How to Add a Pond Fountain to Your Home

A pond fountain, which can be used in a natural or manmade pond, adds beauty and interest to an otherwise flat body of water and also cleans the water through aeration.

Aeration is a practical solution for a pond, as it discourages algae growth and provides a good breeding ground for fish.

Pond fountains are ideal for business park ponds, home ponds, farm ponds and retention ponds, just to name a few.

The following steps will guide you through the process of installing a pond fountain:

• Choose your fountain. The fountain will basically consist of an electric pump that re-circulates and is submersible, and attached will be a water fountain jet.  This may also be named as a spray fountain.

There are fountains for clean and dirty water ponds. The dirty water fountains are constructed with special pumps which prevent dirt and sand from entering the pump and fountain mechanism.

Otherwise, the size of the pond fountain will depend on the size of the pond, and the style is simply a matter of spray preference.

• Make sure an electrical source is located nearby. If not, you’ll need to install a GFCI outlet because the cord will be submersed underwater. A GFCI will protect against electric shock. You may also want to explore the option of a solar fountain if you don’t want the hassle of installing an electrical outlet.
• Next, determine the placement of the fountain. This may be an issue with larger ponds, as you’ll need access to the pump and fountain for maintenance purposes. If the pond is large, consider installing it toward the edge.
• When installing the pump, it is important to keep the pump off the bottom of the pond, as a raised pump will prevent a lot of debris and dirt from being sucked into the system. You can turn upside down a terra cotta pot, and then on top of the pot, place the pump. You can also use a concrete block to properly raise the pump. If the pump is lightweight, consider tying it to the block or pot. The bottom line is that you’ll need to situate the unit to ensure the fountain jet points above the water.
• If the fountain cable needs to transverse the yard, you’ll need to dig a small trench, lay the cord in the trench and carefully replace the dirt and sod.
• After installation, adjust the fountain’s flow so that the water remains in the pond and does not spray over the edges of the pond. Many fountain kits come with a variety of sprays, so take the time to choose the spray that appeals to you.

You may choose to add lights to the pond after you have run the electrical line and installed the fountain.  A lit fountain at night is often a beautiful focal point. Some fountain kits are even sold with lights. You can choose to have exterior lights which focus on the pond and fountain or submersible lights which illuminate the fountain from underneath the water.