Yes, but they are not the most cost-effective way. Aeration systems are designed to aerate. Fountains are designed for appearance. AES's Great Lakes® systems are located on the bottom of the lake and lift huge quantities of low-oxygen water using a comparatively small amount of energy. They are the most cost-effective way of aerating lakes deeper than six feet. Traditional floating fountains only aerate water near the surface, when the surface oxygen level is low. To achieve some of the benefits of destratification and aeration, locate the pump's intake near the bottom of the lake. Use a dissolved oxygen (D.O.) meter to measure bottom D.O. When it drops below 4 mg/l, operate the aerator/fountain 24 hours a day.
Fountains and aerators differ greatly in terms of their aeration efficiency. The standard aeration efficiency (SAE) of a fountain is typically less than 1.5 lbs/kWh, whereas an aerator is greater than 2.5. A Great Lakes® system can be as high as 10! The poor SAE of fountains is due to the wasted energy from throwing water much higher than is needed for aeration. However, a fountain can aerate a small pond if it draws its water from below the surface and is operated at night.