Water fountains are a great addition to a garden for those who want to be able to customise and modernise their outdoor space. They're great fun for both children and for adults, and they can really add something to the atmosphere of your back garden. The only issue with water fountains for most people is that they make mistakes when trying to maintain them. These mistakes stop the water feature from functioning in the right way, and if you know what the common errors are, you can learn how to avoid them and enjoy your water feature for what it is. Let's check them out!
Nature's Debris
No matter what water feature you have, whether it's the Kelkay Pouring Pot Wall Water Feature or the Kelkay EasyFountain Fairy Falls, you will capture debris from Mother Nature herself. Leaves branches and twigs will find their way into the fountain, and if you have it anywhere the trees in the back garden, you're eventually going to end up dealing with a clog. This isn't just leaves, either! Droppings from birds and feathers can also cause the same issue, so check your new fountain regularly for fallen debris and animal waste.
Failing To Clean Up
You should be looking at your Kelkay water features and cleaning the water out at least every other day. You want your new fountain to continue to look fresh and clean, and algae can and will grow where it can - particularly in damp conditions. If this happens, you're going to see the damage that a contaminant can really do. You will need to replace the water and wipe down the surfaces often to prevent any unsafe substances from overtaking your water fountain.
Icy Protection
The winter months are the time you really need to prepare your water fountain, and this means cleaning it out properly and covering it with a tarp. As part of the process, you need to take all the water from the pump and prevent any new water buildup - hence the need for the cover.
Using Chlorine
Despite the popular belief, a water fountain is not like a swimming pool. Fountains require fresh water, and chlorine can damage the device and cause more problems than you need on your plate. If you are using chlorine for algae purposes, it's best to stick to around 1/4 cup of chlorine per 5 gallons of water in the pump; otherwise you could cause some damage. If you do add some in, let it run for no more than 24 hours so that you get the cleaning you want, kill the algae and get through the system as thoroughly as you need it to.
Avoiding these mistakes will be better for your fountain in the long run, and you need to consider this before you buy a fountain in the first place. Forewarned is forearmed and you need to think about how long you want your fountain running for. A well-maintained fountain will last for years, let's make it happen!