If you have ever been around a man-made pond near your residence or a business complex that you frequent, you have likely seen them with floating fountains.
If you are a pond owner and wondering why you should add a floating fountain, then read on to educate yourself about the myriad benefits of adding one of these to your pond.
Movement in the Water
Water needs movement to stay healthy for the people and animals who live in or near it.
A pond fountain brings up pond water from pipes underneath the surface and sprays it back down into the pond itself. This separates debris in the water, inhibiting the excessive growth of algae.
When cyanobacteria (excessive algae blooms) are left in water that doesn’t have a great deal of movement, they breed more particles in the water that cannot move easily, thus creating more algae growth. A fountain will break up that cycle. (These excessive algae also take more than their fair share of the oxygen levels in pond water, which is harmful to the overall environment… more on that later).
Standing water can also be a breeding ground for many types of bugs, including mosquitoes. If you have a floating pond fountain, this will bring a great deal of movement on top of the water—where bugs lay their eggs—and in the air around the water—preventing them from congregating easily. A pond environment free of mosquitoes and other obnoxious bugs is much more enjoyable—and safer!
Oxygenation and Aeration
Floating pond fountains push water from the surface into the depths of a pond, which bring oxygen throughout the entire body of water. Oxygen is important for all plants and animals living in the pond ecosystem, and highly-oxygenated water is also a deterrent for excessive weed and algae growth.
Excessive weed growth creates a breeding ground for bugs, harms fish, and when the cyanobacteria blooms become overly abundant, they create harmful gasses in the air which add to climate change and harm the local environment. This climate change ups the temperature in the air, and warm places breed more algae (as you can see, everything is connected).
When you have a pond without proper aeration, minerals and sediment also gather at the base of the waterbed. Having a properly sized fountain will ensure that these elements are moved around and that they don’t collect in mass to negatively affect water quality. (When you are choosing a floating pond fountain, if aeration is one of your main goals make sure to get one that specifically works to aerate instead of simply a decorative fountain.)
Low oxygen levels in a body of water mean that organic matter decomposes more slowly, creating dirty water with many particles that float and inhibit water movement. This creates an unhealthy environment that is prone to algae growth, foul odors, and toxic off-gasses (again, it’s all a cycle).
Healthier Water Ecosystem
Fountains create oxygenated water, which makes for a healthier environment for fish and other pond wildlife. When there is too much algae in a pond, the algae absorb all the oxygen, nutrients, and sunlight that animals and other plants need to survive and thrive. A fountain that provides movement and aeration will help ensure a healthy environment for everything living in the pond.
Algae Control
Algae is normal and necessary in a pond in small amounts. However, when it is left unchecked, it can overtake a pond and create unhealthy water conditions, deprive fish of nutrients and other elements of survival, and create toxic smells and gasses in the local environment. A pond fountain creates movement, aeration, and nutrient dispersion so that your pond can stay enjoyable and healthy for everyone around it.
Aesthetics
Last but not least, pond fountains are just beautiful! They create a soothing sound that is lovely to relax around, and they create a visual center for your pond that often sprays out in highly pleasing designs, such as crown-shaped, crystalline, or tree-shaped sprays. They can also be combined with lights to create an even more majestic effect.
If you have many other ways of controlling algae and aerating a pond, and your fountain will simply be for decorative purposes, you can choose one that fits the bill only for water show and light.
Other Considerations
Remember that although a floating fountain floats, it is not going to move around in your pond. It will be connected by wires or devices that keep it in one place so that it doesn’t run into the sides of the pond or break. This means that to benefit your entire pond, it will need to have enough horsepower to be able to move water throughout the entire area, usually about 1-1.5hp per acre of pond.
Although a fountain is beneficial to your pond, it still requires maintenance. It will need to be checked periodically to make sure all the mechanical parts are in working order, and you will need to keep your pond free of weeds and algae so that they don’t get stuck in the fountain’s pipes underneath the water.
Your pond water will also need to be kept at a healthy alkalinity level free of an excess of chemicals and minerals that could harm the fountain’s mechanisms.
Final Thoughts
Having a pond is a big responsibility! Although there are many benefits to having one on your property, there are also many things to consider that need to be done in order to have a healthy, properly working pond. A floating fountain can help take care of so many of these issues in one fell swoop. If you are just beginning the journey of installing or building a pond, make sure that a floating fountain is on the task list. If you have had a pond for a long time and have dealt with some of the struggles mentioned here, now you know what you can do to get back to happily enjoying your water feature.