Air O Lator Fountains
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Guide & FAQ
How to choose the right Air-O-Lator fountain
- 3 min overview
- Types, sizing & power
- 5 common questions
Why use an aerating fountain
A fountain gives you two things at once: a visible spray display and active movement at the surface. As water lifts and falls back, it adds oxygen near the top and breaks up the still, warm conditions that let odors and surface film build.
These units suit retention basins, golf course hazards, farm ponds, and commercial landscape features where appearance matters as much as circulation. A fountain works the upper layer of the pond, so it does not reach deep water on its own.
The main types, and when to choose each
Font`N-Aire Ready 1HP
Choose the Ready 1HP when a smaller pond needs a balanced display with steady circulation. It runs a single phase motor with a Carnival nozzle in a trumpet spray pattern, mounted on a polyethylene float filled with polystyrene foam.
Font`N-Aire Platinum 2HP
Choose the Platinum 2HP when the water body calls for the larger unit of the two pond fountains. Its Franklin Electric Sand Fighter submersible motor uses a silicon carbide mechanical sealing system, the propellers resist fouling, and the square float is shaped to limit oscillation.
Air-O-Lator wastewater mixers
The Enterprise II Aspirating Mixer and the InterMix Submersible Mixer are built for raw and screened wastewater in tanks, lagoons, and oxidation ditches. Choose these only for treatment or aquaculture work. They do not produce a decorative display, so they are not the right pick for a backyard pond.
When a fountain is not enough
Fountains move surface water. For a deep pond where you want oxygen carried from the bottom up, read our surface aerator vs bottom diffuser guide and compare diffused aeration instead.
How to choose the right size or model
Start with the water body itself.
- Surface area. This is the main sizing input, and it decides which motor size fits. Our fountain sizing guide works through the calculation.
- Depth. Fountains move the upper layers, so a deep pond may also need aeration that reaches lower water.
- Shape. Long or divided ponds may not circulate evenly from a single surface unit.
- Power. Plan the electrical service at the water's edge and the cable run from the control box.
Power, cable and placement
The Ready 1HP uses a standard 230 volt, 15 amp plug and includes 100 feet of AWG #12/4 submersible cable with a quick disconnect connector, a 24 hour time clock, a Franklin Electric capacitor box, and an inline ELCI ground fault protector.
The Platinum 2HP includes 100 feet of watertight removable cable, with longer runs available in 50 foot increments. Its control panel is ETL listed to ANSI/UL508 and carries a time clock adjustable in 15 minute increments plus an ELCI.
Both fountains float, so plan for mooring lines or anchors to hold the unit in place. If your power source sits a long way from the water, allow for the extra cable when you order.
What normally comes with a fountain
The Font`N-Aire Ready 1HP has four main components:
- polyethylene float with UV inhibitors and foam fill
- power drive assembly with the Carnival nozzle and single phase motor
- 100 foot cable assembly with a quick disconnect connector
- controls, including the time clock, capacitor box and inline ELCI
The Platinum 2HP features the Sand Fighter submersible motor with foul-resistant propellers, square flotation, 100 feet of power cable, and the ETL listed control panel. Check the product page for the components included with your unit.
Not sure which one you need?
Send Pond Haven your pond surface area, approximate depth, and how far the power source sits from the water. We can help you decide between the Ready and the Platinum, and whether a fountain covers the job on its own.
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Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about our air o lator fountains.
Which Air-O-Lator models are meant for ponds rather than wastewater plants?
The Font`N-Aire Ready 1HP and Font`N-Aire Platinum 2HP are pond fountains. The Enterprise II and InterMix are industrial mixers for wastewater tanks, lagoons and oxidation ditches, so they do not suit decorative ponds.
What electrical service do I need at the pond?
The Ready 1HP runs on a standard 230 volt, 15 amp plug with an inline ELCI ground fault protector, so plan for that circuit at the water's edge. Confirm the required service for the Platinum on its product page before you order cable or a breaker.
What is the difference between the Font`N-Aire Ready and the Platinum?
The Ready is a 1HP unit with a Carnival nozzle in a trumpet pattern and a foam-filled polyethylene float. The Platinum is a 2HP unit with a Franklin Electric Sand Fighter motor, foul-resistant propellers and a square float that limits oscillation.
How much cable comes with the fountain?
Both the Ready and the Platinum include 100 feet of submersible cable as standard. On the Platinum, additional length is available in 50 foot increments.
Can one of these fountains aerate a deep pond?
A fountain moves and oxygenates the upper water column. For deeper water where circulation needs to reach the bottom, see our surface aerator vs bottom diffuser guide and consider diffused aeration.
Need expert help finding the right setup?
Contact Pond Haven Support