6 Best Pond Vacuum Cleaners | Comparison & Reviews

If you are maintaining a thriving ecosystem for your fish and plants, you are going to need to run a vacuum through it from time to time.

If you neglect your pond, waste byproducts, dying leaves, insects, and even bacteria could begin to overtake the aquascape you have worked so hard to build. This creates an environment where your fish and plants suffer.

Avoiding it is easy enough to do, too.

What Are The 6 Best Pond Vacuum Cleaners?

When it comes to looking for the best pond vacuum cleaners, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the number of options you have available. And, with the high price tag that some manufacturers are asking for their vacuums, you could end up spending more than you need to.

To help you save time and money, we have broken down 6 of the most popular pond vacuums and listed them, along with the pros and cons of each. Look through the list and decide which one works best with your pond.

Why You Need A Pond Vacuum Cleaner

If you have built a pond that requires regular maintenance (99% of ponds do), you need a vacuum. Outdoor ponds can get all kinds of muck, grime, and debris in them. Not to mention the waste and byproducts from your fish consuming food.

Unless you’re planning on keeping an “all-natural” pond that maintains itself, you’re going to need a vacuum. Sure, you can get down and dirty on your hands and knees to keep the pond clean, but we use tools to save time and money.

Even though you may not have necessarily thought about needing to vacuum your pond before you started building it, you probably realized shortly after. The amount of stuff that gets in your pond doesn’t just create a harmful environment for your fish and plants.

How To Choose The Best Pond Vacuum For You

If you are nervous about making your purchase or want to ensure that you’re making the right purchase, there are a handful of factors you’ll need to consider.

While weighing out different options for the “best” recommendation we could make, we considered each of the factors below.

1. Hose Length & Cord Length

Even though you may not think about it before buying, the length of the cord and hose that comes with your new vacuum is a critical piece of information. This is especially true if you have a deeper pond or a pond that covers a larger area.

If your pond is deeper in certain areas, for instance, you will need your vacuum to reach those areas without you standing next to the motor. This means you’re going to need a longer suction hose and a vacuum strong enough to provide the suction necessary to reach those deep areas.

Some vacuums will include extra lengths of the hose so you can reach those deeper areas. You can customize the total distance based on your specific needs.

Other times, your pond may be smaller but located on a separate part of your property than your power outlet. That means you’re going to need an extended cord to reach. Using an extra extension cord lets you move the vacuum closer to your pond.

However, the added convenience of having an extra hose and extension cords will mean that you have more equipment to store when you’re not using the vacuum. Managing longer sections of hose and extension cords while you’re using the vacuum can be frustrating, too.

Before buying, measure from your power source to your pond, and then into the deepest portion of your pond. This will help you determine the length of the hose and cord you’re going to need.

2. Suction

For the most part, while choosing your pond vacuum, you are going to encounter two separate types of suction systems. The first is a single chamber. The second is a double chamber.

Single-chamber vacuum systems generate less power than dual-chamber systems do. Even while providing less suction, overall, most pond owners will be more than happy with a single-chamber vacuum.

The significant difference between single and dual-chamber vacuums is the chamber inside of the vacuum, itself. In a single-chamber vacuum, the one chamber manages both sucking and discharging. It takes care of both in a single system.

In a dual-chamber vacuum, though, your vacuum will have multiple chambers. One chamber functions to create suction while the second chamber is used to discharge. This dual-chamber system is good for expelling waste much more quickly than single-chambers.

On rare occasions, you may find a third type of vacuum. The third type is a suction system that operates under a continuous vacuum, rather than discharging. Continuous vacuum systems use dual motors that work to both create suction, and to discharge. This is comparable to a dual-chamber vacuum, but continuous vacuums utilize dual motors, instead.

 If you need to discharge while you are also vacuuming consistently, a continuous system is the easiest to use. If you need to discharge waste in a separate part of your property, for instance, a single-chamber or double-chamber vacuum may be a better option.



3. ​Discharge

Pond vacuums will either be manual discharge or automatic discharge. If you have a manual discharge vacuum, you will need to disconnect your hoses and reattach them to the outlet to discharge the waste you have collected.

This type of setup does give you control over when (and where) your vacuum begins discharging, but it also requires more work and time on your part. If you aren’t removing the waste often enough, the vacuum can become clogged, which means even more work.

Automatic discharge vacuum systems work, as the name implies, on an automated basis. They continuously eject the waste that you’re collected based on where the outlet of the vacuum is located. Many times, you will attach a hose to the outlet and control where the waste is expelled.

Automatic discharging vacuums help ensure that the vacuum, itself, doesn’t end up getting clogged but they also require more attention to detail. You’ll be paying attention to what you’re sucking into the vacuum while also watching where what you’re sucking up is getting expelled.

4. ​Power

Power is another critical factor to consider before purchasing a pond vacuum. More power is usually better but comes at a higher price tag. Higher power output has a few benefits, though.

First, with more power, you can clean your pond more quickly. You can also get a deeper clean than you would with a lower power motor. But, more power isn’t always necessary.

Most pond owners will figure out that a 1,000-watt to 1,200-watt motor will be more than enough for their pond. For small and medium ponds that’s usually all the power you need. If your pond is larger, though, or you’re running extended hoses, you may need more power.

For larger, especially commercial ponds, you might need to think about purchasing a pond vacuum that has a dual-motor setup. This will deliver all the power you need while helping prevent you from overheating or overworking a personal vacuum.

5. ​Extras & Accessories

Depending on what all you need your pond vacuum to do, there may be extras and accessories you’ll either get with the vacuum or want to think about purchasing after the fact.

Some of the more common accessories help you scrub the bottom of your pond, provide filters for larger waste, or give you nozzles that make getting into hard-to-reach areas more comfortable to do.

You can also add on collection bags, more filters, extra hoses, extension cords, your options are indeed based on what you need from the vacuum. Most times, you may not realize you need an accessory until you see one and realize how much easier it would make your life.

Buying a vacuum that includes these extras and accessories is usually worth the money. When we say it makes cleaning your pond easier, we mean it. You’ll get creative with how you use them and save yourself a ton of time while maintaining your aquascape.

6. ​​Size & Weight

The size and weight of your vacuum make a huge difference when it comes time to maintain your pond. If you want portability, you will want to choose a vacuum that is smaller and lighter in weight.

However, if you have a larger pond, you can get away with a more substantial vacuum that provides more power while using more hoses and extension cords. In general, smaller vacuums are going to cost less money to purchase and operate than larger vacuums.

If size and weight is an issue for you, a small vacuum under 20 pounds is your best bet. Paying attention to the weight of the machine can help you determine if the vacuum is going to be too large for you to handle on your own once it arrives.

You’ll also want to think about how to store a larger vacuum. If you are limited on space, purchasing a smaller vacuum may be your only option.

7. ​Manufacturer’s Warranty

When you’re purchasing any equipment for your pond, you want to make sure that you are receiving a warranty through the manufacturer. You never know when the machine could malfunction and the last thing you want to do is hand over more money for a new one.

Most manufacturers will offer a two-year warranty for their vacuums. This usually covers manufacturer defects and will not cover damage that you’ve caused. That means you’re going to need to take care of the equipment if you expect the manufacturer to honor their warranty.

You do not want to purchase a vacuum that does not come with a warranty through the manufacturer. You may also want to verify that the company you are buying the vacuum through has a return policy in case you realize you purchased the wrong vacuum.

8. Price

Finally, as with any other purchase you make, price is a critical factor in helping you decide whether the vacuum you’re considering is right for you. While more expensive vacuums may have more features, accessories, and high-end materials, they may not always be necessary.

Unless you operate a commercial pond cleaning business, you may not need a high-end model.

Instead, you can purchase a vacuum at the lower end of the spectrum and save yourself a ton of money in the process. There’s a wide range of prices to choose from, and the price isn’t always an indicator of value.

As you’re looking through our recommendations, you’re going to find a balance between value and price. This should help you determine how much you can spend on a high-quality vacuum for your pond.

How To Use Your New Pond Vacuum

Once you have your vacuum at home, it’s time to get started using it. Below are some quick-start steps you can follow to get started as soon as the vacuum arrives at your door.

1. Plan Your Maintenance Schedule

   Start by attaching your new regulator to your CO2 canister. Regulators are designed to work with most CO2 cartridges being sold today. This means you usually do not need to worry about purchasing a separate adapter. If you do, chances are high you may need a paintball canister adapter if you are using smaller store-bought CO2 cartridges.

Keeping your aquascape should be something that’s relaxing for you to do. Maintaining it shouldn’t be any different. Planning and developing a specific maintenance schedule that you’ll stick to will give you something to look forward to.

And, remember, a maintained pond is easier to maintain overall. As simple as that sounds, the more often you’re cleaning your pond, the less overall cleaning you have to do.

2. Read The Instructions

You would be surprised how many people buy a vacuum and then jump in, believing that it operates the same as their house vacuum. This isn’t the case.

Before you use your pond vacuum the first time, we recommend spending time going through the instruction manual. The most significant rule we can give you is to keep your vacuum’s motor away from your pond. The worst thing you can deal with is submerging it and destroying the motor.

3. Utilize Your Extras

If you are having a hard time cleaning your pond or feel that it is taking you too long, the chances are high that you’re not using your extras. The accessories that came with your vacuum are there to make your life easier.

Go back through the instruction manual to determine how each accessory is used. Then, when it is time to clean your pond, attach the accessories and use them the way they are designed.

You’ll quickly realize that, not only do they save you time, but they can also keep your back, knees, and elbows from hurting. That makes looking forward to maintaining your pond easier to do. An easy-to-maintain pond is a pond that gets maintained more often.

How To Keep Your Pond Clean

Maintaining your pond’s ecosystem isn’t too tricky. By understanding how each element works together to help keep your water clean and free of harmful bacteria, you’ll better understand why you need each element to be in place.

Below are a few steps you can follow to guarantee your pond stays happy and healthy.

1. ​Add Fish

   Fish, while producing waste, are also fantastic at working to keep your pond clean. They will feed on insects, small aquatic creatures, and algae, so you don’t have to deal with it. However, fish do produce waste that can become problematic if left unchecked. If you do not vacuum the fish waste out of your pond, your water could become cloudy and create a harmful environment.
   
   

2. Add Plants

Knowing that your new fish are going to create waste byproducts, adding plants to help offset this waste is a good idea. Plants will help utilize the carbon dioxide created by your fish and convert it into usable oxygen to help your fish thrive. It’s a balance in your ecosystem.

Maintaining that balance requires pairing the right number of fish to the correct amount and type of plants that you want to keep. Plants also help keep the water cool during the warmer months, which your fish will appreciate.

3. Maintain Your Filter

A sound filtration system is a necessity. What your fish and plants can’t use, the filter will help the process out of the water. Using a filtration system with a pump that keeps water actively moving is a great way to minimize the amount of time you spend vacuuming the water, too. It isn’t a complete failsafe, but it does help reduce how often you need to use the vacuum.

4. Vacuum Regularly

As a point of last resort, you’ll want to vacuum the water and bottom of your pond regularly. This will help pick up anything that your fish and plants didn’t use (or created as waste) while also ensuring that your filter does not work too hard. It’s also a great time to run tests on your water to make sure you are still creating a thriving ecosystem.

What Is The Best Pond Vacuum In 2019?

This is a tossup, depending on the size of your pond, the amount of storage space you have available, your budget, and how often you’ll be using the vacuum.

We have found that the two best pond vacuums in 2019 are the Original OASE Pondovac and the OASE Pondovac Classic.

Just remember, buying an actual pond vacuum is always your best bet. While some people may have gotten away with a Shop-Vac pond vacuum, going the DIY Pond Vacuum (Shop Vac) route will usually end up with a busted Shop-Vac and you are wondering which pond vacuum is best.

Take our word for it!