Armor Ball® AQUA Wind-Resistant Floating Cover — Water-Ballasted HDPE Ball Covers up to 75 MPH
Armor Ball® AQUA 275 is a water-ballasted hollow HDPE sphere floating cover rated for sustained winds up to 75 MPH. Engineered for exposed, high-wind pond sites where standard ball covers would be displaced, the Armor Ball® AQUA self-fills with pond water to dramatically increase ballast weight — without anchors, cables, or pond modification.
75
MPH Wind Rated
91%
Surface Coverage
Self
Filling Ballast
25+
Year Lifespan
The Problem: Standard Ball Covers Fail in High-Wind Environments
Open ponds in coastal regions, plains states, elevated plateaus, and desert environments regularly experience sustained winds of 60–100+ MPH. Standard lightweight floating covers — including basic ball covers — are displaced by these winds, piling up at pond edges and exposing the water surface. Cover displacement negates the entire evaporation and odor control investment, often within weeks of installation.
Conventional wind solutions require expensive perimeter cabling systems, mechanical anchors drilled into pond liners, or rigid membrane covers with complex installation. These approaches add significant cost and risk to the containment liner and pond infrastructure.
The Solution: Water Ballast Locks Covers in Place at 75 MPH
The Armor Ball® AQUA solves wind displacement through internal water ballast. Each sphere has a sealed water-filling chamber that fills automatically when placed on the liquid surface. The water ballast increases each ball's effective weight by over 2× compared to the dry version — from 120g to 275g per ball.
This weight increase dramatically raises the wind force required to displace the cover. Testing confirms sustained wind resistance to 75 MPH (120 km/h). No anchors, cables, or liner penetrations are required. The pond's own water provides the ballast.
Armor Ball® AQUA Technical Specifications
Engineering data for wind-exposed industrial pond cover specification and procurement.
| Surface Coverage | 91% |
| Ball Diameter | 100 mm (4 inches) |
| Ball Weight (dry) | 50 g (dry) / 275 g (water-ballasted) |
| Density | 10 balls/ft² (108 balls/m²) |
| Buoyancy | 5 lb/ft² (water-ballasted) |
| Wind Resistance | 75 MPH (120 km/h) |
| Ballast Mechanism | Self-filling water chamber — fills automatically on deployment |
| Evaporation Reduction | Up to 90% |
| Heating Cost Reduction | Up to 75% |
| Operating Temperature | −70°F to +160°F (−57°C to +71°C) |
| Material | UV-stabilized HDPE |
| Life Expectancy | 25+ years |
| Warranty | 10 years (manufacturer) |
| Maintenance | None required |
| Installation | Tool-free — pour onto liquid surface |
Why Engineers Specify Armor Ball® AQUA for Exposed Sites
Six design features that make Armor Ball® AQUA the engineered solution for wind-exposed industrial pond applications.
75 MPH Wind Resistance
Water-filled ballast chambers dramatically increase sphere weight, anchoring the cover against sustained winds up to 75 MPH (120 km/h) without any mechanical fasteners or pond anchoring.
Self-Ballasting — No Pumps Required
Balls fill automatically when placed on the liquid surface. The ballast water comes from the pond itself — no external water source, pumps, or manual filling required.
91% Surface Coverage
Water-ballasted spheres maintain the same 91% surface coverage as standard Armor Ball® while resisting wind displacement across exposed outdoor sites.
Self-Adjusts to Level Changes
As liquid levels rise or fall, ballasted balls disperse, stack, or repack around equipment. The cover maintains continuous surface contact without manual adjustment.
Chemical & Industrial Liquid Compatible
HDPE resists acids, alkalis, hydrocarbons, and most industrial process liquids. The water ballast uses the contained liquid itself — no contamination risk.
Cold Climate Performance
Certified performance down to −70°F. The water-filled ballast provides thermal mass that resists freeze-induced displacement in cold-weather operations.
Armor Ball® AQUA Applications
Specified for exposed outdoor ponds where wind displacement is a primary design concern.
Airport Deicing Ponds
High-wind sites near runways — prevents glycol evaporation and controls odors at major airports.
Frac Ponds & Oil Field Pits
Exposed plains-state locations with regular 60–80 MPH wind events.
Open-Cast Mine Tailings Ponds
High-elevation or coastal mining sites with severe wind exposure.
Agricultural Lagoons (Plains)
CAFO and dairy lagoons in wind-exposed regions of the Midwest and Great Plains.
Chemical Plant Storage Ponds
Industrial liquid containment on exposed refinery or chemical plant sites.
Power Plant Cooling Ponds
Large open cooling water impoundments in coastal or elevated wind environments.
Related Engineering Guides
Verification & documentation
AWTT keeps lab reports and project certificates request-gated, while making technical documentation for Armor Ball AQUA 275 available to qualified specifiers.
Request-gated
Certificates, SDS, and test reports
Request material certificates, SDS sheets, wind/UV/R-value reports, and third-party documentation for submittal packages.
Public data
Technical data and comparisons
Review HTML tables, JSON/CSV data, and public specifications for coverage, wind, buoyancy, R-value, and design life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers for engineering, procurement, and compliance teams evaluating AWTT floating covers.
What is the difference between Armor Ball and Armor Ball AQUA 275?
Which sites are best for Armor Ball AQUA 275?
Does Armor Ball AQUA require mechanical anchoring?
Do AWTT floating covers leach PFAS, BPA, BPS, or BPF into drinking water?
Can AWTT provide lab reports, SDS sheets, and material certifications for submittals?
Engineering Tools & Resources
Evaporation & ROI Calculators
Calculate evaporation losses, estimate surface area, and compare cost savings across cover systems.
Not Sure Which Cover?
Answer a few questions about your site conditions and get a personalized product recommendation.
Technical Specifications
View full engineering specs, wind resistance data, R-values, and material compliance details.
Is Your Pond Site Too Exposed for Standard Covers?
Contact AWTT to discuss your site wind conditions. Our engineering team will confirm whether Armor Ball® AQUA is the right solution or recommend higher-rated Hexprotect® or Rhombo covers for extreme wind environments.