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Pond Fountains and Your Pond’s Ecosystem

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Where there is water, you can generally assume there is life. The pond in your backyard is its own separate ecosystem, and its balance depends a lot on what you do to maintain it. One of the main factors of water health is the dissolving of oxygen into the water. The presence of dissolved oxygen in the water keeps the living things in the water healthy, and keeps the water itself clean. The main process used to maintain proper levels of oxygen in water is aeration. The various designs of pond fountains not only provide a visual statement, but they perform the necessary process of aeration.

Oxygen Levels

There are a few things that can cause a low level of dissolved oxygen in your pond. If there are too many fish and plants in your pond, or lots of organic waste, it can deplete the oxygen levels. When those levels are too low, there are a number of consequences. In deeper ponds, the water can begin to stratify, and make less room for life. The decaying process will slow, causing an unpleasant odor. Most importantly, the fish, and other animals, in your pond rely on the oxygen in the water for their own health. If there is not enough, the animals will eventually die. There are a couple of ways that aeration can combat these issues.

Aeration

The process of aeration uses a couple of different techniques to bring movement to the water, and dissolve more oxygen to the supply. When oxygen is constantly being dissolved, the water stays clean and healthy. There are two main ways to aerate your pond: floating pond fountains and diffused aeration systems.

Floating pond fountains are best for ponds without much depth. These units interact mostly with the top few feet of your pond. It pulls the water, and shoots it up into the air. When the water hits the surface again, the oxygen transfer occurs when gases are released.

Diffused aeration systems are more effective with deeper ponds. If you have a pond that is eight feet or deeper, this will be the better choice for you. Instead of pulling water upwards, these units push compressed air to the floor of the pond, creating a constant flow of air bubbles in the pond. As these bubbles reach the surface, they mix the water with the air, and increase the level of dissolved oxygen.

Once you have a little information on water aeration and your pond’s ecosystem, you’ll understand the need behind pond fountains. While they are beautiful, that isn’t their only use. The health and cleanliness of your water depends on your actions. You will find that installing a pond fountain is a major improvement.

What Can Lighting Do for Your Water Feature?

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Your fountain will completely transform with the addition of lighting. A fountain without lighting only has a life after dawn and before dusk. While that might seem like enough time to truly enjoy your water feature, it sets a curfew on how late the fountain will be able to entertain guests. As soon as the party starts to get lively the fountain will fall flat, but with lighting you will be able to host a light show in your own back yard.

Here are some things to consider when choosing lighting:

Halogen or LED?

We recommend that you always go with LED lighting. Halogen lighting propagates some serious heat, which can cause unwanted evaporation and other malfunctions.

Submersible or otherwise?

The choice is yours. Many LED light kits can be submerged so that the basin of your fountain will be illuminated. What if you want to highlight the waterfall of the fountain? Then you can also consider clip on lighting for smaller pieces or easel style lighting for more substantial pieces.

Adding colors

Many LED lighting kits come with a colored filter to add color to your lighting apparatus. The filter might be interchangeable, allowing you to change colors according to your mood or the guests you will be having at your place.

Watts and sizes

5 to ten watt lighting fixtures are appropriate for most fountains. For a pond or lake fountain you could go up to 15 watt lighting to see the beauty of it all from far away.

Other types of lights

For lake fountains you can also get Lilly pad lighting kits that will looks lovely in a vast open pond.

Add lighting to the entire space

For entertainment purposes we recommend that you add lighting to more than just the single water feature. You will be able to extend the party into the late hours without feeling awkward. The lighting should set the mood you want. For a festive fill add lighting in key places where you might be serving drinks or having a discussion. If you want a calm and minimal outdoor space for relaxing, then add a few key lighting elements to just the pathways and trees of your back yard.

Accent Your New Home with Water and Lights

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Developing the look and feel of your new home and yard is an important process. Some of your most precious memories will be spent there. Think about keeping warm in your living room during the holidays with your family, having a cookout on a beautiful summer day, or relaxing on the patio hammock, enjoying the springtime breeze. When you look back on family photo albums, your home will be the backdrop for some of your most treasured experiences. Create a backdrop that is welcoming, calming, and beautiful. There are several ways that you can utilize water and light to accent the beauty and style of your home.

Indoor Water Panels

When you are deciding how you want to create the look and feel of your indoor space, consider the many benefits that come along with installing a fountain or water panel inside of your home. Water walls come in many colors, materials, and styles. From natural looking rock and slate pieces with copper frames, to bold and unique custom art pieces, there are many ways they can enhance the style of your space. But, that isn’t their only use. The steady flowing sounds of the water produce white noise, which is proven to calm and assist a restful sleep. The water flow also assists in purifying and humidifying the air.

Waterfall Spillways

There are several ways you can make changes to your backyard, but one of the most stylish and contemporary ways to accent your space is with spillways. Installing one (or a few) of these is a great alternative to a more traditional fountain. A statuary fountain will serve well as a centerpiece or garden accessory, but a spillway will accent your setting with a sleek sheet of water, flowing gently into a basin below. They look great along walls and staircases, or in conjunction with a small pond.

Illuminate Them

Water panels and spillways are great ways of accenting your home and patio space with water, but you can take these water features to the next level. One of the best ways you can accent your space is by installing LED lights in your water features and landscape. Lighting is a powerful element that people often overlook. When applied thoughtfully, lights can completely transform your nighttime scene. LEDs come in all types of colors, some even color-changing. With so many options for light, you can create light themes for certain moods and events, and truly make the most of your property.

When you’re planning out how you want your space to look and feel, make sure you are thoughtful with your choices. Small improvements can make all the difference. Subtle accents to your home and landscape are a great way of bringing out the natural and structural beauty of where you live. With well-placed sources of flowing water and soft light, you can truly accent your space without overwhelming the scene. You will love to come home to such a beautiful, calming, and relaxing place.