Installing a pond fountain

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Radio interview source: Shawn Roose, president, Aquapond LLC

Our pond is two acres. We've been fortunate to not have any problems with it. It's deep and spring-fed so it's always replenishing itself and aeration isn't an issue for the fish. I like natural ponds, but not all ponds are as simple to maintain.

Many pond problems are solved by installing a fountain. It has a recirculating, submersible electric pump with a spray jet that spews the water as high as you like while aerating the pond at the same time.

Shawn Roose is president of a company that installs pond fountains and says there are many benefits to having one.

"A lot of people enjoy the fountains for the looks because you can get a variety of spray nozzles and different heads for them to change them," Roose says. They also provide circulation and movement in the water's surface to help algae breakouts, and they provide oxygen to the mid-to-surface levels of the water."

Choosing the right size fountain depends upon how deep the water is, and how much area the pond covers, usually by the acre.