Pond vacuums are one of the new must-have maintenance items for anyone with a garden pond or outdoor fish pond. This handy device helps you get the pond clean without you having to climb in there and do it by hand. That’s a big relief if you’ve ever had to clean up your pond by hand before! For those once or twice a year full clean-up jobs, find the best pond vacuum to get your fish pond into tip-top shape.
Top 5 Pond Vacuum Reviews Comparison Table 2018
Product Name | Image | Type of Vacuum Suction | Maximum Depth | Energy Consumption | Water Return? | Particle/Debris Sizes | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dual-Chamber Suction | 7 feet | 1800W | No | Adjustable Size Nozzles | #2 | |
| Single Chamber Suction | 6 feet | 1300-1400W | No | Adjustable Size Nozzles | #1 | |
| Dual-Chamber Suction | 6 feet | N/A | No | Adjustable Size Nozzles | #3 | |
| Single Chamber Suction | about 4 feet | Unknown | Yes | Large Particles Only, up to 7 Inches | #4 | |
| Single Chamber Suction | 6 feet | Unknown | No | Up to 3/8inch diameter | #5 |
Any pond needs proper maintenance. Cleaning it by hand is an utterly tiresome affair. Invest in the Oase Pondovac 4 and take all the sting out of your pond upkeep.
Oase offer 3 pond vacs to suit every taste and budget. We’ll look next at the base Classic model. There is also a very keenly priced option sold under their budget brand Pontec. The Pondovac 4 tops the range.
As with all Oase vacs, the Pondovac 4 is equipped to take a pioneering net bag. The water and sludge sucked up from the pond goes into the container. Here, it’s drained out thanks to an outlet hose. The net waste bag at the end of this hose lets you replace your mature pond water while eliminating the waste. You do need to buy the bag separately.
With a super-powerful 1700-watt motor, the Pondovac 4 is cut out to deal with large, deep ponds fuss-free.
You’ll enjoy non-stop cleaning with this awesome vacuum. This is the only model we tested with dual chamber suction. It’s this feature which allows for continuous cleaning. 2 cylinders are filled and emptied in turn meaning no more stopping and starting to empty the container.
Maximum suction depth is an impressive 7 feet. The suction hose is 16 feet long while the discharge hose is 8 feet.
Large casters and an ergonomic handle let you maneuver the Oase around the garden with ease.
A limited 2-year warranty is the icing on the cake.
From vacuuming your pond or swimming pool through to wet vacuuming your floors, the Pondovac 4 might not be the cheapest choice but it delivers admirably. Check it out today!
Next up in our pond vacuum reviews is our top pick, the Pondovac Classic, another fantastic workhorse from the reputable Oase.
The Classic comes in at an extremely competitive price point. This vacuum should be well within the reach of most reasonable budgets.
As with the Pondovac 4, you’ll get a winning combination of pond and pool vacuum which also works as a wet dry household vac. Considering the competitive price, that’s a lot of bang for your buck.
The 1400-watt motor is not quite as powerful as the Pondovac 4 but you’ll still get more than adequate performance. You’ll be able to clean even large, deep pools. Suction works without losing functionality to a depth of 6 feet.
The suction hose is 13 feet long. The power cable is also a generous 13 feet.
Intelligent technology means that your vac senses when the tank is full. It will then cut the motor and start again once the collection tank has been emptied.
There are 4 nozzles thrown in so you’ve got all applications covered.
You’ll get the same 2-year limited warranty as you’ll find with the Classic so you can buy in complete confidence.
For a highly effective vacuum that will keep even big and deep ponds free of unwanted debris and decaying organic matter, the Oase Pondovac Classic tops our list.
If you have precious koi in your pond, tip-top water hygiene is essential.
Keeping koi is not a cheap undertaking. Firstly, you’ve got the price of the fish to consider. You’ll need a filter and a pump for best results. The price of a vacuum suddenly doesn’t start to seem quite so bad after all…
The Matala Power Cyclone is certainly not the cheapest pond vacuum at your disposal. It’s undeniably one of the best, though.
This commercial-grade cleaner comes with 2 motors. A suction motor vacuums up to 1500GPH. There’s also a half-horsepower discharge motor.
With balanced flow rates, you’ll get continuous vacuuming without needing to break a sweat.
There’s a 6-foot extension and a 26-foot hose meaning you’re primed to deal with cleaning even the largest pond.
A holding tank (13 gallons) contains the debris. Larger pieces collect in a pre-filtration bag. A sludge pump expels the dirty water.
This vacuum will operate on elevations to 18 feet.
You’ll get 4 vacuum heads thrown in to cater for all your cleaning applications.
For a first-class pond vac that’s built to stay the distance, the Matala Power Cyclone is not cheap but it’s a superb investment.
Next up is a multi-purpose vacuum from the industry-leading PoolSupplyTown. This represents an incredibly cheap entry point into pond cleaning.
Whether you’ve got a pond, spa, Jacuzzi or fountain, this nifty jet vac fits the bill perfectly.
You simply attach the vacuum to your existing garden hose and you’re all set.
This vacuum works due to the Venturi effect. This is where there’s a drop in pressure when water flows through a choked section of pipe.
You’ll get a bag, brush and 4-foot pole thrown in.
Assembly is quick and straightforward. Just screw the telescoping handles together and hook up to your vacuum. Screw a hose to the vacuum. The collection bag goes on top.
Although this pond vacuum is not in the same class as its more expensive stablemates, if you want to do something rather than nothing, check out this nifty piece of kit today.
Last up in our reviews is a cost-effective and high-performing pond vacuum from Matala.
The Muck Vac II is otherwise known as the Muck Buster. It’s an apt name. If you want to dispatch sludge, dead plants, algae and pebbles from your pond, you’re in safe hands.
This vacuum is good for ponds with up to 3000 gallons of water.
You’ll enjoy plenty of suction thanks to a capable 2HP motor.
On-Off functionality is energy-efficient. After 40 seconds of vacuuming, the unit drains for 20 seconds. Once empty, it starts vacuuming again. Save on power bills while keeping your water ship shape.
You’ll get 5 extension poles. With these 15-inch poles, you can clean ponds up to a depth of 6 feet.
There’s a 16-foot suction hose and an 8-foot drain hose.
A mesh bag to trap coarser debris is a nice touch.
For a great pond vacuuming solution without spending a fortune, pop the Muck Vac II on your shortlist.
Benefits of The Pond Vacuum
What’s so great about a pond vacuum? Here are the benefits you stand to gain from owning one for yourself:
Spend Less Time Cleaning
The biggest and best benefit is that it takes a long, tedious cleaning job and turns it into a much quicker and easier job. When you’re using a pond vacuum, you’re going to cut your pond cleaning time into a much more bearable chunk. Depending on how powerful your vacuum is and the size of your pond, you might be done within a few short minutes!
Save Money
If you’re in the habit of paying someone else to come and clean your pond, this purchase is really going to save you a bit of cash. Having your own pond vacuum is definitely going to save money in this case, because you won’t have to pay someone to come with their own vacuum and clean out your pond.
Do a Great Job
Let’s face it: vacuums do a better job than we can by hand. If you want to do a great job of cleaning out your pond, use a pond vacuum to get up the muck.
Leave Your Fish and Plants Alone
The worst part about doing an annual pond cleaning for most people is that you have to remove all your precious fish and some of your pond plants in order to clean. Well, many pond vacuums will not disturb or injure your fish and plants, so you can actually leave them in the water while you’re cleaning. This means a lot less work on your part, and an equally clean pond.
How to Choose a Pond Vacuum
What should you look at when you want to know the difference between two pond vacuums? Not all vacuums will work well for your pond, so you should think about the device in terms of what you as a pond owner need.
Having a good vacuum is one of the most important parts of keeping a clean pond. There is almost no way to get your pond in tip-top shape unless you clean it on a regular basis, and there is such a thing as getting the wrong one for you.
You have to take so many things into consideration such as the power level, if there is a warranty on it, how much it will fill up, and what the reviews on it are.
With these types of vacuums, you have to make sure the pieces are exactly the parts you want to clean your pond with. You also want to make sure the one you choose is multi-purposed and that the garden can be cleaned as well as your pond along with it.
We realize price and quality matter as well. You may be looking for different things, depending on your budget.
Here are the things to look for in the best pond vacuum for you:
Type of Vacuum
Vacuum suctions is created using different methods. Depending on what method a pond vacuum uses, you can expect the suction to be stronger or weaker. Dual-chamber suctions is usually more powerful than single chamber suction, although that’s not always the case in every vacuum. The type of suction may also affect how the vacuum cleans your pond.
Size of Your Pond
Vacuums are designed for a certain size range of ponds, not for just any pond. They have a limited reach and cannot physically clean every pond. If you have a larger pond, you will need a larger and more powerful vacuum. People with smaller ponds can get away with smaller vacuums, but probably shouldn’t use a large and powerful vacuum as it might be hard to maneuver.
Cleaning Depth
Each vacuum also has a limit on how deep down it can vacuum. While the hose length itself definitely enforces this limit, the vacuums are also not designed to have suction power past a certain depth, based on what the suction method is and how strong it is.
What this means for you is that you need to find a pond vacuum that can actually reach to the bottom of your pond for cleaning. If you have a 6 feet deep pond, don’t buy a vacuum that can only reach 4 feet down.
In addition, some pond vacuums have a minimum depth. This can be important knowledge for you to have if you are the owner of a shallow pond. Vacuums with a high minimum depth may not work well on shallow ponds, or may not function at all.
Water Return
Water return valves are not as common as they probably should be on pond vacuums. Most vacuums discharge pond water away from the area and into your yard instead of returning cleaned water back to the pond itself. Having a water return option that will clean and filter water before returning it back to the pond is a wonderful feature for convenience and for helping you avoid refilling your pond all the time.
Particle and Debris Sizes
Dirt and debris doesn’t all come in the same size and shape. If you have leaves resting on the bottom of your pond, you may need a different pond vacuum than someone who just wants to clean up the muck layer. Choose a vacuum that’s capable of picking up the size of debris that you are dealing with, so you won’t have to do anything by hand after using it!
Energy Consumption
This may not be a make or break type of feature, but it can be a good thing to know. The energy consumption can tell you a bit about how much you’re going to spend running this vacuum every day, month, or year that you use it. Knowing how much something is going to cost to use and maintain helps you make a more informed decision about whether it’s worth the cost or not.
Conclusion
The reviews can be difficult to read if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Hopefully this guide to finding a good pond vacuum has helped you understand a bit more about what to look out for and how to make an informed decision!
Personally, I would recommend the Oase Pondovac 4. Although it has the highest power consumption of the vacuums I mentioned above in the table, it’s also by far the most powerful and versatile vacuum. You can use it for a lot of larger and deeper ponds, so no matter what kind of pond you have, you shouldn’t have much of an issue getting this to work for you.
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