Re: pond vacuums please!!!!!!!!
#72
I have the Oase Pondovac 3. As the vac switches chambers, you can feel the suction let off for just a moment, but it comes right back. The only real downside is the price tag.
I haven't tried the Hozelock, and hence I don't know which vac gives better suction, but I would guess the pros and cons of the two go something like this:
OaseLighter in the hand.
Small creatures will usually survive the trip through the vac if you get them out of the bag of muck soon enough.
Stones can plug the tube, but won't damage the vac. Nothing soft can clog the vac.
No minimum depth. The Pondovac will suck things off the surface and can be used to completely empty a filter. Because it doesn't have an air filter, OASE recommends it be used only as a wet vac, but you can use it to get leaves or maple wings caught between rocks near the surface or high and dry.
Maximum length is 2.5 meters. This is with the four black tubes plus a clear one. I'm not sure if the clear one is included with the vac, but it's worth having.
Maximum depth is 2m.
As the motor sits on dry land, you can wade into the pond while using this vac.
Somewhat more expensive.
HozelockHeavier in the hand, but no canister to deal with.
Anything that goes through the vac will be chopped to bits. This might be mitigated by scary noises that encourage pond life to stay clear, but I'm not sure.
Stones just the right size might damage the impeller. If there is a grate before the impeller to prevent this, it will probably clog.
Minimum depth is 20cm.
Maximum length is 2.3m.
Maximum depth is limited by length.
As the motor is in the pond, I would guess the manufacturer warns that you'll die if you try wading with this vac.
Somewhat cheaper.