| Frequently Asked Questions | |
Do you have a question that's NOT listed here?
If you do please email us and let us know. Your probably not the only one with the same question! This way we can help everyone. Thank you; Fountains n Slate
- I'm looking for a solar fountain pump, where can I find one?
To locate a solar pump you might try Harbor Freight. We don't carry them because unless you have a lot of sun ALL the time, they just don't operate or operate that long. We use low voltage fountain pumps and lights which is economical and have a lot more power and last a very, very long time. back to top
- Pumps, pumps, pumps! How do I determine the "right" pump for my fountain?
Basically, you want the pump to do two things.
1) Fit in the cavity of your existing fountain
2) Pump the water up to the top of your fountain
When you look for a pump replacement take into consideration both of the above statements. Measure the cavity where the pump will go. If you purchase a pump that's too large naturally it will not fit even though it will pump the water up high enough it won't do you any good if it doesn't fit. So measure where the pump will go and then read the pumps description to match the pump size as close as possible.
The replacement pump should be the same gallon per hour (GPH) as your old pump. If the old pump worked fine in your fountain, replace it with a compatible GPH pump.
The higher the GPH the stronger the pump and the higher it will go. You can cheat a little bit too! Make a coupling and reducing the tubing size will achieve a stronger water flow.
Check out even more pump information here: http://www.fountainsnslate.com/pump_information back to top
- What is a coupling and how do I make one?
A coupling is a connection between two pieces of pipe or tubing.
To make a coupling that reduces in size for a fountain especially a tabletop fountain. Cut a 1" or 1-1/2" piece of tubing that'll fit snugly over the pumps spout. Then use a smaller tubing as the main tubing that'll go up through your fountain. We do this here a lot of the time by using a 5/8" OD tubing cut 1" and then sliding a 1/2" OD tubing into the 5/8" tubing. We get more pressure from our pump without having to "up" the GPH of a new pump! back to top
- How do I know which transformer I need for a low voltage pump?
Low voltage pumps run on a wattage which is stated on each pump.
Transformers operate on wattage's too! Here's where it becomes simple.
When you purchase a pump make sure the wattage is the same or lower than the transformer!
So, if you have a 20 watt transformer, 2 pumps that have a 16 wattage will not work off the 20 watt transformer. You need to have the transformer's wattage higher than any pump or pumps combination in order to operate correctly. back to top
- Why can't I slide the colored lense on my Finger Light?
The colored lenses will slide on very easy if you first wet the rubber under the bulb with saliva! That's right, good ole' saliva is a natural lubricant and makes changing the colored lenses very easy. back to top
- What does LED mean on the Foggers with Lights?
Excellent question!
LED stands for, Low Energy Demand;
LED lights last a very long time and have a brillant striking color to them as well. back to top
- Can I add secnted oil to my fountain?
Absolutely!
Adding scented oil to your fountain is not only pleasant but makes for a romantic atmosphere!
This will NOT hurt your pump either. We do strongly suggest you DO NOT use any kind of oil when using a Mister/Fogger in your fountain. The oil shortens the life of the disk which is the heart of the fogging unit. Oil will attach to the disk and reduce the amount of fog and eventually quit fogging all together.
So use the scented oil when running just your fountain. back to top
- What is a Pump/Rock Stand ?
A pump/rock stand is a piece of PVC tubing that is properly cut to a given size.
When the pump/rock stands are cut they are level therefore giving you a start for a level slate/rock tier.
Stands come with 4 notches to allow water into the middle where your pump is hidden. The notches also allows your pump's cord an exit without harming the cord by pinching it from the weight of the slate or rocks.
Pump/Rock Stands come in a variety of colors to accommodate the slate or rocks being used.
No more balancing of a rock on top of your pump! back to top
- How can I seal a bowl so it's watertight?
So you've found the perfect bowl for a fountain but it not only has a hole in the bottom it's made of a clay or pottery type material that needs to be sealed.
Here's the best way to seal a bowl of this nature.
Get some 2-part epoxy. This is epoxy that is one part resin and one part hardner. This has to be mixed on a 50-50 basis. It does come in a handy syringe type of instrument and mixes correctly upon ejection. Use this for the bottom of the bowl that has a hole in it. Make sure you tape the outside and fill the inside of the hole with the epoxy.
To seal the inside and outside of the bowl make sure it's completely clean and free of dust and dirt. If you must wash it, please allow at least 24-48 hours for the bowl to dry before sealing.
Find a sealer for masonry or concrete and also one that is paintable. We highly recommend a sealer called: Seal Krete. This works great! But you must follow the instructions. Allow time between each coat before sealing again. What's so good about this sealer is that it's paintable and you can then paint your bowl any color you wish.
Please make sure the paint you're going to be using isn't toxic to animals as many have cats that drink out of the fountains!!
Now you can finally use that bowl you've been looking at for soooooo long :) back to top
- My tubing is too big, too small. How can I correct this?
Tubing for pumps is measured by the ID (inside diameter) and OD (outside diameter).
A lot of times you have too large of tubing, so you need to reduce it down to fit over the pumps spout.
To do this take the piece that's too large and also take your pump to the local hardware store. Find tubing that'll fit inside the large tubing and also over the pumps spout. What you've done is created a reducer/coupling.
For tubing that's too small. It just quite won't fit over the pumps spout. Try putting it into some very hot water, boiling water works best. Please be very careful not to burn yourself.
Place the tubing in the hot water for about 1 minute. This lets the vinyl expand and can easily slide over the pumps spout! back to top
- I bought some slate but now I want to drill a hole in it. How can I drill slate?
Slate can be drilled with a normal electric drill or better yet is to use a drill press. The drill press will drill the hole straight without it going from side to side.
Use a masonry drill bit. This bit is used to drill stone, brick and motar. Always use a new sharp bit and plenty of water to keep your drill bit cool.
Keep your slate wet all times, this makes it easier to drill and remember to clamp your slate down to the table or drilling plate. This way when you break through the opposite side the slate won't spin, chip or slip out.
As with all slate and rock drilling, cutting or chiseling, wear safety glasses or goggles. back to top
- Why does my pump hum?
Everyone loves a humming bird, but not a humming pump!
Some pumps just plain hum...but try to find a pump that has either suction cup feet or rubber attached to the bottom of the pump. If it doesn't then try this.
Get some rubber matting (The kind you would use in the bottom of your sink, they make a thin mesh mat.) from the housewares section in your favorite department store and cut a size to match the bottom of your pump. This will help absorb the running of the motor of the pump.
A humming pump is more noticable in a thin wall bowl or container. Did you know that the deeper the pump is in the bowl, the less humming you'll hear?
If your pump is touching other materials in your fountain this can cause it to hum or vibrate. If your pump's vibrating, that too will make it noisy and run unbalanced. A pump can not run unbalanced. It shortens the pumps life, causes it to labor ( motor run too hard ) and worst yet makes you very unhappy with your fountain.
A dirty pump will make more noise too, so make sure you clean your pump at least once every month or two.
We use CLR to clean ours. This breaks up mineral deposits that sometimes forms on the propellers from some kinds water. NOTE: This will not harm your pump. After using CLR throughly rinse out your pump in clean fresh water before installing it back in your fountain. back to top
- Why do I need the extra small slate or rocks that come with a slate/rock set ?
We supply with each set of Slate and Ice Rock a bag of loose small pieces of the same consistency.
These will help you to level your slate/rock tiers.
Your tiers should be level to give your fountain a better look as well as a better sound.
Water flowing down and over slate and rocks that are uneven will splash and can run out of your bowl. back to top
- Why do I need a tabletop fountain?
I bet you didn't know the benefits of having a tabletop fountain. Besides looking and sounding absolutely beautiful they are extremely relaxing.
Here's only a few examples of where you can use a tabletop fountain. Place one in your babys nursery! The soothing sound will relax your baby and allow them to fall asleep peacfully. Naturally don't ever place a fountain near a crib or bed of an infant. Get together and put one in the office where you work. You'd be surprised how it'll change the strick, tight atmosphere into a pleasant one, also for your customers/clients too. Give one as a gift to an elderly family member, the health benefits are fantastic and you don't have to take your fountain out for a walk! Fountains also teach young children "on a small scale" the way natures waterfalls work. These make great school projects. You'd be surprised the fountains our young adults can come up with. What I enjoy the most is after a long hard day, you know the one when everything that could possibly go wrong did? Well a fountain relaxes and relieves the everyday tension we all face. back to top
- What is Feather/Lava Rock ?
Feather Rock is not a rock made out of feathers, rather it's a rock that's usually lighter than a normal rock the same size.
Feather rock is actually volcanic glass which is the harden lava that has erupted from a volcano.
The darker the feather rock the deeper it was buried under the ash. The lighter colored feather rock has a light grey color to it and this was surface cooled lava.
The lighter lava rock is much easier to work with and also holds the water better.
Please remember, as first stated feather rock is volcanic glass and it is very sharp. So always handle it with respect.
These pieces make beautiful fountains, so enjoy them. back to top
- I turn my fountain off and all the water flows over the bowl.....Help !
I actually saw this happen in a store. Needless to say the potential buyer left with no fountain and a disappointing look on his face.
This happens when the fountain is taller than the water level in the container.
When you build your fountain, test run it first before adding all your materials.
What goes up must come down, sound familiar? If too much goes up and your container is too small then it will over flow.
The most simple solution is to have your bowl or container large enough to accommodate your waters resevior. back to top
- The tubing is too tight to go over the pumps spout. How can I get the tubing onto the pump?
Good question and a very common one too!
You can do this easily by boiling some water and placing the end of the tubing into the boiling water. You do NOT have to place the whole tubing in the water just the end of it. When the water starts to boil turn the heat off and place the end of the tubing into the water for about a minute. Remember the tubing will be HOT so handle it carefully. With the tubing still hot / warm you can now slide it over the spout! back to top
- What can I use to clean my bowl / container if I don't have any CLR?
Use denture cleaner!
That's right, it works and will not harm your containers. Drop 1-2 tablets into your container and let it bubble. Swish it around or use an old tooth brush to get the deep crevices clean.
When its done bubbling you can safely pour the water down your kitchen sink. The solution will also help clean your drain!
For copper containers test a small inconspicuous area before treating the entire bowl. back to top
- What is RESIN?
Resin is nothing more than a 2 part mixture of liquids. But when combined at a ratio of 50% - 50% you get a hard durable product.
Bowls and figurines just to name a few. They use a mold for products inwhich they pour the resin mixture into and it hardens very quickly. Almost destructable and yet light weight these make very nice fountain bowls & fignurines.Taken care of properly they will give you years of enjoyment. back to top
- Can I plug my indoor transformer into an extension cord?
Absolutely NOT! Transformers that come with your pump need to be plugged directly into an electrical outlet because they need to pull 110V - 115V from the outlet. Using an extension cord could cause the transformer to over heat. PLEASE, never plug a transformer into an extensin cord.
Using a regular outlet is how the transformer is designed to be use.. back to top
- Mister Foggers, How to maintain them?
We have a complete page on keeping your Mister Fogger running properly. Go to our Mister Foggers page, theirs a link there. Or you can copy & paste the URL below.
http://www.FountainsnSlate.com/mister_foggers back to top
- How can I stop my cat from drinking out of my tabletop fountain?
We can't say this is a 100% cure. But you could add some salt to the water making the taste slighly unpleasant... Or get your cat his or her own fountain. back to top
- How do I know what wattage of bulb is right for my pump-light combo?
First and foremost if you can, try to make knowledge of the bulb that first comes with your new unit. Most pump light combos use a 10W 12V halogen bulb. If you do not know what wattage your light is, go with a 5W bulb. You can go down in wattage but not up in wattage as this can and usually will ruin your pump & light combination. back to top
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