Fountains in a pond are not only a thing of beauty, but also a source of oxygen production. Sometimes they tend to be too costly for the pond owners to install. But there are more than a few ways you can save money on them.
Money can be saved on pond fountains by knowing what materials to use, what kind of fountain to install, how to save electricity, and how to perform proper maintenance on the said fountains. So, knowledge is indeed power in this case.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at how to save money on expensive pond fountains and decide what method suits you the best.
What things to consider when building a cost-efficient fountain
When building or installing a fountain that is intended to save money, there are a few things one has to take into account. They are :
- Materials
- Kind of fountain
- Electricity Usage
- Installation methods
- Maintenance
Now, we are going to discuss all four factors in detail.
What materials should one use to build a fountain?
The cost of a fountain varies greatly according to the materials used to build them. From resin to concrete, there are quite a few things you can build your fountain with.
1. Resin
The cheapest way to build a fountain is to use resin or plastic. As we will see as we go forward, you can save up a lot of money by using resin. But, it has a big drawback as well. The disadvantage of using resin for building a fountain is that the fountain will be a lot less durable. It will also be susceptible to damage during extreme weather. A resin fountain will only cost you 95 dollars, although some fancier models can cost up to 600 bucks.
2. Fiberglass
Weightwise, fiberglass fountains can rival resin ones for their lightweight. But one aspect that surpasses resin fountains is low maintenance. Although it costs low, people can hardly tell by looking at them because you can easily make them look like stones or even costly marbles. These fountains’ price starts from only a hundred dollars to ten times that amount.
3. Rock
If you want to make your fountain look natural, rocks are probably the best option. There are many variations to a rock fountain: you can just build a regular one, or you can make it look like a statue. But it has one downside: weight. Rocks can be pretty heavy and therefore are difficult to install. They can cost anywhere between 120 dollars to two thousand dollars.
4. Ceramic
Another classic material used to build a fountain is ceramic. They can come in various colors, so you can pick any color you like. They are a bit brittle than rocks, so keep that in mind. Their price starts from only 150 dollars while some large ones can set you back three thousand bucks.
5. Concrete
If you are looking for a permanent fountain, you have to choose concrete. Durability-wise, there is no other material that can surpass them. Even storms and other extreme weather conditions can hardly put a dent in them. If you want a concrete fountain in your pond, you will have to part ways with 300 to two thousand five hundred dollars.
What are the different kinds of fountains?
The fountain expenses not only depend on the materials, but the types of the fountains themselves as well. Below are a few types that you can choose from if you want to save some money.
1. Self Contained fountains
The best thing about self-contained fountains is that they contain everything that is needed for the proper functioning of a fountain. You will have the pumps, the power source, and the plumbing inside the fountain itself. This makes the whole process of installing it way easier. Also, they are portable, enabling you to carry them with you when you are relocating. These cost from a hundred to 2000 dollars.
2. Sprouting Fountains
When you visualize a fountain, you probably picture a fountain with water shooting upwards in the air and then splashing down onto the water below. These fountains are called sprouting fountains. The large ones are pretty noisy, so you might not want them for your serene backyard. They can cost anywhere from a hundred to 1300 dollars.
3. Waterfall fountains
These fountains are quite attractive while also being of reasonable price. They come in various types – rock, metal, or glass. If you want a simple one, you will only need around 160 dollars, but if you want to be a bit fancier, be prepared to spend a few thousand dollars.
Additional Read: How to add waterfall to a pond
4. Cascading fountains
Personally, these are my favorite kind of fountains. Water just gently cascades down onto the pond, giving the whole pond area a peaceful vibe while also maintaining the beauty. There are various designs that you can choose from – from rocks to pots, you can choose any design you want.
How to save electricity while running a fountain
As fountains are run by pumps that run on electricity, your electric bill runs the risk of going through the roof. Typically, the fountains don’t use up much electricity, but you can never save too much money. As the whole point of this article is to help you save money, here are a few tips for reducing your electricity bill while operating a fountain in your pond.
1. Using Solar Panels
Solar panels are by far the best way to save electricity. Some fountains come with built-in solar panels. Whether the panels are built-in or not, they can be used to make sure you don’t have to pay a lot of money on bills. You can even get external solar panels and connect them to the fountain.
2. Using the right-sized pumps
Pond pumps have to be of exactly the right size and power for a fountain to perform perfectly. A pump that is too powerful will not only make you pay an unnecessary amount of electricity bills but will create a lot of problems for your pond such as making the water murky and producing excessive oxygen.
3. Running the pumps at the right times
According to experts, nonessential electronic appliances should be run when most people don’t use electricity, that is in the morning and night. So, run the pumps during these times to save a lot of money.
4. Turning off other devices
Using pumps during the times when other people don’t use much electricity doesn’t mean you are going to run everything at a time. When running the pump, turn off anything you don’t need at that particular time. Otherwise, you have to pay a huge amount of bills.
How to properly install fountains to save money
The method where you can save up the most amount of money is to follow Thanos ( don’t follow his every move though) and do it yourself. You can easily prepare the ground and the foundation of the fountain’s installation. This will save you the money you would have paid other people otherwise.
But it is best to hire some experts to do jobs such as plumbing and electrical work. A plumber can charge you anywhere from 40 to 70 dollars, while you may have to pay an electrician forty to a hundred dollars per hour.
Not everyone is skilled enough to complete DIY tasks. If you truly fall into that category, then don’t worry – most fountain companies have installation service packages that include everything from prep work to assembly. They usually cost from forty to sixty-four dollars per hour. The final cost though will be different from company to company.
Few landscaping companies are specialists in fountain installation, but they charge rates that are pretty high compared to that of the fountain companies.
How to perform maintenance on the fountains to save money
Installing a fountain is only half the job. You still have to properly maintain your fountain to keep the spending to a minimum. There are some cases where the pond owner had gone to a great length to save money while installing the fountain, only to spend an even larger amount of money afterward, because of not properly maintaining the fountain.
If you emulate them, then the whole money-saving process will be in vain. Here are a few ways you can maintain your fountain to save money.
1. Preventing the Growth of Algae
Algae are a very common problem faced by pond owners. The ponds which receive plenty of sunlight and are rich in nutrients have plenty of algae growing in them. These algae then block the pump, making the fountains dysfunctional.
To get rid of them, you must have a proper aeration system in your pond. Aerators supply an ample amount of air into the pond, removing any phosphorus that may be present on the pond’s surface. If there is no phosphorus, algae can not grow. So not only are you curing the problem, but also preventing it.
2. Keeping the water clean
Another common problem that the pond owners face is dirty or murky water. It may look insignificant at first, but in the long term, it not only looks bad but affects the functionality of the fountain as well.
The water gets murky due to the sediment present at the bottom being disturbed. This disturbance can happen due to various reasons – fish and animals digging into them, due to storms, too powerful pumps and aerators, etc.
You can get rid of this problem by creating a buffer zone along the sides of the pond. Water will be allowed to drop the particles and sediments into these zones. They are also very easy and cost-efficient to make. Rocks or flat areas can be used as buffer zones.
Aquatic plants such as reeds or cattails can also be planted on the banks so that they can prevent soil erosion and keep the water clean.
3. Controlling and preventing weed growth
Weeds need the same factors to grow as algae. They also create sludge at the bottom of the pond which is very harmful to the animals in the pond. They also make the pumps attached to the fountains work inefficiently.
There are quite a few ways to prevent the growth of weed. First, you can restrict their access to nutrients. But the means to this process often have serious drawbacks. So you can do the next best thing which is to pull these weeds out by yourself. Then make sure that they don’t get proper sunlight to grow again.
Conclusion
Knowing how to save money on expensive pond fountains is half the job done. All that is left is to choose the right method according to your specifications and budget. So, without wasting any more time, find out how much you are willing to spend on a fountain, and act accordingly.
