DOES MY FOUNTAIN NEED TO BE RUNNING ALL THE TIME?

There are advantages to leaving your pump running all the time although it is not required. Leaving the pump running cuts down the wear and tear on the pump from starting and stopping, and therefore increases the life of the pump. More importantly, continuous running also helps prevent mineral buildup on the surface of the fountain since the surface is not going through wet/dry cycles, as the drying process leaves behind sediment after the water evaporates. Those sediments can build up over time, much like the stalactites in a cave. However, leaving the pump running all the time will use a little more electricity, and will require you to refill the fountain more frequently. Auto-fill fountains should be left on pretty much all the time. If you have a glass, mirror, or metal fountain and turn it off, we recommend that you use a good squeegee to remove drops of water rather than letting them dry on the fountain.

HOW DO I CLEAN MY FOUNTAIN?

We all know to keep our car looking new; we need to periodically wash and wax it, and use the vacuum on it every now and then. No less is required for your fountain. It should be cleaned periodically, hopefully before any problems come up. For most fountains, this can be done with any gentle household cleanser and a soft brush or cloth. Vinegar & water solutions help cut chemical buildups, too. Once each month, you should drain the fountain, clean the parts, then refill with water (see note above). If you don't have a 10-15 gallon wet/dry vacuum, this is a good reason to go purchase one! They are great for getting the water out of the basin of your fountain. After sucking out the water, rinse the basin completely, then refill. Avoid using any harsh chemicals or rough abrasives and scrubbing, as this could damage the finish on your fountain.

THERE IS ALGAE GROWING IN MY FOUNTAIN, WHAT DO I DO?

Fountains exposed to sunlight will probably have this problem, but even indoor fountains can experience a buildup of Algae. It generally shows up in fountains and waterfalls as a slimy substance and the tint may be green, red, black, or clear. If you have algae growing in your fountain you will need to follow the general cleaning instructions above. We sell a great product called Fountec (click to order) that can be added to the water to prevent the growth of algae in your fountain. The Fountec is also safe for all animals EXCEPT FISH. So if you have a cat or dog or kids that will drink from the fountian and you want to keep the algae gone and the loved ones safe, Fountec is the solution.

THERE ARE A LOT OF MINERAL DEPOSITS IN MY FOUNTAIN, WHAT DO I DO?

If you have mineral deposits building up in your fountain you will need to follow the general cleaning instructions above. We sell a product called Protec (click to order) that can be added to the water to help slow down the attachments of mineral deposits in your fountain...but there is NO substitute for using distilled or well-filtered water in your fountain. Remember from your high school chemistry class when you had a beaker of clear liquid and added drops of red liquid...the water remained clear for many drops and then, all of the sudden when you added just one more drop, the entire beaker turned red!  That is called a saturation point, and it can also happen to your fountain as minerals build up, and as water evaporates it leaves behind the mineral content. If you assume that your fountain is okay because the face is still clean...well, left too long with minerals accumulating and concentrating in the water will one day catch up to you! We know that for a fact, as we've even been guilty...one night, closing up the showroom in one of our main fountains, the glass was as clear and clean as it usually was. BUT the next morning we came in, with the fountain still running, and the entire glass surface was caked with a white hard calcium!  It took hours to clean, and we learned our lesson to be sure to change out the water, as even unseen, there are minerals building up in the basin!

HOW MUCH WATER DO I PUT IN MY FOUNTIAN?

The minimum amount of water you should put in your fountain is enough to cover the pump. The pump is design to work totally submerged in water. The water surrounding the pump cools the motor and the water flowing through the pump cools the bearings. At no time should you run the pump for an extended period of time without proper water flow and cover.

When filling the fountain for the first time, fill the basin and start the pump. Be ready to add more water as the fountain begins to circulate the water throughout the fountain to keep the pump submerged. For the larger fountains after the pump has been primed and you have water flow across the face be ready with large amounts of water like a 5 gal bucket. You don’t want the pump to lose prime and have to start all over.

The water level in most fountains can be used to control the sound of the water falling. Typically the more water in the basin, the quieter the fountain. The water falling from the face has less distance to travel before hitting the water in the basin. You can run the water level lower to give your fountain a little more of the soothing white noise

THE PUMP IS STARTING TO MAKE NOISE, WHAT IS GOING ON?

If the water level gets close to or goes below the level of the water intake on your pump, it will begin to suck-in air with the water. If you have a pump that requires priming, such as on our large custom fountains, the intake of air will cause the fountain to stop running. You will need to replace water, and re-prime the pump. Most stock and smaller fountains have pumps that do not require priming. Sucking in air will definitely increase the pump noise, and may make your fountain start to "spit" as well. If this is happening, immediately add some water to the basin of the fountain to keep the water level up.

If the waterfall has plenty of water and the pump is still making a sound then your pump may be hitting against the basin material and resonating. All pumps have a high-frequency vibration as the internal impeller turns and the harmonics created by a pump in contact with the basin walls, especially in a metal basin, can make the pump sound very loud. Separate the pump from touching the sides of the basin, even placing the pump on a piece of foam or other padding.