Solar Powered Pond Fountains

Buying accessories for your pond can be both exciting and challenging. There are so many products available, it is difficult to know which ones to get. After several years of having my own pond, I have learned some valuable tips about purchasing pond accessories, that will help you to create a beautiful and healthy pond and save you money and time in the process.

A year went by before I made the decision to purchase a solar-powered fountain for my pond. I spent that year trying to figure out how to install my own electric-powered fountain myself, which always ended up with thoughts of my inexperience causing someone to be electricuted. I also considered having an electrician install it, but did not want to spend the hundreds of dollars it would cost. Finally, I took the risk of buying a solar-powered fountain that I had to order online, with no first-hand knowledge of whether it would work effectively. It is shown in the picture to the right. I was pleasantly surprised by its power and ease of use. I've had the same fountain for 3 years now and it still works wonderfully. The only drawback, is that it only functions for a few hours a day, when it has stored enough energy, or when the sun is shining directly onto the solar panels. This does not bother me at all, as I do not visit almost always visit my pond when the sun is out. In the evenings, it will usually work if it has been sunny that day. Having said that, you would not want to purchase this fountain in a place where the sun is not shining down upon you regularly. I keep the control unit covered with a plastic plant pot (with holes) and a heavy ornamental rock to keep the container from blowing away. This protects the unit from rain and wind.

There are many other solar-powered fountains available, but I have no firsthand knowledge of their capabilities. I highly recommend the fountain I have, and would buy it again without reservation.

Pond plants are an essential part of a pond habitat. Not only do they provide beauty, they oxygenate the water and provide shade, reducing algae growth. My favorite plant is the floating water hyacinth. One small plant will reproduce rapidly, forming several plants over a period of weeks. I often have to take several out by mid-summer, as they will cover the entire surface of my small pond. Lowes sells these along with water lilies and a few other pond plants for less than $6.00 each. You can also order them online from pondplantsdirect.com for only $3.00. This site also offers several other pond plants for under $10. Floating pond plants are the easiest to care for as they require no work at all, other than removing excess plants. Water lilies are very attractive, but they do require planting and removal of dead stems and leaves periodically. When using plants that need to be planted, the containers pictured to the right work well. I fill the top two inches with pea gravel to hold the soil in place. While these require more work, they do return each year. The floating plants cannot tolerate low temperatures and have to be removed from the pond as they begin to wilt.

Solar powered pond lighting is also an affordable option for your pond. Just the sight of a glowing light on the water from a distance is eye-appealing. If you prefer to have lighting around your pond, there are several choices, from solar-powered rocks to solar-powered dragonflies.