How it works
A pour-on layer of UV-stabilized HDPE spheres that covers, conserves, resists, and insulates — here's why it works.
Poured onto a surface, equal floating spheres self-arrange into hexagonal close packing. The densest planar circle packing fills about 90.7% of the area, so Armor Ball® settles into a dense ~91% interlocking layer with small gaps that let rain and snow pass. The balls self-adjust as the level changes and re-cover after any disturbance.
The floating layer of hollow balls traps a buffer of air at the surface, insulating the liquid at R-2. That slows heat loss from heated process water, cutting heating costs up to 70% (up to ~75% for AQUA). For higher insulation, AWTT's range extends to R-17+.
Covering 91% of the surface removes most of the exposed area that drives evaporation and shields the water from wind and sun, cutting evaporative loss up to 90%. The same opaque layer blocks the UV that feeds algae and drives disinfection-byproduct reactions.
Standard Armor Ball® is rated to 35 MPH. Where sites are more exposed, Armor Ball® AQUA comes pre-filled with sealed water ballast (≈275 g vs. a ≈50 g shell), raising wind resistance to 75 MPH with no pumps, anchors, cables, or liner penetration. The ballast is sealed in at the factory, so it never mixes with the covered liquid.
Install & logistics
About 10 balls/ft² (108/m²). A 1-acre pond needs roughly 435,600 balls.
AQUA ships in ~40 lb mesh bags; a 53-ft dry van unloads in ~1–2 hours.
No anchors, cables, liner penetration, or draining — pour directly onto the liquid.
Balls self-interlock into a dense 91% layer that self-adjusts to changing levels.
Need the numbers for your site? Coverage & units calculator → · Full install guide →
FAQ
Equal spheres floating on a surface settle into a hexagonal close-packed arrangement. The densest planar packing of circles fills about 90.7% of the area, leaving small interstitial gaps between balls — which is why Armor Ball® achieves 91% surface coverage rather than 100%.
Evaporation is driven by exposed water surface, wind across it, and solar heating. By covering 91% of the surface, Armor Ball® removes most of the open area and shields the water from wind and sun, cutting evaporative loss up to 90% per AWTT published data.
Algae and cyanobacteria need sunlight to photosynthesize. The opaque, UV-stabilized HDPE layer blocks light at the surface, starving blooms — a chemical-free control that also limits UV-driven reactions such as bromate formation.
Armor Ball® AQUA comes pre-filled with sealed water ballast, so each ball weighs roughly 275 g versus about 50 g for the shell alone. The heavier balls resist being lifted or displaced by wind, raising the cover's wind rating to 75 MPH (120 km/h) without anchors or liner penetration. Because the ballast is sealed at the factory, it never mixes with the liquid you are covering.
No. Because the layer is made of discrete balls with interstitial gaps, rain and snow pass through to the liquid below rather than pooling on top, and the cover is not damaged by ice or snow.
Tell us about your site — surface area, liquid, and goals — and we'll size a cover and respond within 24 hours.
Manufactured by AWTT · 700+ installations · 25 countries · 10-year warranty
