How to Keep Your Outdoor Fountain Running Smoothly

Outdoor water features add a great deal of serenity and nature to your landscape design. One of the most diverse and easy to maintain aquatic additions you can introduce to your property is a water fountain. These features also attract beautiful wildlife, adding to the overall charm and natural feel of your yard.

There are actually quite a few reasons why we recommend water fountains. We suggest fountains for both first-time water feature enthusiasts but also for seasoned pond and waterfall lovers. Here’s why.

Water has been used for its calming and meditative effects. From the reflective nature to the tranquil sounds, water fountains are a way of bringing bodies of water home. Introducing water features is a way to become closer to the natural world for both a tranquil and therapeutic effect.

Your yard can become a haven for wildlife such as frogs, birds, and fascinating insects with a water feature. The addition of water plantings only does more to attract incredible wildlife. With the right water fountain placement, you’ll find your yard bustling with new and exciting animal life.

Continuing with our wildlife trend, fish are also a possibility with backyard fountains and ponds. Depending on the size of your water feature, you have a few popular options. Larger features can house larger fish like Koi, while smaller ponds or fountains can house goldfish. You will have to be extra diligent in maintaining your water feature if you do decide to add fish, but we’ll get into that later on in the post. If you have curious pets like cats or dogs, fish may not be a good option because pets have been known to kill fish.

Speaking of maintenance, that’s what this post is all about. Let’s not waste any more time. Here’s what you should be doing to keep your outdoor fountain in good shape and living long.

Cleaning your fountain is not only necessary for plant and animal health but also for the lifespan of your water feature. If you don’t want to deal with constant repairs or to purchase a whole new fountain, you’ll want to maintain it regularly. Here are some easy steps you can take to keep your water fountain in good shape.

If you notice that your fountain isn’t running as smooth as it used to, there may be some buildup in the pump. Dirt, debris, and especially algae can stop up your pump and keep water from easily flowing through it. So, you’ll need to clean your pump every few weeks (even more so for areas with hard water).

The best way to clean your pump is to follow these steps.

Most outdoor fountains are made out of concrete, stainless steel, or sometimes even copper. Therefore, your cleaner needs to be one that doesn’t cause unwanted wear or damage to your fountain. Cleaners like CLR (calcium lime remover) work well for removing mineral deposits. Vinegar is also a popular choice for cleaning outdoor fountains.

For the inside of the fountain, you can use hot water and mild dish detergent with a stiff scrub brush to clean off debris. If you notice mineral stains, you can go back to trusty vinegar to loosen and get rid of stains.

Once you’ve thoroughly washed the inside of the fountain, rinse out until all the detergent is gone. Wipe the walls down with a soft rag to ensure that there are no traces of detergents, vinegar, or other cleaning solution left behind. You can then plug it up and fill with distilled water for best results. Reinstall the pump and plug it back in!

Note: If you live in the Minnesotan cold, you will want to drain, clean, and take apart your fountain once it begins getting cold. You don’t want to deal with frost and melted debris come springtime, which can be a huge mess and a massive headache.

Taking the time to perform monthly or even weekly cleaning and maintenance on your fountain will keep it running without a problem. The more you stick to a regular schedule, the less of an issue cleaning will be down the line. Forgetting to clean out your pump for months on end can lead to a pretty disastrous cleaning situation.