Pond Fountains /

Fountain 101 - Pond Fountain Supplies

For more information please call Bill at 800-351-8814!

At Eagle Fountains we take a common sense approach to building fountains. If you are just getting started looking for a fountain, here are some important facts that will help you get the right type fountain for your pond.

Eagle Fountain Comparison Chart

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First and foremost fountains supplied with sump pumps and/or well pumps are not designed to be used in dirty water retention ponds and they are not intended by the pump manufacturer to operate for many hours a day like a dewatering trash pump is. Sump pumps and well pumps can not handle the heavy particulate concentrations found in rain filled retention ponds. Sump pumps are designed to run for maybe 30 minutes every once in a while to pump water from a flooded basement. Well pumps are designed to run for about 2-3 minutes at a time to fill up a bladder or pressure tank for your house water. Neither well pumps or sump pumps are designed to run for 12 to 16 hours a day pumping dirty pond water. We have seen companies selling sump pump & well pump fountains come and go over the years because all of the fountains they sell come back on warranty after a very short time. These companies typically sell all the cheap fountains they can in a year and then go out of business and come back in a year or two under a new name so their old customers can't identify them. So the buyer who didn't do his homework typically spends $400 to $1,000 on one of these fountains, puts in his pond and in less than a year winds up with zip and nobody to turn to. Be careful and be informed before you spend your money! Always check a companies Better Business Bureau report, warranty statement and past customer feedback before you spend your money so you won't get ripped off by investing in a fountain that never had a prayer of lasting in a pond from the start.

We reference ponds as two basic types, clean water ponds or retention ponds.

1. Fountains For Clean Water and/or Lined Ponds
First is the clean water pond that often has a concrete bottom or a plastic lined bottom and is filled using a well. The water in these ponds is generally clear with little or no cloudiness. A clean water pond is not filled by rain runoff. If you have a clean water pond then our EFS1750 3/4hp unlighted fountain with stainless steel pump will work fine for you. We use ITT Flygt pumps which give great performance and longevity when used in clean water applications. The clean water pumps have lip seals that separate the water chambers from the electric compartments of the pump. Dirty water will shorten the lifespan of any pump with lip seals, this is not our opinion but rather a fact. In cleaner ponds these pumps are OK but not in dirt bottom rain filled retention ponds.

2. Fountains For Retention, Drainage & New Ponds
Second is the retention or drainage pond which is the type most of us have. A retention pond gets most or all of its water from rain runoff and the water is cloudy especially after rains. The cloudiness is caused by particulates like sand, dirt and clay that are washed into the pond by rain runoff. The type of pumps used in retention ponds for dirty water applications are called trash pumps. Our EFS1900, EFS2000 and EFS3000 unlighted fountains both come with trash pumps. Also the EFL190, EFL250 and EFL350 lighted fountains have trash pumps. We use ITT FLYGT and EBARA severe duty trash pumps that are top of the line! These pumps give excellent performance and longevity and are built using high-grade, mechanical, silicone carbide face seals. These are commercial grade pumps and are made to pump dirty water. If you have any doubts about which type of pump is right for your pond then get the trash pump and you can't go wrong!

If you are going to buy a fountain, be sure to get the right one. Any pump will work great when you first install it but if you have dirty water conditions after rains then a clean water pump will not give you the years of service you're looking for. The particulates move thru the pump very fast and actually sandblast the seals which begin to leak. The water then gets into the electrical motor compartment and destroys the pump.

98% of our pump warranties over the years are a direct result of clean water pumps operating in dirty water ponds or from pumps getting into the mud on the bottom of the pond during droughts when the water level drops. It's ultimately up to the customer to choose the right pump for the job. Be honest with yourself and your fountain supplier when evaluating your pond water condition, if not then you are setting yourself and your fountain supplier up for problems which nobody wants. Our goal is to have ZERO warranty claims and we believe a big part of accomplishing that goal is to educate our customers so they can choose the right fountain for their application.

If your pond is 6 feet deep or less then our stainless mesh filter cage will prevent clogging of the spray head and most importantly will keep your pump out of the mud should your water level drop in times of drought. Filter cages are included with every Eagle fountain.

As you look around the web at fountains be sure to focus on the pump that comes with the fountain. The pump is the single most important component of any fountain as it does all the work. Get the right pump and ENJOY!