How to Build a Pond Fountain

If you are looking to create a decorative fountain display in your pond, here’s a guide for what you’ll need depending on the size of your pond.

A jet of water (or multiple jets) will not only look highly attractive, but will also help to circulate and aerate the pond water, adding vital oxygen which in turn will help maintain the water quality.

Ponds come in many shapes and sizes so Water Garden Ltd have suggested fountain pumps based on the approximate size of the pond.  It is important that the fountain display does not exceed the boundaries of the pond or lake and all water is contained, even in windy conditions.  

A general rule of thumb is to ensure the fountain display height is no more than half the width of the narrowest part of the pond.  So for example, a L5m x 3m should not have a fountain any higher than 1.5 metres, so that cascading water will remain in the pond even during windier conditions.

Small Ponds (Example – L2m x W2m x D0.6m).

OASE Germany manufacture a range of smaller fountain pump kits which are ideal for smaller ponds.  The Aquarius Fountain Set 750 – 4000 models have a telescopic riser pipe and 3 choices of decorative display nozzles to choose from.  These fountain pumps are incredibly simple to install – just submerse the pump in the centre of the pond and connect the 10m mains cable to an electrical supply.   The spray patterns create a delicate but elegant water display and the height of the display can be adjusted via the in-built control valve.

Another excellent option is the OASE Filtral UVC 1500 – 9000 ‘All-in-One’ pond filters as these can also be connected to a Fountain Nozzle Kit.  Not only will the Filtral provide a small fountain display, but this will also help to clean your pond and keep green water at bay, via in integral Ultraviolet Clarifier (UVC).

Medium Ponds (Example L8m x W5m x D1m).

Medium sized ponds open up a realm of options with regards to decorative fountain displays.  The more powerful Aquarius Fountain Set 5500 – 9500 offer more impressive water displays up to 3.3 metres height if desired.  These pump can also be used with a wide variety of optional Fountain Nozzles which simply screw onto the top of the pump and will create an assortment of fascinating water patterns.

Another popular choice for medium sized ponds is the PondJet Eco Floating Fountain.  The pump is suspended underneath the float so is less likely to block occasionally with silt and pond debris.  The Pond Jet can also be fitted with either Warm White LED Spotlights or Colour-Changing RGB Spotlights which mount directly to the float.  If desired, the pump can be connected to a special Smart Controller which can be used to control the fountain display height and the lighting display.  There is even a range of ‘Dancing Modes’ which can be selected via the App to create highly attractive dancing water patterns.

The new Aquarius Eco Premium 4500 – 16500 pump feature the same dancing capability as the PondJet and Water Garden Ltd supply these as Dancing Fountain Kits with a useful telescopic riser pipe and the very popular Vulkan 3 tier fountain nozzle.  For those searching for something more spectacular, the Aquarius Eco Premium Pumps can even be linked together (up to 10 pumps in total) to communicate with the Cloud Controller and dancing modes, which opens a realm of design options.

Large Ponds & Lakes.

Larger ponds tend to have fairly deep water (i.e. 1.5 metres or greater) so it can be difficult to install standard ‘static’ fountain pumps as this would require a pillar or pedestal to be built to raise the pump off the bottom of the pond.  So, larger ponds and lakes are far better suited to Floating Fountain Pumps as these can be installed in any water depth (usually 1m or greater) and will automatically rise and fall with water level fluctuations.  Also, a floating fountain can be easily repositioned unlike a static pump which would need a new pillar to be constructed in the new location.

Decorative floating fountains can provide relatively small displays all the way up to huge jet features, up to 27 metres (90ft) in height or displays up to 17 metres (55ft) in width.  Many of our Floating Fountains are also highly effective aerators, adding vital oxygen and excellent circulation to the pond or lake.  Aerating Fountains also de-stratify the water by mixing the warmer surface water with the cooler, deeper water which in turn will reduce the overall temperature of the water and thus reduce problematic algal blooms.

If you need advice on choosing the most suitable fountain for your pond or lake, get in touch with our team of experts here at Water Garden Ltd.