It will clog very quickly. Consider using a bead filter instead.

instead of a sand filter, can i use a cartridge filter?

cartridges would also clog up too fast. Again...a cartridge is designed to remove very fine stuff from water that is already clean. You really need a filter designed for a koi pond. You could easily build your own though....no need to spend a ton of money of a manufactured filter.

OK instead of using sand in the sand filter couldn't you just put the material that is in a bead filter in it? It can't be that hard to change a pool filter into a pond filter. It's not rocket science. LOL. I remember when I had a pool it used a cartridge and I usually had to clean it once a day. My kids and five neighbor kids could drag a lot of dirt into the pool in one day. My pond in no where near as much trouble to maintain as that pool was. It was almost like having a small child always needing something. It took at least an hour or more a day just to keep it clean.

i know what to do now. thank you for all your help.

We did a pool to pond conversion also and, like curb1, have gone w/ the ultima II 20,000. now to just get it installed. lol