Before you invest in a garden water feature to fill up that empty outdoor space and add a wow factor to your property, there are many logistics to consider. It includes right from the supply of water to the general maintenance. Here are some things you should consider first.
Making water supply available
It is not necessary to always have a water supply. Of-the-shelf water features are self-contained with a need to top them up with water occasionally. If your garden water feature has moving water, you will need to invest in a water pump and an electric supply to drive the pump. Alternatively, you can build a water feature with a solar-powered pump as well. Pretty much all water features with moving water will require a water pump with an electric or solar-powered energy supply to help the pump drive the water.
Maintaining water features
Think about future maintenance and cleaning. Water will get contaminated with dust, algae, leaves, dirt. So you’ll need to know how to drain it, dismantle it and clear out. Thinking about this in advance will help better plan your placement of garden water features. For instance, if it is installed under a tree, leaves are likely to fall and accumulate in the water, which will mean even more maintenance.
Selecting the type and style of water feature
Consider the background settings to determine the overall style and design aspect of the water features. Classic water features like a fountain or a waterfall may look good if it’s placed amongst plants. If the settings are modern, then water feature style will also have to be modern, like glass, but an older style like cherubs will look out of place in a modern setting. Another option is worth having a look at is lighting the water. In such a case, it’s better to opt for water features with an in-build lighting option else; you may have to spend extra on setting up different lights. Lighting can make the water features look good in all seasons throughout the day.
Maintenance
As far as appliances go, fountains are pretty low maintenance. For every hundred hours of pleasure you get from watching them, listening to them, and showing them off to your guests, you might spend ten minutes doing routine maintenance. For example, you’ll need to fill your fountain every few days, clean the backdrop once a month, and remove the liner in the water tray twice a year to wipe away algae, calcium build-up, or sediment.
While it’s unlikely that you’ll have to perform other maintenance, it’s always a good idea to be prepared.
Leaky Tray
Durable water tray. Most “leaky trays” are actually cases of overfilling the liner so that water spills out into the tray. This can happen easily if you leave the fountain on while you’re filling it with water.
If you think you have a leaky tray, drying out the tray, use filling bonding , and refilling the fountain. In most cases, this will solve your problem! If the leak continues, you might have to replace. To test for this, set it on a dry surface, and fill it with an inch or two of water. Check back in an hour or two to see if any water has leaked out of the liner. If it has, than you can replace it.
Uneven Water Flow
You’re going to spend a lot of time gazing at your new fountain–and you might notice that the water does not run quite evenly. There are lots of reasons why this might happen.
If the water is veering to one side of the fountain and leaving the other dry, your fountain is probably not level. If it’s a floor fountain, try measuring the floor with a level, then slipping a penny under the lower side. If it’s a wall fountain, measure the fountain with a level, then adjust the wall bracket and re-hang the fountain so that it is level.
If your fountain has dry spots on the backdrop, try cleaning it with a sponge. You might have touched the backdrop, and the oil from your fingers could be repelling water. The sponge will wipe your prints away so the water runs evenly.
If your water flow still isn’t even, you might need to adjust the baffle, the distribution unit, or the pump. See your fountain’s manual for details.
Noisy Pump
The most common cause of a noisy pump is low water. If you begin to hear unpleasant gasping or gurgling noises from your pump, make sure it is covered by at least a half inch of water!
If the noise continues, your pump might be vibrating against the water tray. Try holding the pump still underwater. If the noise stops, vibration was the problem! Fine tune the positioning of the pump .
If you’ve ruled out low water and vibration, your pump might have a more serious problem, like a broken propellor or mineral deposits. See your fountain’s manual for more details.
Algae and Mineral Deposits
Like anything dynamic, your fountain can gradually collect gunk. The two most common pollutants are algae and calcium deposits. Luckily, there are specialized products available to help you protect your fountain from algae and calcium. A few drops of an algaecide like Protec can stave off algae, and calcium .