Keeping Your Fountain Tidy
Keeping Your Fountain Tidy Water fountains will keep working a long time with routine cleaning and maintenance. It is important to clean it out and remove any debris or foreign objects that might have fallen into or onto it.
On top of that, algae can be a challenge, as sunshine hitting the water permits it to form easily. Blend hydrogen peroxide, sea salt, or vinegar into the water to avoid this particular dilemma. There are those who prefer to use bleach, but that is hazardous to any animals that might drink or bathe in the water - so should therefore be avoided. No more than three-four months should really go by without an extensive maintaining of a fountain. The initial step is to empty out all the water. Then use a soft towel and gentle cleanser to scrub the inside. If there is delicate artwork, you might need to use a toothbrush for those hard-to-reach areas. Do not leave any soap residue inside or on the fountain.
Calcium and fresh water organisms could get inside the pump, so you should disassemble it to get it truly clean. To make it less strenuous, soak it in vinegar for a while before cleaning. Build-up can be a big hassle, so use mineral or rain water over tap water, when possible, to eliminate this dilemma.
One final tip for keeping your fountain in top working order is to check the water level every day and make sure it is full. Allowing the water level to get too low can cause damage to the pump - and you certainly do not want that!
Bernini's First Masterpieces
Bernini's First Masterpieces The Barcaccia, Bernini's first fountain, is a striking chef d'oeuvre built at the bottom of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. This area continues to be filled with Roman locals and tourists who enjoy exchanging gossip or going over the day's news. The streets surrounding his water fountain have come to be one of the city’s most fashionable meeting places, something which would certainly have pleased Bernini himself. Dating back to around 1630, Pope Urbano VIII commissioned what was to be the earliest fountain of the master's career. A massive boat slowly sinking into the Mediterranean is the fountain's central theme. The great 16th century flooding of the Tevere, which left the entire region inundated with water, was memorialized by the fountain according to writings from the period. In 1665, France was graced by Bernini's only prolonged trip outside of Italy.