Protecting Pond Equipment Often Gets Overlooked
Have you spent time and money finding only the right pond equipment just to let it sit in the UV rays, rain and snow? It may not show the wear right away, but it certainly will not last as long without protection. Let’s talk about how to cover pond equipment.
The control panels on the lighting timer, IonGen, Autodose and even the pump panel specifically would become difficult to read or go out altogether after a few years in the sun. I specifically love the new Aquascape Smart Pond Dosing System XT because the control panel is on the INSIDE of the lid! It protects the display panel so much better. That being said, I would still put a fake rock over it. The lid is roughly 7 x 8 inches so it doesn’t take a huge rock to cover it. Looking for the manual to the Autodose or the new Smart Pond Dosing System XT? Read more about them HERE.
There are fake rocks so well made that people visiting our house don’t know they aren’t real rock!
Some of them come with a sort of tab at the edge of the rock cover, that you can put a stake through to keep strong winds from blowing it off. This is a great idea if you live in a really windy area. If not, most of these rocks, especially the short ones, stay on just fine.
Covering and protecting the pond equipment will lengthen its life! The rocks come in grays, grayish blues, and tans, in all sizes.
The Pond Guy offers a good variety. Check them out HERE.
What About Protecting Pond Lights?
Aquatic lights are made to be in the water and outdoors in general. What does need to be protected is the timer attached to them! If left in the sunshine, those UV rays will make the display impossible to read. Remember, if you are covering the light controller, if you are using the sensor, it has to be left out. If you cover it with a rock, the lights will think it’s night.
Plug in outlets definitely need to be protected. Most outdoor outlets will have a built in cover. When they are installed low to the ground, these lids can be extremely frustrating. One practically has to lay on the ground to be able to see them. I highly recommend installing an outlet on the house (if it is close enough) and raising it to a height that one (50, 60, 70, 80- year old person) doesn’t have to laydown in the mud & rocks to be able to see! Seriously, I should have had someone take a picture (or better yet a VIDEO) of me doing this. It would have been very funny!
How Much Does a Pond Aerator Need to be Protected?
Alright, this may seem obvious but I had an employee once who it wasn’t obvious to. So I am going to lay it out. An aerator is an air pump that pumps air out through a disk or stone or ball. But the motor itself that pumps the air can’t go in the water. That would destroy it. Only the part where the air comes out (air stone, disk or ball) can go directly into the water.
Pond equipment can last a long time when it is taken care of!