Richard's Garden Center, LLC.     623-434-6922
26840 N. Black Canyon Hwy Phoenix, AZ. 85083
On Southbound I-17 Frontage Rd. between Jomax & Dixileta

Hours Of Operation (Open Every Day)
Mon-Sat: 8:00am - 5:00pm | Sunday: 9:00am - 4:00pm

Fountain Guide

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Helpful Hints Before Installation Stack your fountain in the exact place you intend to install it, stand back and view it from all directions. If you like the way it looks then install it.   This saves you the work of tearing it down and moving it if it doesn't look good  where you thought it would. It's a good idea to test the pump as soon as you take it out of the box.  After you finish setting up your fountain is not the time to find you have a bad pump.  Put in a bucket of water and plug it in. You'll know if it's running. Never let your fountain run dry.  Submersible pumps are made to run under water and running them without it will hasten the end of their lifespan. If you are installing your fountain on ground that is soft or may get wet it's a good idea to give it a solid footing.  A large concrete step stone from your local nursery will serve well.

Secrets of Easy Pump Installation In some center delivery fountains there may be a 1/2-inch PVC female adapter  built into the bottom bowl of your fountain.  If so, there may be a brass adapter  included in your fountain kit.  Thread the brass fitting into that using Teflon tape or other sealant. Next, you cut the plug off the pump leaving at least 3 feet of wire connected to the pump.  Less wire left on the pump will void your warranty. Pull the wire downward through the hole, pvc pipe, or brass fitting,  leaving 6-8 inches of wire inside the bowl so you can move the pump around. Pull the wire through the notch in the bottom of the fountain base then you can either splice the plug back on (give it a good coat of silicon sealer to waterproof) or you can put on a new water resistant plug  or wire directly to an outdoor junction box with an "on-and-off' switch in a convenient location.  Make sure your connection has ground field interrupter (GFI) in line somewhere.  (The spliced wire may be frowned upon by the Code Inspector). The easiest way to accomplish the wiring job is to put padding on the ground  and against the base and lean the bowl against the base with the fitting for the wire  above the top of the base. When you get the wire pulled through the fitting,  you can reach down inside the base and push the wire through the notch  to the outside and pull it tight. Then, simply tilt the bowl up into the base,  (keeping the wire tight), center it, and remove the padding. This method saves a lot of lifting and cussing.

If you are using a Little Giant pump
 The color code on the wires is weird and you should know the colors. 
They are as follows:
Little Giant Brown wire connects to the Hot/black wire
Little Giant Blue wire connects to the Common/white wire
Little Giant Yellow-green stripe goes to the Ground/greenor non insulated copper 

Freeze Protection For Your Concrete
Unfortunately, due to the fact that we are "desert dwellers", 
we don't know much about the effects of freezing temperatures on our products. 
We will try to help you with the few facts we have.
Concrete is porous, similar to a sponge, and absorbs water like one. 
When the temperature drops below freezing, 
the water inside the concrete also freezes; expanding as it does. 
When the water expands inside, the pores of the concrete cannot expand with it, 
so the result is an explosion of sorts in each cell resulting in disintegration of the concrete 
starting in the extremities and working inward.

The best way we have found to combat this in our products
 is to keep the water from entering the concrete at all. 
We achieve this by applying a complete paint job.
 We paint every surface - over, under and in between. 
Our standard paint job is applied only on exposed areas. 
Once the unit is sealed and installed, you will want to drain the water before the first freeze. 
Put some chunks of wood in the bowls (chips in smaller bowls) to absorb the water 
that will drip in or condense in the unit.
Cover the unit with burlap or canvas. 
These materials will breathe and won't trap moisture like plastics will.
After you have taken these precautions, cross your fingers.
 They will work most of the time but we hold no guarantees.
If you want to be 100% sure, take the unit inside where it's warm! 

Other Facts That May Be Helpful To You All of our fountains are self-contained and require no special plumbing. All you need is an electrical receptacle within a couple of feet. An extension cord of any kind is not recommended  to connect your fountain pump.  To our knowledge there is no such thing as a waterproof extension cord. Replacement pieces for our fountains may be available through your dealer. But handle your pieces carefully.  They are fragile and break easily with rough handling. All of our products carry a limited warranty and service policy  Welcome to our world of moving water.  There is nothing in the world that compares  with the beauty and restful feelings you enjoy watching and listening to your fountain.

How much Water is in my Fountain or Pond?

How to calculate the volume of water in gallons Rectangular or square shape Multiply depth x length x width x 7.5 Circular shape Multiply depth x diameter (squared) x 5.9 Oval with straight sides shape Multiply depth x length x width x 6.7 Free form shape Find the average depth, length and width Multiply depth x length x width x 6.7

How to calculate the surface area in square yards Rectangular or square shape Multiply length x width and divide by 9 Circular shape Multiply the radius (squared) x 3.14 and divide by 9 Oval with straight sides shape Multiply 1/2 of length x 1/2 of width x 3.14 and divide by 9  Free form shape Find the average length and width Multiply 1/2 of length x 1/2 of width x 3.14 and divide by 9 Your calculations will give you a close answer.  If you want complete accuracy you must use a bucket.



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