Pond fountains Cancel The title field is required!

1. Bradley Frunchak

   

   24 posts
   
   7/13/2011 12:07 PM

   We are looking to add a decorative fountain to our irrigation pond. I want to make sure we get one that will aerate also. Any suggestions for a fountain manufacture that people have had little issues with.
   
   Thanks
   
   Brad Frunchak
   
   Whispering Pines

   
   
   
   
2. Justin Murray

   

   0 posts
   
   7/13/2011 4:07 PM

   We have two fountains on the course one is a Aqua Master 3hp in use for 3 seasons and a new Kasco 1/2 hp that was installed in May. The Aqua Master has a 5 year warranty which we have needed once. Our ponds are shallow and this pump acts as a vacuum and pulls debris in esp Algae if you have any. The float on it is big and can be a pita to remove for service. The Kasco is new and so far no problems think it has a 3 year warranty so we will see but it is small and can be easily removed. Both are good products to me just make sure your ponds can handle them.

   
   
   
   
3. Graham Kornmeyer

   

   0 posts
   
   7/14/2011 4:07 AM

   http://www.otterbine.com

   
   
   
   
4. James Smith

   

   112 posts
   
   7/14/2011 8:07 AM

   we have the AquaMaster in our pond and it work good but has had issues which Aquamaster has fixed multiple times. the one thing to remember is that it needs to be removed once per year and serviced with new seals and oil (kit is about $250). This can be done in house if you have a decent equipment technician.

   
   
   
   
5. White Robert G

   
   7/19/2011 5:07 PM

   Kasco is the best unit we have found and we have used several others.

   
   
   
   
6. David Brandenburg

   

   3 posts
   
   4/25/2012 9:04 AM

   We had a Otterbine fountain donated 10 years ago by a well intentioned anonymous golfer. Of course by the time we had paid to put the electric out it cost us more than them.
   
   Actually since year one the thing has cost us in new cords, new motors, new motor plates and cord covers so the turtles and muskrats do not chew through the cord. We have averaged at least $500 per year and often more in fountain repairs for 10 years.
   
   Are all fountains this much of a hassle or do we have a lemon? I have a estimate on my desk now for $672 and am an considering just scrapping this one and budgeting for a new fountain next year.
   
   Any thoughts?

   
   
   
   
7. John Westermeier

   

   0 posts
   
   4/25/2012 2:04 PM

   David,
   
   I have had great success with fountains from Aqua Controls (http://www.aquacontrol.com/) for the past twelve years. Reasonable upfront cost and great service department.
   
   John Westermeier, CGCS
   Twin Lakes Golf Club
   Carmel,IN

   
   
   
   
8. Peter Bowman

   

   11 posts
   
   4/25/2012 11:04 PM

   Free stuff can get expensive.

   
   
   
   
9. Dennis Cook

   

   1 posts
   
   4/26/2012 5:04 AM

   Well the cost of a good fountain can get up over $5000 new. I have never had to replace the cord on any of ours, but we have this wire deal that helps to support the wire so there is no tension on the plug and I think that helps out. When plugging the connector in we cake it up with dielectric grease, screw the socket in and then electrical tape the crap out of it. This has helped keep the plug in like new condition for four years now. We send the fountain in yearly to have the oil changed and serviced and the yearly service is about $110

   
   
   
   
10. Justin Murray

    

    0 posts
    
    4/29/2012 9:04 AM

    As stated before, Free stuff can get expensive! We had a group of our retired golfers want to purchase a fountain for a lake behind our clubhouse. Cost us $4000 to have power brought out to the lake for the $6000 fountain. We have occasional problems but most of it can be covered under warranty. We have a aquamaster and kasco, both have had problems but they stood behind the warranty and covered it.

    
    
    
    
11. Hardy Andrew

    
    4/29/2012 12:04 PM

    David,
    
    You do not have a lemon, fountains can be a real money drain. We actually put a valve in off a fairway line and now run our fountain off our irrigation system. No more plugged screens, no more motors gone and no more hassle. Not cheaper but better. Runs off our 25hp pump.

    
    
    
    
12. Craig Moore

    

    0 posts
    
    5/3/2012 3:05 PM

    They could be the biggest waste of electricity the golf industry has ever seen.

    
    
    
    
13. James Smith

    

    112 posts
    
    7/21/2013 7:07 AM

    Has anyone here built their own fountains for their ponds?
    
    We purchased a fountain (name withheld) about 9 years ago and basically had nothing but problems with it after the first year. The company was good with their warranty and had made about 4-5 repairs over the next 4 years and finally swapped it out with another demo model but that one bit the dust a little over a year later. For some reason the casing ended up with dozens of micro holes in it (and were fresh water) and once the water got to the motor it was toast. I am very leary about going back with anything like it again but I am being pressured by our club president to purchase a new fountain using his donations. What I do not want to do is get another expensive fountain $5,000+ that will only have simular issues. He pointed out some through Amazon which were about $2,000 and were trumpet shaped that he would be willing to purchase and we tried buying two 1-1/2hp fountains through Amazon which ended up shipping us 2, 1/2hp fountains and not the 1-1/2hp that were advertised. the homeowners association on the back of our course has one 1/2hp fountain like these and another 1-1/2hp in two seperate ponds. we know the 1/2hp fountains are just too small for the area. I am trying to think of other options before buying another pain in the butt.

    
    
    
    
14. John Westermeier

    

    0 posts
    
    7/21/2013 8:07 AM

    James,
    I have used fountains from Aqua Control for nearly 20 years. We have a 1hp, 2hp, 3hp and a 5hp. We have had very few problems and when problems have occurred their service department has been outstanding. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
    
    John Westermeier, CGCS
    Twin Lakes Golf Club
    Carmel, IN 46032

    
    
    
    
15. Michael Posey

    

    0 posts
    
    7/31/2013 8:07 PM

    Irrigation line, valve, 90, riser, cap with holes drilled in it. Got yourself a fountain!

    
    
    
    
16. T Storie

    

    0 posts
    
    8/3/2013 9:08 PM

    Yal I tried that approach, making a fountain with your irrigation line. 1. My water is not an infinite supply so if its any other pond besides your irrigation one your just losing water. 2. Nothing like burning up a 60 horse vertical turbine motor from it constantly cycling on and off trying to supply water to what it believes is a head running.
    Fountains I've used:
    1. Oase. I thought expensive up front and have been told all operations (parts) have moved out of the country. Simple operation if it went out it was usually a 300 dollar motor every 3 to 4 years
    
    2 Otterbine> Motors suspended in an oil bath. Just as expensive didn't seem as prone to break but when they did they were a mess to get into.
    
    3. Current fountain haven't formed an opinion yet. Cannot even remember name. Their product was featured in some movie about the whale getting stranded in the ice. They cut places for it to breath to get out.
    
    Just me two cents