Clean or dirty water pump for sunken kiddie pool duck pond?

[Backyard DIY]

I've come to the realisation that emptying and cleaning my sunken kiddie pool is going to need the help of a pump.

Originally I thought we would drain into the earth but after 4 water changes it's taking it's toll. I'm also cautious of the fact that next door's garden is lower than ours and I get the feeling they'd bear the brunt of our drainage! It also doesn't help that the plug isn't at the lowest point so it never properly drains, and lifting and emptying disturbs the ground too much.

The next idea was to siphon out the water, but I can't find a point lower than the pool so it looks like that's out too.

I'm wondering whether a clean water pump would work (can handle solids of 5mm) or whether a dirty water pump, which can handle solids of 25mm, would be better. The clean water pump is half the price, otherwise I wouldn't ask.

 

[smonkeySK]

These are ducks....dirty pump ftw!!
I have a 1200l pond that I empty weekly at the moment (for 7months now lol) - I use the pump that will be part of a full filter system when I get round to it.
It can handle up to 8mm solids but it gets blocked quickly without any form of straining.

As you are only emptying a small pool you might be alright with the 5mm model but if I were buying something to empty my pond in future I would get a dirty water sump pump!
Hope this helps - though reading it back through I'm sure it really doesn't

 

[Backyard DIY]

These are ducks....dirty pump ftw!!
I have a 1200l pond that I empty weekly at the moment (for 7months now lol) - I use the pump that will be part of a full filter system when I get round to it.
It can handle up to 8mm solids but it gets blocked quickly without any form of straining.

As you are only emptying a small pool you might be alright with the 5mm model but if I were buying something to empty my pond in future I would get a dirty water sump pump!
Hope this helps - though reading it back through I'm sure it really doesn't

lol no it does. I'm just trying to be a cheapskate but I reckon you're right, a dirty water pump is the way to go, especially if your 8mm solids pump gets blocked. Thanks

 

[winteree]

if you can i would put the pool on top of a skid and angle it ever so to the drain that way it drains so you don't have to pick it up to do so.

 

[bustedchicks]

Gone through many subpumps. I get the dirty water pumps from harbor freight. They last a lot longer and are fairly inexpensive.

 

[Backyard DIY]

if you can i would put the pool on top of a skid and angle it ever so to the drain that way it drains so you don't have to pick it up to do so.

Not sure what a skid is

We did originally have the pool slightly raised though and drained it on to the ground where it ran off. The main problem was the size of the coop - raising the surrounding area up so that the ducks could get in and out of the pool was very space consuming and practically blocked the door to their hut. I thought sinking the pool would solve that but it is just turning the area into a swamp!

 

[Backyard DIY]

The one I was looking at was only cheap at £60 (though I haven't actually got anything to compare that to) but if I'm likely to go through a lot maybe this will just be a short term solution and I'll have to think of a more long term draining solution. Hmm.

 

[winteree]

Not sure what a skid is

We did originally have the pool slightly raised though and drained it on to the ground where it ran off. The main problem was the size of the coop - raising the surrounding area up so that the ducks could get in and out of the pool was very space consuming and practically blocked the door to their hut. I thought sinking the pool would solve that but it is just turning the area into a swamp!

oh sorry texan talk their they are formally called shipping pallets you looking for the ones with the "solid" tops they are free here

 

[winteree]

Not sure what a skid is

We did originally have the pool slightly raised though and drained it on to the ground where it ran off. The main problem was the size of the coop - raising the surrounding area up so that the ducks could get in and out of the pool was very space consuming and practically blocked the door to their hut. I thought sinking the pool would solve that but it is just turning the area into a swamp!

if you get a pallet put legs on it and a sink drain with some pvc piping you can angle the water to drain away from the coop as long as the pool is higher then the surrounding ground you can angle it to drain just about anywhere

 

[Backyard DIY]

Ah, that's a pretty good idea, and I do have lots of pallets. I think space will be an issue but I will get my thinking cap on. Wishing I'd built a bigger coop now but the site I chose doesn't allow for much expansion.