Commercial fountain installation.

[FountainMan]

Feeling pretty good right now after putting my fountain skills to good use. Today I installed a Kasco 1/4 hp fountain in the lagoon of a local retail/high rise complex. You know where your restaurants and shops and the apartments above.

Anyway I wanted to share with you guys.

 

[dieselplower]

Very nice. I was running one similar at one of my customers until the kind was filled in to make room for a road to be brought in. That was a sad day for me.

 

[morewater]

Am I correct in my thinking that the pump is suspended in a basket below the floating fountainhead?

 

[FountainMan]

Yes. The motor actually. Inside the opening where the water comes out there's a propeller that pushes the water up. The trumpet shape is caused by centripetal force. Basically a what us fountain guys refer to as the "whirlpool effect". In other words, there's no nozzle or fountainhead.

It's the coolest thing, if you stood over the fountain while running it would look the eye of a hurricane.

 

[FountainMan]

Very nice. I was running one similar at one of my customers until the kind was filled in to make room for a road to be brought in. That was a sad day for me.

I would be sad to. Hate seeing the death of a fountain.

 

[morewater]

I've put a couple into large farm properties to cope with stagnant water. They're great for reducing pond scum/mosquitos.

 

[FountainMan]

Close up of the fountain.

 

[FountainMan]

I've put a couple into large farm properties to cope with stagnant water. They're great for reducing pond scum/mosquitos.

What brand was it? The fountain I installed today is a Kasco.

I doubt my fountain with make an impact on the algae. The pond is a lagoon off of a manmade reservoir lake. The lake itself is about 100 acres. Fountain may help with mosquitoes on hot windless days. The retaining walls around the pond help amplify the sound to some extent. I'm sure the tenants in the surrounding condos with like that.

 

[FountainMan]

Since the fountain is in a public area I wonder how long before other photos begin rolling in? No shortage of photos of the community that's for sure.

 

[addy1]

Nice job! I love fountains.

 

[morewater]

Kasco as well. 1/2hp aerator.

I'm pricing a windmill aerator system for another property. I think it's a waste, but the customer is always (?) right.

On a windless, hot summer day(s), not much aeration going on.

I think that a 1/4hp rocking piston system with six diffusers would be the better (and cheaper) choice. Come Spring, I'll try to talk them out of the windmill folly.

In your photo, on the left hand side, is a cascade coming from the wall, what is it? What's the large white PVC pipe for? The longer I look at that image, the more I expect to see shiny guys with halberds charging across the moat.

 

[FountainMan]

There are 2 lion head spouts on the retention wall behind the fountain. The pipe in the background I believe goes to the lion heads.

Above the lion heads is one of those concrete 2 tier fountains where the water flows from one bowl to the next.

In this picture everything is turned off. You can see my Kasco fountain, the lion heads, and the 2 tier fountain. 3 fountains.

Personally I think it would be cooler if the water for the lagoon pumped up through the tiered fountain and the tiered fountain had a spill way cascading into the lagoon. But I think I looks nice the way it is.

 

[morewater]

Aha, I was wondering what that was. I looked at the water surface and noted that it wasn't raining, so I discounted downspouts.

The original contractor really should have done something about that white pipe, it ruins the overall effect. They should have gone with black, even spray painting it matte black would make it less obtrusive.

What are your thoughts on the AquaMaster line? I like their brass nozzles, but the pumps are a bit pricey.

There are only two distributors for the Kasco and AquaMaster lines in my neck of the woods.

 

[FountainMan]

Aha, I was wondering what that was. I looked at the water surface and noted that it wasn't raining, so I discounted downspouts.

The original contractor really should have done something about that white pipe, it ruins the overall effect. They should have gone with black, even spray painting it matte black would make it less obtrusive.

What are your thoughts on the AquaMaster line? I like their brass nozzles, but the pumps are a bit pricey.

There are only two distributors for the Kasco and AquaMaster lines in my neck of the woods.

Personally I can't stand AquaMaster. The nozzles are actually plastic unless you're using the Celestial series.
The nozzles use small holes which clog easily. Many of their newer patterns are copied from other manufactures.

The local rep I'm friends with deals with Kasco, Aqua Control, and AquaMaster. To my knowledge they not fond of AquaMaster either.

If you're going to get a larger fountain I highly recommend Aqua Control. They redesigned their pumps to be more efficient while better built. Nice thing about Aqua Control is the intake is below 12" from the surface meaning it aerates a deeper strata.

So if you take my advice go for Aqua Control.

 

[morewater]

Don't do many of them. The ones that I've done are for larger farm ponds, so mainly for circulation/aeration.

Not much call for the patterns. Most large rural properties around here maintain a property "pond" to decrease their fire insurance, as a pumper truck can access the pond water in the case of a house fire.