Whether you have a natural pond or an ornamental pond, they need proper aeration in order to stay healthy and fresh. Aeration is a process where fresh oxygen is mixed into the water, which allows your fish to breathe and process food. Aeration also maintains good bacteria in the water so that they can deal with phosphates and nitrogen buildup due to the waste generated by fish waste. It keeps the surface water moving and also keeps the bugs away, making your pong pleasant to hang around.

Pond Fountain

Types of Pond Fountains

There are mainly two types of pond fountains, decorative and aerating fountains. Decorative fountains are used for aesthetic purposes. They can spray water up to a height of 20 feet easily, creating a spectacle for the viewers. They come with interchangeable spray nozzles that can create different patterns, from starbursts to a majestic jet.

While water movement caused by the constant splashing offers some aeration to water, but aeration fountains provide more movement to the water. This means, more volume, more water movement compared to decorative fountains. Aerating fountains with a V-shaped pattern provides more aeration than other styles.

Choosing a Pond Fountain

There are a few factors you need to consider before you find pond fountains. The type of spray and how much horsepower. These factors are influenced by the following:

Depth: An aeration fountain works up to 6-feet deep in the water, which is way more than a decorative fountain can do.

Shape: Aeration pond fountains work best in round ponds because the fountain may not able to provide aeration to certain areas where the shape is irregular.

Size: The horsepower required depends on the size of the pond. The size determines the height of the spray. Ideally, the spray height should not be more than the width of the pond, otherwise, the pond will end up emptying itself.

Spray Patterns for Decorative Fountains

While choosing a pond fountain, you can choose from a wide range of spray patterns. You might be tempted to choose a fancy one, but remember, the more decorative the spray pattern is, the more stress will be put on the motor.

Some traditional spray patterns include:

  • Diamond-shaped spray
  • Crown and geyser.
  • Plume.
  • Plumtree

Amount of horsepower required for your pond fountain

If you are using a fountain to provide aeration, then you should look for a pump that has a motor that can reach 1.5hp for each acre of water. If the purpose of the fountain is decorative only, then you can get away with 1hp per acre. However, if you choose a fancy spray, you need to choose a motor that has a higher horsepower.

Benefits of Pond Fountains

A proper aeration system provides a lot of benefits. Here is the list of benefits you get when you install an aeration fountain pump:

  • Improve water quality: Bottom sediments release gasses that can cause water quality issues. A pond fountain can provide the essential aeration which is required to oxygenate the water and improve the overall health of the water.
  • Prevents the growth of excessive algae: By using aeration, you can starve the excess nutrients, which allows algae to grow. The spores get mixed into the deeper parts of the pond where there is less sunlight, thus preventing them from growing.
  • Removes foul odor: stagnant water creates hydrogen sulfide gas, which is responsible for the foul smell. When aeration is provided to the pond water, it eliminates the bad odor and the water fresh again.
  • Create a healthy ecosystem: proper aeration improves the oxygen level throughout the pond, which allows all aquatic organisms to thrive. This allows fish to breathe and get food, creating a healthy marine ecosystem.
  • Decreases Mosquito Activity: When water is stagnant, it allows mosquitos to lay their eggs. But when you install a pond fountain, it keeps the water moving preventing mosquitos from breeding. It is also called a natural mosquito control system.
  • Reduces bottom sediments: Organisms decompose at a slower rate under low oxygen conditions, which leads to the buildup of bottom sediments. An aeration system introduces fresh oxygen into the system, which reduces the accumulation of bottom sediments.

Pond fountain provides a lot of benefits, but it is your responsibility to ensure that your pump is in proper condition. Make sure it is serviced on a regular to avoid any problems. Because of the pump intake clogged, the motor can overheat very easily, which can damage the pump. So, it is advisable to take the pump out clean it under fresh water once every season.

If you want to keep your pond healthy and appealing, then you need to hire professionals who can service your pump on a regular basis. This will increase the life of the pump and keep your pond healthy.

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