Customers call and often ask the question, can a pond fountain aerate their pond? Pond fountains are a very beautiful, pleasant addition for your pond or lake. The beautiful splash of the water can sound so peaceful. The sound of the water splashing down, especially on a warm summer day.
You may be considering installing a pond fountain as a way to aerate your pond as well. Adequate aeration in your pond is very important because without it, your pond water will become stagnant very fast. If you have fish they will suffer without adequate oxygen and possibly die.
So the question is, can pond fountains like the PondSelect Classic Series 1 HP Fountain aerate your pond water and, does it provide enough aeration for the whole pond? Here are the facts:
Aquatic plants and fish live in the water, and they need oxygen to live. Plants and fish also give off carbon dioxide and other gases that need to escape the water.
For still water, gas exchange can only occur on the surface. Water on the surface gets fresh oxygen from the air. But this is only enough to oxygenate the surface. Oxygen won’t make its way down to deeper water naturally.
So aeration is the process of mixing fresh oxygen throughout the whole pond. This fresh oxygen keeps your pond water healthy and your fish and microorganism’s alive and well.
As you can see, pond aeration is very important. But you already know that, stirring up all the water is the best way to ensure adequate water circulation. This is what you need to avoid stratification and turnovers.
But, does a decorative pond fountain mix up the water enough to aerate it?
It depends on both the depth of the pond and the type of fountain spray that you choose.
Pond Depth Matters
Pond fountains do not pull or mix water from very deep. So if your pond is more than 6 feet in depth, a pond fountain won’t draw water from the lower layers. That means a decorative pond fountain will not mix the water enough to aerate the pond adequately.
However, if your pond is less than 6 feet deep, you can install a pond fountain and expect good aeration. The widest spray pattern is the best for aeration.
Different Pond Spray Patterns
All of our pond fountains are available with several spray patterns. The idea is to create a beautiful spray that looks amazing and aerates the pond.
Choose the elegant, wide v-shaped pattern for the best aeration results. A finer spray will help attach more water molecules from the air.
If you still want the fancy spray pattern or the fountain may not be enough to adequately aerate the water because of the size, shape, and depth of your pond is you still have options. You can also install a sub surface aeration system to keep the meet your aeration needs.