FAQ

Fountains

• Q: How do I choose a fountain?
• A: This is a loaded question, and the most common one that we get. Our first question would be: is the goal aeration, aesthetics or both? If the goal is aeration or both, we recommend checking out one of our Aerating Fountains. These have a much higher flow rate than our aesthetic fountains and will circulate a larger volume of water. If the goal is aesthetics, there are many different options to discuss. A lot of this will be largely up to you, and what you want it to look like. The biggest things you want to determine are first, that your pond meets the minimum depth requirements and second that the display size isn’t too large for it. We have display dimensions on all fountain product pages.
• Note: Fountains and Surface Aerators will only aerate down to about 6 feet of water depth.

• Q: If I want to buy a fountain, how do I choose the horsepower?
• A: The horsepower is simply the size of the motor which will determine the size of the spray pattern. You will want to make sure that your pond meets the minimum depth requirements for whatever horsepower you choose, and ensure that the spray won’t be splashing the sides of the pond. Generally, if your pond is a quarter acre or larger, you can fit any of the fountains that we carry (depending on the shape of the pond). The horsepower you choose will depend on how big you want it to look and the budget that you’re working with. 

• Q: Do I need to hire someone to install my fountain?
• A: If you do not already have a power source installed by the pond, we strongly advise consulting a licensed electrician to install the power source. Once the power source is installed, installation of our fountains is pretty straightforward. All of our fountains simply float in the middle of the pond, are anchored on two sides by nylon rope and cinder blocks, and plug in via submersible cord to the power source on the edge of the pond. We have many customers that choose to install their own fountains and save money on installation. This of course depends on the resources available to you.

• Q: How do I choose between 110-120V and 210-240V?
• A: A good rule of thumb is: If the power source at the edge of your pond is more than 70 feet from your main breaker, choose 210-240V. You will of course need to ensure that your power source is equipped to accommodate the higher voltage. This will ensure that your fountain gets ample power in order to run consistently. If you choose the lower voltage and the pond is too far away from the main breaker, your fountain will run intermittently, will shut off immediately after turning it on or will not display to its fullest size. Please call us with any questions.

• Q: Are lights automatically included?
• A: Lights are not automatically included. They can be purchased at the same time as your fountain or at a later date. They simply snap on to the floating unit. They are well worth it.

• Q: Why is the power cord so expensive?
• A: This is largely dictated by the cost of materials. Depending on the make of your fountain, the power cord is made of 14-gauge copper or stainless steel wire, all the way down to 4-gauge copper or stainless steel wire (depending on the size of the fountain and length of power cord).

• Q: Can my fountain be left in the water during the winter?
• A: Only Scott Aerator Fountains are built to operate through the winter. They should either be run continuously or shut off entirely for winter months. Once the water thaws, simply turn them back on.

Aerators

• Q: Will aeration help clear up my pond and keep my fish alive?
• A: The short answer is absolutely. Aeration is always the first step in clearing up a pond.

• Q: How do I choose an aerator?
• A: This will depend on the size and depth of your pond. Our site is organized based on the surface area of the pond (in acres). If your pond is less than 6 feet deep, we recommend looking at one of our Surface Aerators or Aerating Fountains. If your pond is more than 6 feet deep, we recommend looking at one of our Sub-Surface Aerators.

• Q: Do I need to hire someone to install my aerator?
• A: If you do not already have a power source installed by the pond, we strongly advise consulting a licensed electrician to install the power source. Once the power source is installed, installation of our aerators is pretty straightforward. We have many customers that do it themselves with no problems and save costs on installation. This will depend on the resources available to you.

• Q: What is the ideal aeration setup?
• A: In a perfect world, a perfect aeration setup would include both a surface aerator or aerating fountain in addition to a Sub-Surface Aerator. The oxygen released from the bottom of the pond would be circulated thoroughly with the help of a surface aerator or fountain.