Floating Lake Fountains

Residential and Commercial Pond Fountain Installation

Whether you want to call it a lake or a pond, adding a large fountain with a water aerator can be a feature that adds enjoyment, relaxation, and a sight that will make taking a rest along the water's edge all the more likely for your guests or residents. Personal water retention ponds, natural lagoons, and man-made lakes within a gated community or office complex can all reap the benefits of a beautiful floating water fountain capable of blasting streams 20' to 30' high with multiple tiers and lights for after sunset enjoyment. In Florida's climate, fountains in ponds are extremely common and easy to maintain given that they can be run all year round. If you're in need of a pond fountain in Tampa, read on to learn more or give us a call to discuss your ideas. We also handle smaller decorative fountains for our koi pond clients.

Pond Size Matters for Your Fountain Choice

We source and install American-made floating fountains that require very little maintenance. Unlike a small backyard pond that runs off a pump, filter, and possibly a small fountain, these larger bodies of water operate with heavy-duty submerged pumps that start at 1 hp and go up to 3 and even 5 hp depending upon the size of your pond. Some pumps are specially designed to run with dirty water as many of these bodies of water don't have a filtration system.

With a strong, well operating pump, a 1hp model is usually suitable for a 1-2 acre pond. For ponds that only measure .5 acre or .75 acre, it is best to know the average depth of your pond to understand if 1hp will work for you. Often times this is the case, but without enough depth or overall water, such a strong pump can create problems like water loss as wind carries mist from the fountain onto the banks and outside of the pond's radius. Most 3hp fountain pumps are designed to operate in 2-4 acre lakes for best results. With a higher horse power, you'll be able to achieve a higher spray from your pond aeration fountain, but you want to make sure you have plenty of space to do so.

Selecting the Right Size Fountain

Our team will help select the appropriate pond scape fountain based on a few factors. Firstly we want to consider the size of your pond. With too much aeration you may be overspending on the equipment and the power to run them without any added benefit to your ecosystem.

Your desired fountain height will be determined primarily by the power of the pump beneath the lake fountain. With the larger, high-quality fountains that come with a 3-4hp size pump, you can get a fountain spray as large as 40' high and 40' wide. With the smaller fountain and pump combinations, like a 1hp, you can expect a spray in the range of 20' x 20'.  Don't let a fountain salesperson sell you the biggest option by insisting it's the best way to get a huge spray. The larger the pump, the more electricity consumption you'll pay for too, so it's wise to set up a fountain that is proportionally suited to your water space. We think, even the smaller sprays will impress whether you're showing it off inside your fenced yard or along a street with foot and car traffic.

We'll also need to know if lighting your lake's fountain is necessary. While lighting kits can be purchased and combined with most fountains, there are plenty of trusted brands that come with projection lights built in to the fountain using low voltage. Whenever possible, we prefer to install a fountain that comes equipped with a lights so that you're getting items which have been paired and installed by the manufacturer. The specs for the lights will also be designed to suit that particular fountain and its expected spray types along with the designated heights and widths for the water being ejected. Most pumps come with several different spray nozzles which can be interchanged for a variety of looks throughout the year. You can read descriptions of some of the common spray patterns on this page. If there is a specific design you like, make sure to tell us during our visit so we can source an appropriate product.

Each fountain, regardless of size, requires a power source. They all come equipped with submersible cable which we will run to your nearest power source. If you haven't ever had a fountain or machinery in close proximity to your pond, we may require that a junction box is installed along the bank or somewhere nearby. Using an electrician is the safest and most efficient way to get this done and we will happily coordinate the installation and all specifications for your fountain project if you'd like us to do so.

Fountain Warranties and Maintenance

Fountains that we use come with a warranty on all parts so if something goes wrong, we will work with the manufacturer to repair or replace the defective parts and get your fountain up and running again. Maintenance can be performed by our team and with most high-quality fountain brands is only required once per year to keep the pump doing its job and running optimally. Keep in mind that aerating fountains are machines and thus are not recommended to run on a continuous 24 hour cycle. During down times like in the middle of the night, it is advised to turn off the pump so that the machinery parts can return to their resting state which should preserve the lifespan of your equipment while saving on your electric bill too when no one is around to enjoy the sight of the fountain.

Part of our installation process involves anchoring the fountain at the bottom of your lake. This ensures that it will remain stationary even through storms, wind or the occasional bump from floating debris or wildlife. The standard position for a tethered floating fountain is near the center of any lake, but we will work with you and consider alternative placements, say if you have a dock or viewing deck and want the fountain located in a specific location. We'll want to examine the overall shape of the pond and make sure that ample circulation can still occur so you don't wind up with dead spots (where water is not moving) that will accumulate waste and unhealthy growth faster than another section of your water environment.

Why Does the Lake Need Aeration?

Aeration is the process of putting oxygen into the water. Believe it or not, all of the underwater animals that make your pond or lake more enjoyable to watch require oxygen for their health and well being.

The simplest way to do this is to move the water at the bottom of the pond to the top of the pond and vice versa. Because deeper ponds tend to have less oxygen at the bottom and more oxygen closer to the surface, circulating the pond's water allows the bottom portion to rise to the surface level and release the gases that have accumulated. As these gases escape the water, the chance of your pond developing a foul odor goes down and your water quality goes up. At the surface level, water can re-oxygenate before it is pushed back down to replace water at the bottom. This circular cycle of moving water from the lower to higher portions of the pond and back again introduce oxygen into the water. By doing so, you're also reducing and prolonging the growth of algae, weeds, and muck that degrade your pond over time and require extra treatments and cleanup to get the balance of the marine system back in place.

While the splash from a fountain can create healthy water flow and ripples on the top of your water, by including a heavy-duty pump suspended beneath the floating fountain, you are helping to push the deeper water through the fountain and cycle the entire contents of the pond to move and change places so that oxygen can constantly be replaced. Even if you're not using a fountain, preventing stagnant water will increase your chances of a healthy water environment.

How Much Oxygen Do Fish Require?

It is possible to have too much oxygen in your pond which can lead to serious problems for your fish population but this is more likely a problem that could occur in a smaller backyard pond.  If you don't have any kind of fountain right now and you're considering adding one, think about what kind of fish live in your water. Jumping from a slowly circulating pond to a one that is moving very quickly can oxygenate your water immediately, becoming a shock to your fish and their health. If your fish are accustomed to a certain water quality and that is adjusted too rapidly their bodies may not be able to adapt quick enough. But for large scale ponds, that don't operate with a pump and filter system, the introduction of a fountain should not create adverse effects.

Keep in mind, it's not always best to try and achieve maximum spray height if your pond is on the smaller side, the water could be cycling too fast or excess spray could be too much to keep the pond in optimal shape. A higher fountain spray almost always requires a stronger pump, so keep this in mind as you consider options based on the size of your pond and whether you have fish living in it or not. We're here to offer advice and review options with you before any new installation takes place.