Natural Water Features

When you choose a natural water feature, you need to bear in mind that you are required to perform a certain amount of maintenance to keep the system looking good and working correctly. The procedures should be explained to you from the outset, but this is seldom the case. With a natural water system you usually have a number of elements that need to be looked after:

• Fish or other aquatic creatures
• Plants
• Substrate
• Pumps
• Filters

If you have all 5 of these elements in your pond, things should go smoothly. The beauty of these systems is the way that everything works in harmony. You just need to add some friendly bacteria occasionally and replace the filter when the water starts to get cloudy.

Container Water Gardens

The main difference between a natural water garden and a preformed feature is the fact that you may suffer a leak with these systems. Unfortunately they are not repairable and you need to replace the whole container or liner when this happens. If you suffer from algae issues you can add the recommended clearer liquid to combat this. Ask at your home improvement or garden centre for the most appropriate product.

General Maintenance Tips

You will probably need to follow some rules when looking after various aspects of your water feature system, here are a few that will see you in good stead:

• The Skimmer – This is a device that keeps the water surface clear of unwanted debris. The basket will store the collected debris and should be emptied every week or so.
• The Filter Mat – This sits below the debris basket and catches any debris that escapes the basket, it should only require checking once per month.
• The Pump – If your water level starts to drop, you will probably need to look at the filter screen in the bottom of your pump. Check for a build-up of debris and remove accordingly.

Seasonal Maintenance

Your pond will need special care in the winter and autumn due to the increase of falling leaves from your trees and plants. Ensure that you prune any overhanging branches and you will enjoy very clear water due to the falling temperatures. In the springtime you should schedule a clean-up operation for your water feature. Keep an eye on any algae build-up and look forward to a wonderful water feature all through the summertime!

Attached Images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source

Sasha Kiric is an interior designer by profession. Out of all the various activities involved in designing, he specially likes designing the water features for homes. Apart from his usual work, he likes to read novels over a cup of coffee.

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Garden Care

Getting your garden up and running to look its best is all about starting early and at the correct time. Green practices for mowing and aeration, as well as feeding are the best form and if you begin with them in spring, by summer you will have a green luscious patch at the front of your home.

Fountain Repair

Now that the ice has melted and it’s not nearly as chilly as it was you can begin your fountain repair and get your water feature back in order. Winter can be a tough time on water fountains. The expansion caused by water, as well as the issues caused to seals and other areas due to the ice may all cause issues for the smooth running of a water feature. Check them out and get it ready for some summer fountain fun.

Gutters

The winter blows and washes all sorts off the roof and into the gutter and learning how to clean your gutters can help reduce repair bill,s ensure that your flow is running smoothly and prevents blockages. This in turn all has a positive effect on the outdoor part of your household in both terms of long term care and short term aesthetics. Downspouts also need to be maintained and checked for leakage, so do that now and you can concentrate on other things later on in the year.

Wood Screen Repair

Depending on where you live, you may have a wood screen over your door to protect your inner door from the winds, debris and other harshness of winter. Getting your wood screen repaired now is another job out of the way and allows you to concentrate on the summer activities and DIY jobs when they come around, while helps protect your door between now and then.

Decking and Painting

The winter is harsh on decking and can really take the shine out of it and in some cases even damage it. By cleaning, sanding and staining decking now; you can ensure you are able to spend all the time you desire on it during the summer period. You may even have to replace some damaged or rotting deck boards and doing it now means you have it completed for later in the year. This may require heavier equipment and you may even have to use a tool hire to succeed.

Late spring is usually the time that things begin to warm up a little and by sorting out exterior paint issues now, you get a head start on the summer period. Look out for issues with blistering, damp or fading and treat them now. In many cases the issues may be caused by internal problems such as trapped moisture and damp and dealing with them now prevents problems later on that will cost a lot more money to repair.

Getting prepared for the summer by starting now allows you to enjoy the truly good weather when it comes and also get a head start on the new year’s DIY needs.

Cormac Reynolds writes for Best at Hire and is an adamant DIY lover. He is currently getting his tools ready to indulge in some post winter repairs. He has written in a range of niches for a number of sites.

Featured image courtesy of Amazon

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First of all, you will need to drain the water from the fountain. Large and heavy fountains will often have a drain that you can open to let the water out, but smaller ones may need to be disassembled or you may have to vacuum the water out with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner.

Water fountain pumps get dirty easily, and the best way to clean them thoroughly is using a small toothbrush and fresh water on your sink. Make sure you remove anything that may be interfering with the pump mechanism, as sometimes things can get stuck and cause noises and bad performance.

If your fountain is very dirty you may need to spend some time cleaning with a solution of water and vinegar (to remove lime build-up) or a commercial fountain cleaner. A softly abrasive pad such as those used for washing dishes can be used on stone fountains, but for copper and iron fountains that may get scratched you may prefer to use a commercial metal cleaning product. If you perform outdoor water fountain maintenance regularly, cleaning will be much easier.

Once the basin and the fountain pump are both clean it is time to reassemble the fountain and fill it again with fresh water if necessary. If you are worried about limescale build up you may want to use distilled water, or add a white scale prevention product to the water. It is also a good idea to add a water clarifier that is non-toxic but slows down the growth of algae, as that will keep your fountain looking clean and fresh for longer.

If you take good care of an outdoor water fountain, it will look good for years and become a refreshing feature on your garden or backyard. While cleaning a water fountain thoroughly can take a while if it’s very dirty, or after a long winter of not using it, it’s worth it and you will love the results.

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1. First of all, turn the fountain off and empty it completely. You may want to purchase an extra pump in order to push all the water into a bucket, or you may just use a wet/dry vac to suck all the water out. After most of the water is gone, use a towel to wipe any excess water out, paying particular attention to areas where algae grow such as the edges.
2. Remove all stones or decorative items from the basin. This is a great time to remove any pebbles or glass accessories that are too dirty, and clean the rest.
3. Use a nonabrasive sponge to clean the inside of the basin using fresh water, if your fountain is made of stone, slate or natural marble. You may want to add a mild soap to the mix if there is a lot of algae build-up, but try to avoid scratching so the surface isn’t damaged.
4. For copper fountains, a good furniture polish may work best to return it to its original status, especially if there is a lot of white scale deposits.
5. If the pump is accessible remove it and wash it with fresh water, as it will most likely have built up grime. If you cannot remove it, open it and clean it with a toothbrush to remove as much dirt and algae as possible.
6. Use wet clean rags or cloths to rinse out any soap residue, and make sure the outside of the fountain is perfectly dry to avoid unsightly streaks.

Removing White Scale from Fountains

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Hard water mineral deposits which look like white streaks are difficult to eliminate completely if your water fountain is connected to the mains and the water in the area is hard. If your fountain has an independent deposit, you can use a white scale prevention product designed for fountains, or use distilled water for it.

If you already have mineral deposits, they can be removed using vinegar and water, letting it rest for a bit and cleaning as usual with a nonabrasive sponge. There are also commercial products used to clean up bathroom and kitchens which can be used, but make sure they aren’t too harsh, particularly if you have a marble fountain.

Getting Rid Of Fountain Algae

Algae will grow wherever there is water, but with the right products you can slow their growth, even if you still need to clean up your fountain regularly. If you have an outdoors wall fountain or pets who may drink the water make sure the product is not toxic to wildlife or humans. Most products that can be used on ponds with fish are safe to be used to slow down the build-up of algae on a fountain and will also keep the water looking clean.

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Tetra Anti-Algae Blocks for fountains, 6-BlockCHECK PRICE

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Solar water pumps are a cheap way of modernising your water fountains, and are mostly used for outdoors through nothing stops you from using one to update an indoors water fountain, provided the solar panel can be placed on direct sunlight. You will need to choose a pump of a similar size and power as the one that currently powers your water fountain, but you can find some for less than $20. Make sure that the mechanism on your old water fountain is accessible and can be replaced, as in some cases it’s attached to the shell and can’t be removed without harming the structure.

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Besides the differences in size and power, there is another thing you need to consider when purchasing a solar water pump and panel set: whether it has a battery to store energy or not. If you don’t mind your fountain stopping when direct sunlight is not available you can buy a solar pump without energy storage, but if you want your fountain to keep running at night or on overcast days you may need to spend a bit more money and get one that has a power reserve. If you are buying the solar panel and the pump separately make sure that the panel can provide the pump with enough energy, or your fountain may look less like a fountain and more like a slightly agitated pond.

Almost any water fountain can be fitted with a solar panel and fountain pump, and this will give you the freedom of being able to place your fountain anywhere in your garden instead of right next to the power cord. Solar fountains are also safer, as you don’t have cables that could trip you over, and the risk of electrocution is minimal. Besides, you’ll be happier relaxing next to your brand new solar fountain when you know that there won’t be any electricity bills to pay for the pleasure of listening to flowing water on your backyard. So what are you waiting for? Transform your electric water fountain into a solar one using a solar pump and you won’t regret the change.

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