I bought a 3 inch semi trash pump off Ebay and some hoses from Northern Tool to start filling my pond. It's a 4 acre pond that's 12 feet deep at one end, but average depth of 6 ft. I added a 20 gallon fuel tank to it and ran it 24/7 for what seems like two months. I don't remember for sure. At first, it ran great and I could see the water level rise every day when I checked on the pump. Then, after a few weeks, it wouldn't be running when I checked on it. I started changing the oil every third day, then every other day, and finally every day. I got it about half full this way, but finally gave up since I couldn't keep the pump working for very long. I did get enough water in it to stock minnows and bluegill, which was my main goal. It's all up to you on what you want to spend and how much time you have to keep it running. A 3 inch pump running non stop will pump a fair amount of water. Enough to make a difference.
Good Luck,
Eddie
