Care and Maintenance of Your New

Patio Paradise Fountain

It is very important to NOT add any coloring agent to the water in the fountains.
The pool finish material that I use in the Coquina veneer is a raw concrete product
that will absorb any dye like agent and leave a stain.

First of all, a small amount of loose shell is normal on the fountains.
Anywhere a small shell comes off, a nice fossil like impression remains that is
very much like real coquina stone. As the fountain ages, the concrete finish becomes
stronger and any loose shell will be even less noticeable.
When I install a fountain, a small amount of patching is often necessary, where
the fountain pieces interconnect. This is normal. I bring a small amount of
the finish material and patch it at that time. If at any time the finish needs
a slight touch up because of a nick or bump, I can do a mail out to you of
the patch material, as mentioned below.

If you receive one of the small 20" fountains and you aren't sure
how to set it up, don't panic. It is quite simple.
The smaller top half of the fountain fits directly on top of the lower, larger piece.
Place the top piece face down on top of the bottom piece.
The pump should be attached to the clear tubing that is attached to
the plumbing fitting in the top section. The cone shaped intake of the pump should be
aligned so that it will be facing the front. Note that there is a small lever between
10 and 12 o'clock on the front of the pump above the cone shaped intake.
You will be able to reach in from the front of the fountain and adjust that control lever.
Once the pump in in the correct position, simply set it on top of the lower piece.
As you raise the upper piece with the pump attached into place, be careful
that the pump does not "hang up" on the back of the bottom piece, which
could damage the pump. You can set the top piece more to the front to begin with
and placing your hand in the front of the bottom piece make sure that
the pump is sitting flat in the bottom piece.
There is a small raceway in the back of the fountain for the cord to go in and allow
the two pieces to fit together perfectly with only a small seam showing.
Fill the fountain before you plug it in.
Note the full water level. Once you plug it in the water will fill the upper
pools. Note the water level is slightly lower now. That is the level
to which you should fill the fountain from now on. If you were to fill it up to the maximum level in the front and turn the fountain off or have the electricity go off,
then all that water in motion and from the upper pools will go into the bottom pool
and overflow the fountain. This could be a big deal if the fountain is indoors. If the fountain is outside, no problem with the water level.

Care

You can run your fountain 24 hours a day if you like.
Every several days or as much as every day, you will have to fill the fountain up
with fresh water. You have a small volume of water recirculating many times in an hour.
Depending on the exposure to drying sun or wind or air conditioning, you will lose
a lot of water due to evaporation. This is normal.
Some people like to use distilled water in their fountain. This is not necessary.
However, non distilled water naturally has mineral deposits that over time will build up on
the fountain around the edges. As long as the fountain is running this is barely noticeable.
When you allow an older fountain to dry out, you will really notice these white mineral
deposits around the edges. Simply fill the fountain and begin running it and these deposits
will return to their barely noticeable state.

Should the fountain veneer Coquina finish become damaged due to a blow or
abrasion, contact me and I can mail out a patch kit to you. Directions for the patch kit
are easy. You will receive two packets, one with the pool finish product, one with the shell.
First moisten the area to be patched several times. Wet the dry pool finish with
water until it is the consistency of toothpaste. Apply it to the damaged area using gloves or some small tool. Quickly throw some of the shell onto the patch while it is still wet. Keep
the area dry for 6-8 hours. Clean up any loose shell. Your patched area should give you years
of service.

Maintenance

Maintenance is easy. A wet/dry shop vac is great to remove the water
and any debris when it is time to clean your fountain. Some people can't
wait for a beautiful algae growth to appear. Others want to maintain their
fountains like new, so they drop in Bromine tablets from time to time.
Chlorine bleach can be used directly on the Coquina veneer finish to remove any algae.
Be sure you rinse the fountain with fresh water and Vacuum up the debris.
Should the fountain water become cloudy, perhaps a better brand of Bromine is called for.
Frequent water changes always seem preferable to me to trying to use a
bunch of clarifying chemicals. Use your own judgment.

Your new water feature will give you many years of enjoyment.

Call 813-263-2989