Fountain pumps don’t last forever. They break down slowly, giving off signals that something’s wrong. Miss those signals and the problems multiply fast. The water gets murky. Fish start floating. What was supposed to be relaxing turns into a headache that costs real money to fix. Knowing when a fountain pump replacement becomes necessary isn’t just about the pump. It’s about everything else that depends on it working right.

Nobody wants to deal with a fountain pump replacement. There’s always something better to spend money on. But ignoring a dying pump? That’s expensive in ways that don’t show up until it’s too late.

Strange Noises Mean Something’s Breaking Inside

A working pump makes almost no sound. Maybe a faint hum if standing right next to the pond, but nothing that carries across the yard.

Grinding sounds are bad. Rattling is worse. That high-pitched squeal that makes everyone wince? The pump is trying to tell you it’s dying.

These noises point to physical damage inside the housing. It could be the impeller hitting something it shouldn’t. It could be bearings that have worn down to nothing. Debris might have gotten past the filter and is bouncing around in there. Whatever the cause, the pump is working way harder than it’s designed to.

It also could be something as simple as clogged intake screen. If not enough water can enter the pump it is as though the pump is working non-submersed. Damage can happen very quickly in this situation.

People hear these sounds and keep the pump running anyway. It still moves water, so why worry? Because that grinding noise is metal wearing against metal. Or it could be the impeller is being blocked. There are various kinds of submersible pumps, so the cause of the noise can vary. However, every hour it runs like that, more damage accumulates. The pump that might have lasted another season instead burns out in weeks.

Cars make bad noises, and people take them to a mechanic. Pumps make bad noises, people cross their fingers and hope. The pump doesn’t care about hope.

Water Flow That Keeps Getting Weaker

There used to be a proper spray pattern. Water arcing up, catching light, creating that whole peaceful atmosphere. Now it’s more of a sad bubbling situation.

Weak flow starts with clogs sometimes. Leaves pack into the intake. Algae builds up on the screen. That’s fixable with 20 minutes and a brush.

But clean intake, weak flow? That’s internal wear. The impeller blades get eaten away by debris over time. Motors lose strength as components age. These problems don’t get better.

Less water movement means less oxygen getting into the pond. Fish need that oxygen. Plants need it too. Stagnant water heats up faster when the sun hits it, which kicks algae growth into overdrive. That green soup covering the surface? That started with weak pump flow weeks earlier.

The temptation is to accept the weaker spray. Adjust expectations. Tell guests it’s supposed to look like that. Meanwhile, the pond ecosystem is slowly suffocating.

Pumps don’t recover. They don’t have good days and bad days. Once the flow drops, it keeps dropping until the pump quits entirely.

Circuit Breakers That Won’t Stay Reset

Electricity and water make everyone nervous for good reason. When the fountain pump starts tripping the breaker, that nervousness is justified.

A pump pulling too much current means something is seriously wrong. Usually, the motor is overheating because it’s straining against resistance it can’t overcome. Partially seized impellers do this. Failed bearings do this. The pump tries to compensate by drawing more power, and the breaker cuts it off before the wires start melting.

Electrical shorts in wet environments are even scarier. Damaged insulation lets water where water should never be. The breaker trips before anyone gets hurt, which is exactly what it’s designed to do. Sometimes turtles or alligators chew through underwater cables.

Reset the breaker once, fine. Twice, maybe. Third time? Stop. The breaker is trying to protect the house from an electrical problem that’s getting worse every time the pump powers up.

Nursing a pump that trips breakers is like ignoring a fire alarm because it’s annoying. The alarm isn’t the problem. The fire is. Choosing the right pump is an important job.

Rust and Corrosion That Keeps Spreading

Pumps live in water, but that doesn’t mean they’re immune to corrosion. Good pumps resist it for years. Old pumps start falling apart.

A little discoloration on the housing? Normal for something underwater for a while. Flaking rust? Crusty buildup on electrical connections? That’s the pump telling you its protective coatings have failed and everything’s going downhill from here.

Corroded housings develop leaks, small ones at first, then bigger. Water gets into sealed areas that should stay dry. Motors flood. Everything shorts out.

Electrical connections with corrosion are unpredictable. They work fine one day and fail the next. There’s no warning. The pump just stops.

Once corrosion takes hold, it accelerates. Metal that’s already compromised deteriorates faster than metal that’s still protected. The pump might work today. Tomorrow? Next week? There’s no telling.

Waiting for a corroded pump to die means being stuck with whatever replacement can be found in a hurry. Usually, at whatever price the seller wants to charge, because there’s no time to shop around.

Age That Nobody Can Actually Remember

How old is the pump running that fountain right now?

Can’t remember? That’s a problem.

Fountain pumps typically last 3 to 5 years under normal use. Some make it to 7 if conditions are perfect and maintenance is religious. Anything past that is borrowed time.

However, pumps made by certain brands like Kasco fountains are often rebuildable. We can send a repair form for you to fill out and send to Kasco with the pump.

Old pumps use more electricity. The efficiency that was built in when the pump was new degrades as components wear. More power for less performance. That shows up on the electric bill month after month.

Seals dry out and crack. Motors weaken. Parts that used to fit snugly start rattling around. Everything loosens up until failure becomes inevitable.

Then there’s the parts problem. A pump that’s 10 years old might not be made anymore. The manufacturer might have gone out of business or discontinued that entire product line. Break something on an obsolete pump, and the only option is complete replacement anyway. Except now it’s an emergency instead of a planned upgrade. There are exceptions. Kasco, Scott, and Fountain Tech products have been around a long time and usually have parts and/or replacement parts available.

People get weirdly attached to old equipment. “Still works” becomes a point of pride. But “works” and “works well” are different things. An old pump might technically move water while creating a dozen small problems that all cost money to deal with.

What Happens When Waiting Goes Too Long

Nobody gets excited about buying a new fountain pump. It’s not fun. Can’t brag about it. Just sits there underwater doing a job that only gets noticed when it stops.

The cost of not replacing a failing pump, though? That’s where things get expensive.

Replacing dead fish costs money. Pond fish aren’t cheap, especially the decorative varieties people spend real money on. Algae blooms need chemicals and constant maintenance to control. A pump that dies during a heat wave can turn a healthy pond into a biological disaster in 48 hours. Emergency pump replacement means paying whatever price for whatever’s available right now.

Pond ecosystems are delicate. Once the balance tips, getting it back takes time and work. Some ponds need to be completely drained and restarted from scratch. That’s a weekend project that nobody wants.

The pump itself? That’s the cheap part. Everything else that breaks because the pump failed? That’s where the real costs pile up.

Finding the Right Replacement

Time to replace means making smart choices, not just grabbing whatever’s cheapest.

Pond size matters. A tabletop fountain needs a completely different pump than a pond that’s measured in acres. Gallons per hour rating needs to match the system it’s going into.

Energy efficiency has gotten better. New pumps do more work while using less electricity. Over a couple of years, the savings add up enough to offset the higher initial cost.

Warranty length says something about quality. One year minimum. Two or three years better. Companies that stand behind their products for longer are companies that build better products. Of course there are trade-offs. Pumps with long warranties cost more because the manufacturer knows that more pumps will need to be replaced free of charge.

Application-specific pumps exist for good reasons. Pond pumps aren’t the same as indoor fountain pumps. Using the wrong type guarantees problems down the road.

Making the Decision

The warning signs are clear now. Weird noises. Weak water. Electrical problems. Visible rust. Old age with no clear history.

Any of those signs means it’s time to think about fountain pump replacement. Better to replace on a schedule than wait for catastrophic failure and deal with consequences that cost way more than a new pump.

Fountains and ponds deserve equipment that works properly. The peace of mind that comes from knowing everything’s running right, efficiently, safely? That’s worth something too.

Every pump eventually needs replacement. That’s not a question. The only question is whether replacement happens when it’s convenient or when the old pump makes the choice by dying at the worst possible moment. Ready to enhance your fountain setup? Explore our website to see how we can help!

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is the difference between single-phase and three-phase?

The primary difference between single-phase and three-phase electricity is the number of alternating current (AC) waveforms used to transmit power: single-phases uses a single waveform, while three-phase uses three waveforms that are 120 degrees apart. Three-phase is ideal for high-power applications like large motors in industrial settings, while single-phase is typically used in homes for standard appliances and lighting due to its lower power needs; essentially, three-phase offers a more consistent and stable power supply compared to single-phase. 

Most of our requests are for customers who already have three-phase installed but are looking for a pump or fountain replacement.

Kasco and Scott Three Phase

Kasco offers three-phase fountains and motors for 2, 3, 5, and 7.5 horsepower units in both 240- and 480-volt sizes. Included in 240-volt models is the only human-rated GFCI in the industry. Special permission is required to install a 480-volt unit.

Scott offers three-phase fountains and motors for 2 and 3 HP units.

As always, we offer 90-day terms to municipalities and HOA’s, and we pay for shipping.

If you are merely trying to replace a three-phase unit you already own or are thinking of installing three phase from the beginning, we are pleased to help you in any way we can.

Though many people use the terms fountain pumps and aerators interchangeably, these two pieces of equipment are very different. Floating fountain pumps are designed to enhance the look of the pond and  add minimal or moderate aerating by pushing water up to 15-30 feet into the air, sometimes higher, depending on the spray pattern and model. Floating fountains are the focal point in most ponds. Though the fountain pumps a lot of water and increases oxygen levels on the surface, aerating floating fountains further increase aeration and oxygen levels by moving higher volumes of water. This helps in effectively aerating the pond or lake by moving as much water as possible and also refreshing stagnant water. Pond aerators also impress the landscape or waterscape not only with its visual appearance but also with the tranquil sound of water. It can carry out these functions in an efficient manner but aerating fountains are limited in height and have only one shape, the “V” display pattern.

Decorative aerators use heavy-duty stainless steel motors that rotate a high-quality propeller. Water does not enter the motor, and the propeller throws an extremely high volume of water into the air.

For deeper ponds of over 7 feet of average depth, proper aeration requires use of a sub-surface aerator. These improve the health of fish and introduce as much oxygen as possible. A sub-surface aerator does not have a float or any electrical cord in the water. Instead, an air compressor is housed at the shoreline which pumps air through tubing that goes to the bottom of the pond and is connected to diffuser(s), which send(s) air bubbles from the bottom of the pond to the surface. The air compressors do not normally need to be very big to pump high volumes of air through the tubing.

In simple words, any kind of aerator adds oxygen and induces circulation into the pond or lake for water quality management purposes. Aerating fountains provide more aeration than decorative fountains, but if your pond is greater than 7’ of average depth, a sub-surface aerator is highly recommended. Al three kind of aerators fight against unwanted algae, improve water health for plants and fishes, and reduce smells and odors.

Bottom Line

We can conclude that decorative floating fountain pumps put aesthetics first and also come in a wide range of designs, while floating aerating fountains provide a nice “V” shaped display but aerate more than decorative units. Sub-surface aerators focus on deep aeration of the pond, making sure that oxygen reaches the maximum depth possible.

In this article, we will explore the world of fountain pumps submersible, exploring their efficiency and the aesthetic beauty that they bring to outdoor environments.

Efficiency of Submersible Fountain Pumps

1. Energy Efficiency: Submersible fountain pumps are designed to be energy-efficient. They operate submerged in water, which helps keep them cool, reducing the risk of overheating. Additionally, modern submersible pumps sometimes come with energy-saving features such as variable speed settings, allowing you to adjust the water flow to your desired level while conserving energy.
2. Low Maintenance: These pumps require minimal maintenance. They are designed to be durable and can handle continuous operation without frequent breakdowns. Regular maintenance usually involves cleaning the pump intake to prevent debris buildup and ensuring the pump remains fully submerged.
3. Water Circulation: Submersible fountain pumps excel at maintaining water circulation in decorative ponds and fountains. Proper water circulation is vital for preventing stagnation, algae growth, and mosquito breeding, all of which can detract from the beauty of your outdoor space.
4. Customizable Flow Rates: Many submersible pumps come with adjustable flow rates, allowing you to customize the water flow to suit your fountain or pond’s design and size. This flexibility ensures that your water feature remains both efficient and visually appealing.

The Aesthetic Beauty of Submersible Fountain Pumps

1. Captivating Water Displays: Submersible fountain pumps when nozzles are added can create captivating water displays. They can shoot water into the air, creating mesmerizing water jets, cascading waterfalls, or delicate streams that dance and shimmer in the sunlight. These visually appealing water features can become focal points in your garden or landscape design.
2. Soothing Sounds: Submersible pumps’ sound of flowing water adds an auditory dimension to your outdoor space. The gentle trickling of water has a calming effect and can drown out unwanted noise, providing a peaceful atmosphere for relaxation.
3. Enhanced Landscape Design: Submersible fountain pumps can be incorporated into various landscape designs, from traditional to contemporary. They complement the overall aesthetics by adding a touch of elegance and sophistication. Whether you have a formal garden, a naturalistic pond, or a modern outdoor space, submersible fountain pumps can be tailored to suit your design vision.
4. Visual Variety: Submersible pumps offer a wide range of visual effects, depending on the pump’s capacity, nozzle design, and water feature configuration. You can choose from various nozzle attachments, such as tiered, bell, or geyser nozzles, to create different water patterns and visual effects.
5. Outdoor Ambiance: Beyond their visual appeal, submersible fountain pumps contribute to the overall ambiance of your outdoor area. The presence of a well-designed water feature can transform a mundane space into a tranquil retreat, making it an ideal spot for relaxation, meditation, or social gatherings.

Summing Up

Submersible fountain pumps bring together efficiency and beauty in outdoor spaces. They efficiently power captivating water displays while requiring minimal maintenance and conserving energy.

These pumps will enhance the aesthetics of your landscape, providing soothing sounds, captivating visual effects, and an overall ambiance that turns your outdoor area into a tranquil haven. To enjoy the full benefits of submersible fountain pumps, it’s essential to select the right pump for your water feature’s size and design and perform regular maintenance to keep it operating at its best.

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The Purpose of Buying the Fountain

You must consider the purpose of buying the Kasco pond fountains. Determine whether you are looking for an elegant focal point, you want to clean up the water quality, or want a 30 ft. pattern that screams for attention. So, know the goal of your fountain, as it will help you select the right pattern and achieve the deserved results.

Kasco Marine employs both engineers and biologists to create stunning displays while still placing an emphasis on pond aeration for the health of your pond. If your pond needs lots of aeration, we recommend that you purchase an aerating fountain or a simple aerator. If you wish to have a vibrant and versatile display and at the same time have reasonable aeration, then a Kasco decorative fountain is recommended. We are happy to help guide you through the process by phone or email.

What Factors To Consider?

Pattern size is the common driving force behind pattern selection, as you are likely to buy a fountain to beautify the pond. But apart from the looks, there is a strong relation between three operational factors that should be considered when choosing a fountain pattern. These include pattern size, flow, and power consumption. Let us take a closer look.

• Flow: It is the amount of water going through the opening in the fountain and is usually expressed in gallons per minute or GPM. Flow is directly related to the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) achieved. Since dissolved oxygen is a primary ingredient for pond health, the biological nature of a pond will demand dissolved oxygen for plants, decomposition, and also for fish and microorganisms within the ecosystem.
• Pattern size: The pattern size is what attracts people to floating fountains. Nice patterns will distract one from eyesores and create white noise that will blanket the clatter from parking lots, roads, and equipment operations. Most ponds utilize fountains that are detention ponds with excess freeboard to handle rain events. A 10-foot high pattern will only appear 5 feet above the crest of the shoreline when using a 5-foot freeboard. This may not provide the desired display. It is common to choose a pattern in which one looks up to see the apex. But if you get a high pattern with little flow, you may get just a thin spray that easily gets blown over in heavy winds and falls short of adequate OTR.
• Power consumption: The amp draw indicates how hard a motor is working. Since volts multiplied by amps give us the watts, it directly relates to what it costs to operate the fountain. You can easily find an electric cost calculator on our website to determine the power consumption. Remember that the more flow and pattern you desire, the bigger the motor and, thus, the higher the cost.
• 120v versus 240v: This is up to the customer. If the cable is properly gauge, 120v should not cost more to operate than 240v (contrary to popular opinion). However, it is rare to find a fountain over 1HP with a 120v pump, as the wire gauge would need to be too thick.

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right fountain pattern requires you to understand these three factors so you can maximize your design and flow and minimize power consumption. Bigger patterns require more pressure, which can result in less flow. A perfect balance of all three will help you achieve the desired results.

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Fountain Tech offers discount retail prices but also truly wholesale prices on fountain pumps and pond pumps to the pond and garden industry. Wholesale prices are not listed online. But if you are a garden center, fountain manufacturer, hydroponics store or manufacturer, we are happy to send you a catalog and price list. Or contact us to become a dealer or distributor. Our pumps are quiet and we are happy to say we sell to copper fountain companies, which, as some of you may know, require the quietest pumps. Our pumps come in small sizes to fit into those tiny spaces some fountains require.

Fountain Tech manufactures pumps from 35 gallons per hour for table top fountains to 14,000 gallons per hour for large ponds. All pumps are energy-efficient, safe, and reliable, using magnetic drive technology. Pumps from 250 gallons per hour and more have 25′ cords available or longer in some cases. Fountain Tech typically sells wholesale pumps by the case, but they can be purchased individually for a slightly higher price. Most of our wholesale customers are garden centers, copper and concrete fountain manufacturers, pot fountain manufacturers, and hydroponics companies. If you are a customer needing wholesale fountain pumps, please give us a ring for prices.

In addition, Fountain Tech manufactures floating fountain floats and entire floating fountain kits for large pond fountains. We also manufacture our own line of LED light kits for floating pond fountains. In addition, we are distributor of Kasco Marine and Scott Aerator pond products.

With over twenty years in service to the trade, we offer both experience and high quality fountain pumps at low prices. Don’t hesitate to call us or email us for a fountain pump catalog and price list.

Three Types of Surface Aerators

Decorative Fountains—Decorative display fountain aerators are chosen when the person needs a decorative aerator for their pond using a nozzle to create a display pattern. These floating water pumps have a nozzle and spray water up in the air. Typically, a decorative fountain kit will include multiple nozzles so you can change patterns when desired.This pond aeration system works by attaching each water molecule to the air molecules and bridging it down into the water when it lands. It works by sucking in water from the water that surrounds the pump. Some fountain pumps are available that are large enough to pull water in almost via a mini current. For ponds that are deeper than 7 feet, fountain surface aerators may not be the best choice. The pumps use impellers for added pressure and nozzles, both of which restrict flow compared to the other kind of surface aerators.

Aerating Fountains—Aerating fountains have one display, the “V” pattern, which is created by the pitch of the pump’s propeller, instead of an impeller. Less volume is restricted and flow is greater than with decorative fountains, thus providing more aeration.

Simple Surface Aerators—Simple surface aerators also use a propeller but there is no display at all except for large bubbles on the surface of the water. These provide the maximum aeration of all surface aerators.

Diffuser aerations systems (bottom aeration) provide an economical way of aerating ponds due to the low cost required to push air rather than pushing water through a pump. These are necessary when your pond is deeper than 7 feet, on average. A diffused pond aerator works through an air compressor, tubing, and a diffuser or air bubbler on the bottom. The aerator works by sucking in air through the air compressor placed on the shore or a nearby garage. The air is pushed through the hose and disperses into millions of tiny bubbles from the diffuser. The air diffuser is usually placed in the deepest part of the pond since it is the ideal spot as it allows the air that comes out of the diffuser to dissipate in the water body and throughout the pond, including the bottom and top. Usually a mere ¼ horsepower compressor will aerate a very large pond. The compressor is intended to be used 24 hours a day.

Apart from this, there are other pond aerators like windmill power-driven aerators, high-volume surface aerators, and solar-powered pond aerators. Windmill power-driven aerators are perfect for ponds thousands of feet away from electricity and are powered by the wind. High-volume surface aerators for large ponds and lakes are typically used when water is 7 feet deep or less. These high-volume aerators have floating water pumps that rapidly churn the water, thus adding air molecules to water.

Choosing the right size of pond aerator

For most aeration kits, the product description indicates the depth and size of the pond for which it is suitable. For most pond aerators, the product title or description suggests the pond size they are designed for. Each pond aerator kit usually comes with a given length of tubing, size of air diffuser, and air compressor. This enables the air compressor to provide the greatest amount of aeration with that specific length, tubing diameter, and air diffuser size. But avoid altering the length of the tubing and air diffuser as it would affect the performance of the air pump itself.

How much aeration do I need for my pond?

Kasco recommends:

*Note that these recommendations are for Kasco surface aerators only. Different manufacturers have entirely different specifications. Remember to keep in mind total volume of water being expelled from the unit is what matters. Knowing the gallons per hour of a pump can help, but what really matters is how much the output volume is.

How to Calculate Pond Size

For surface aeration, you merely need to know surface acreage (length x width) You do not need to know depth. For bottom aeration you will need also to know depth to calculate acre feet. For easy pond size calculations, use our calculator.

Takeaway

Some pond aeration system providers also customize the kits for large ponds, Lagunas, lakes, and aquaculture systems. You may consult about the size, and shape of your pond, what type of fish you have, and the electricity with the provider.

It is essential to select the right fountain during replacement to ensure a smooth optimal flow of water. A too-large outdoor fountain pump makes the water splash out of the fountain, and if too little flows, and the water cannot reach the fountain’s top. We make some suggestions for the fountain pump size below.

Make Sure You Need a Replacement

Always troubleshoot the problems before considering a water fountain pump replacement. It could be fixable issues like clogging or issues with the power cord. Try plugging the pump into another power outlet to make sure the power source is not the problem. If an impeller is sticking, you can first try to plug, unplug, plug, and unplug a few times to see if the problem is fixed. If the pump still does not work, you might merely need a new impeller. We have created a video here on how to remove an impeller for most fountain pumps.

Selecting a Fountain Pump

To select a water fountain pump replacement for an outdoor fountain pump, first, decide the one you need, whether standard submersible or in-line (out of water). The next thing you need to know is how high the water must go from the surface of the water feature’s basin to the filial (the highest point of the fountain).

Tabletop

They are the smallest fountains that sit on tables. The flow rate is usually about 35-80 gallons per hour (GPH), and the pumping height is typically between one inch to sixteen inches. Again, if you buy too large of a pump, there could be a splash.

Small Fountains

They are slightly larger than tabletop fountains. The pumping height is approximately 1-3 feet in height, and the flow rate is typically between 70 and 170 GPH.

Medium Fountains

The pumping height can be anywhere from 1 foot to 5 feet and the flow rate is typically between 150 and 300 GPH.

Large Fountains

They are the largest fountains supporting a pumping height of 7-ft, sometimes as high as 15 feet, and a flow rate of 300 to 2500 GPH.

Besides these sizes, the following are the factors to consider when choosing a pump:

Water Volume

Larger water volumes require large pumps. Find out the volume of a pond in gallons by multiplying the width feet by length feet by average depth feet by 7.5. If the result is 300 gallons and requires a two-hour interval water circulation, a pump with a 150GPH flow rate is appropriate.

Water Type

The flow rate depends on the function. Waterfalls and those with skimmers require circulation at the one-hour interval. Ponds with fish should circulate every hour while those without circulate every two hours. Small water bodies about 250 gallons should allow water circulation once an hour, while the larger require circulation half the rate of the smaller ones.

Height

Fountains requiring high water pressure need more robust pumps. Pumps have head heights that help in determining their suitability. The vertical height in which water will travel and 1/10 of horizontal distance from the pump determine the minimum head height.

Discharge Diameter

The tubing size and the discharge diameter should match to ensure an accurate flow rate.

Water Function

Aeration is necessary for water housing fish and other animals. Larger pumps enhance water circulation, which promotes filtration and ventilation. More fish survive in ponds with large pumps.

Replacement fountain pump selection may be intimidating, mainly because the fountain comes with the pump during the original purchase. To select a replacement for an outdoor fountain pump, first, decide the one you need. Whether standard submersible, in-line cable, or low water shut-off pumps. A little research may reduce the struggle of getting the right item.