​Many people love the sound of running water and there are a large variety of different Oklahoma water features or outdoor fountains you can find to give you the exact effect you want. However, just as your garden and pond need maintaining to keep the looking great, so does your outdoor water fountain. During the winter months you will probably spend less time in your garden and your water feature may be neglected. You will only notice there is a problem when the sun starts to shine, and you turn it on again.  There are a number of problems that can occur.

​There are a number of problems that can cause this. These include just to list a few:

Have you plugged it in: This may sound obvious, but it is surprising the number of people that “forget” to plug it in AND switch it on.

It’s broken: You may have had your water feature for a while and it may just have run its course and no longer works due to the age of its components.

Faulty wiring: If you have not checked your outdoor fountain during the winter months the electrical wiring could have deteriorated or been chewed through by a small rodent. Check for any breaks in the wiring.

Ensure there is enough water in the water feature: Sometimes water can have evaporated quite a lot since you last turned it on and if you haven’t checked the water level before switching it on, it could be ta simple fix.

​The first thing to look at if the water is not running very smoothly or efficiently, is the pump. It may have become clogged up with debris or leaves from the winter months. Whilst looking at the pump, you should also check the inlet valve as well as the suction lines. It’s a good idea to clean these out in any event, just to ensure they perform at their optimum.

​If you have a leak in the seal or the suction lines, water may seep out, which can give a slow trickle rather than a water feature. If there is a leak, then obviously this needs to be repaired as the water pressure will be lower. Once the repair has been done, then you should see an increase in the water supply.

​If you water feature has frozen over the winter months, then there is the possibility that it has damaged the pump. It is always best to try to remove the pump during winter and replace it again in the spring or summer.

If there is no water inside the pump, for whatever reason, then it will not work. You will need to ensure the pump is below the water line and filled with water.

​If you need help with any aspect of a troublesome fountain, why not give Continental Ponds a call (405) 834-2291. We are always happy to advise or carry out a water feature installation or repair for you.

​ For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving your pond problems!
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration.

Fire Fountains

Where fire and water mix. These beautiful fountains gives the sight of fire against the backdrop of trickling water.  Just add your selection of gravel!

They come in three sizes and include the fuel tank.
•24”, 28” or 32” tall

PRICE:
$975, $1,175 or $1,375

Ultra low maintenance water feature that can be placed virtually anywhere. Add the beauty of water to your garden, deck, patio or balcony. Patio ponds include the bowl, aquatic plants and installation.

•Green Slate,Desert Granite or European Terra Cotta(available in 10, 20 & 30 gals.)
•Textured Gray Slate (available in 15, 27 & 45 gals.)
$695, $895 or $1,195

Add-ons (Includes Pump & Installation)
•Deer Scarer Bamboo Fountain
•Pouring 3-Tier Bamboo Fountain
•Adjustable Pouring Bamboo Fountain
$195​

For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving all your Oklahoma pond problems!
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration. ​

Adding a variety of different aquatic plants to your Oklahoma pond is an amazing way to make your water garden looks even more beautiful. But like with everything else, you need to make a plan of how and where you are going to put in the right aquatic plants at the right time. Otherwise, it may look like an aquatic jungle!

The first thing you need to consider what type and how many plants are going to use. There is a wide range of Oklahoma pond plants in the market that you may find overwhelming, but you need to make the right choice for your water garden. So, you have to spend some time gathering information about the specific requirements of each plant you are interested in buying.

There are many aquatic plants in the market, like floating plants, water hyacinth or lettuce. These types of special and beautiful plants develop extensive roots under the surface, and they also provide shade to aggressive algae growth in a pond. You can also choose to buy submerged plants, like hornwort and anacharis.

These plants can improve the quality and clarity of the water. Or you may prefer bog plants, like iris or cattails that can surround the perimeter of your pond. You may also choose lotus and water lilies, which can give your ponds amazing colors and various underneath shades. Of course, you can select to buy a mixture of all these plants, to make your pond look marvelous.

Remember that it’s better to cover about 60% of the water’s surface. To do so, you can select 6-12 floating plants, two bog plants, some water lilies, and several submerged plants. Also, you have to buy also fertilizers and containers like plant bags and pots. You will love to use them, to take care of your pond.

Consider all the different factors depending on the type of aquatic plants you want to add. For example:

• Floating Plants – Place them in the pond, and they will freely float on the pond surface.


• Submerged Plants – Grow them underwater in plant bags and fill your containers with planting materials. In fact, you can plant several bunches of these plants together.


• Bog Plants – These plants grow better in containers under the water pond.


• Lillies/lotuses – These amazing aquatic plants can thrive in pots. To transplant them, fill out the tub with clay, and then you can put some planting media on the top.

If you would like to see your new Oklahoma aquatic plants blossom, you will definitely to need various nutrients for your plants to have lovely blooms. So, make sure to buy some aquatic plant fertilizers, like spikes or tabs. For example, fertilizer spikes release plant food slowly over a period of 12 months. On the other hand, you can use a spike in a simple way: You just have to put them into the soil, and you don’t have to do anything else for the whole year.

Be sure to consider all the special needs of the aquatic plants you choose. Choosing the right water plants will add a magical touch of shape, color and texture to the pond.  Like everything else in life, the more thought and planning you put in this task the better things will turn out. 

Fountains are often the focal point of a yard and adds aesthetic value to your property. Fountain lighting transforms your fountain in the evening into a welcoming gathering place, where you can watch the kids play around and enjoy the movement of the water. What are the benefits of fountain lighting, why have them and what do they cost? Here we will go over all of that and more.

Many Oklahoma homeowners desire the soothing sounds of running water, but are just not ready for a pond or simply can’t afford one. The AquaBasin Bubbling Rock Kit™ allows you to "Do It Yourself" and can easily be installed within just a few hours.  Now here is how you can add that soothing sounds of moving water to your Oklahoma landscape.  

Once you have the pump kit, basin and rock, you will next need to identify a viable location and prep it for installation. Within buildings they can be installed near the surface level and outdoors they can be installed on a patio. Stone and plants can be used to conceal the basin. You should also pay attention to the splash radius particularly if the bubbling rock is being installed indoors.
​
Many Oklahoma pond owners choose to bury the basin. To do this, you will need to find a spot and then excavate it. It should have the same depth and size of the basin. The soil at the bottom of the hole must be tamped to provide a strong base. You can then add a layer of sand (C-10 is best) to act as the leveling base. The basin can then be placed in hole and the soil can be used to anchor it in place. After this you would install both the bubbling rock and the pump kit.

If you are wanting to add lights to the fountain you have a couple options depending on where you would like to put them. If you are wanting lights in the top of your rock fountain, do it before adding your aquatic plants and gravel. The reason is that the cord of the lights needs to run down the middle of the drilled hole. If you forget and add plants and gravel first, it's a pain but it can be done.

If you are just wanting to add light to shine up the fountain you can add them when you add your aquatic plants. Just remember no matter when and how you add the lights, there is going to be some cords that have to be cover with the gravel.

Tip: Try to keep the light wire away from the roots of the aquatic plants. 

Bubbling rock is a type of boulder or stone that is embedded within a water garden and which emits water from the top, which flows down the sides. It is comprised of three parts, which are the pump kit, basin and rock. The rocks used for these systems must have a specific formation or composition. Many rocks and boulders are prone to breakage or chipping when drilling is applied so they are not good candidates. The best rocks are rubble or granite boulders. The shape of the rock will determine the manner in which the water cascades, but rock drilling should only be left to pros as the process can be hazardous.

The pump kit is responsible for moving water through the rock. Some of the accessories which come in a standard kit include valves, fittings, clamps and hoses. The basin is a type of reservoir which will be positioned beneath the bubbling rock. It could be something as simple as a hole which is dug into the yard and then lined with heavy duty plastic or a pond liner.

​Moving water is a necessity for ponds and water gardens. Water which sits still will deteriorate and become a breeding ground for mosquitoes especially in tropical and subtropical climates. Bubbling rocks keep water circulating and can be installed within small areas, which is advantageous for people who have smaller yards. They can also be used both indoors and outdoors, which make them viable even for people who live in apartments or urban environments. Perhaps the biggest advantage of bubbling rocks is that they are low in cost and maintenance.

Now that you are familiar with bubbling rocks, stay tuned for next weeks blog on How To Install Bubbling Rocks.

We're never ones to shy away from being blatantly open and honest with respect to competition, and we want our customers to be as informed as possible. Below you will find our base installation cost for several fountains.

Just like everything else...there are several additional options you can add to your fountain. Fountain lighting has made huge strides over the last few years. There are a variety of options when it comes to lighting from simple LED spotlight kit (pic below), LED Fountain Lights installed inside the openings to the fountains as well as color changing lights that can be controlled from your phone. 

In addition to the lights one of our favorite add-on features is the Fire Fountain Kit. The fire fountain kit can be easily added to the Sphere's and urns.