OMG! It's FABULOUS!!! I'm so excited for you... do you just adore it? Wait til you start getting birds bathing and drinking from it... having a fountain is just SO fun...
the color of the pot with your deck is gorgeous too... yippeee! tickled pink for you!
The key to a nice-looking lawn is a good mower. I recommend one who is muscular and shirtless.
Posts: 13440 | Location: San Diego zone 10a | Registered: May 20, 2003
Whoever mention the chicken wire to fill the empty space in the containers was so smart.
It took a lot of planning in looking for the containers and to make this fountain work correctly.
Do most people keep their fountains running during the winter?
I even thought of putting an aquarium thermometer at the corner of the deck post area, but then I would have to waterproof the area over the thermometer. Any ideas?
That is absolutely gorgeous. You should be proud of yourself.
Can you tell me how you did it? I have a small fountain (for containers) that I'm not using, as well as few extra pots. I would love to have something like that on my deck.
Where's the cord? and how do you have that worked out?
Happily married and mom of 4 Central maryland - Zone 7
Posts: 5411 | Location: Maryland, USA | Registered: Jun 28, 2004
It took two weeks worth of thinking to make things work just right. My DH was wonderful in helping me put together this project.
Two ceramic pots. One medium size clay pot is sitting inside upside down in the largest container. The clay pot has multiple holes drilled in the side to allow the water to get to the pump.
Think as you go from the bottom to the top to make sure everything is working.
Inside the clay pot is the small pump with the tubing coming through the clay pot drain hole.
I still have lots of tubing curled up in the clay pot because, I was afraid if I cut the tubing to short I would have a sprouting water spray. I just wanted a little bubble coming through the top.
The pump (From Lowes) smallest pump that is adjustable, I have my pump set on high. I had the pump set on low, but could not hear the bubble/water.
The pump sits on a round piece of hard plastic that has a "X" slit through it for the cord, that is why the fountain is on a stand, so the cord can come out. Silicone the hard plastic to the bottom of the big container. Make sure the cord is through the plastic, then silicone the opening of the cord, so the container does not leak. My biggest container had 3 drainage holes, so they needed to be covered with the hard plastic.
The second container sits on top of the clay pot. Both decorative containers have chicken wire crumpled up to take up space to lighten the load and so I do not have to buy lots of rock. I cut the chicken wire into, I guess 7 or 8 pieces of chicken wire about 24 inches in length and then started to molded the wire where I needed to occupy space, remember to bring up the tubing straight as the chicken wire is place.
Oh! Almost forgot! I had the whole fountain put together, plugged it in and no water. I knew the pump was working because I could hear it through the tube. The tubing came loose from the pump, so we decided to get a small type of clamp to keep the tubing tight onto the pump.
You need to fill both of the containers before you start your pump. When watering my plants on the deck, I just need to remember to water my fountain also, especially in hot weather. A pump will burn out if it is not wet.
Add the rock. Figure out where you are going to plug it in.
I have an outlet on the deck, so what I am going to do is take the cord just under the top step of the stairs to the house then run the cord along the bottom of the door up to the outlet. We had to buy an extension cord for this (my husband) is going to shorten the extension cord if needed. You can always go under the deck.
We are siliconing our joining plugs lightly to keep the water out and we are putting a waterproof outlet on our outside electrical outlet.
Tacking the cord with small staples or small brads nails bent over.
Now, isn't that a lot of thinking! There were many problems to solve. I was thinking it was just going to take a day to put it together, but with my work schedule (working 4 nights straight), I wanted to work on it when I was off.
I hope I have not forgotten any details to making the fountain.
It does not take long to take apart the fountain.
Still waiting for my first bird to discover the fountain. It is just right outside the back door. So, I will not be disappointed if they do not show up.
Enjoy! I enjoyed the experience, now I get to enjoy the benefits of the bubble of the water.
Just so you know, at night, the fountain sounds like a little brook. Our property is woody just outside the deck area, so the sound of the brook is wonderful!
Beauuuuuutiful!!! I just love fountains and yours looks great!!! I can't imagine just buying and plugging one in it wouldn't be as much fun. I also made one this year that uses 2 copper plates and a copper bowl that I've been collecting from thrift stores for years. Like you it took a lot of figuring to get it just right but I've had mine running every weekend this summer. When I get time I'll try and post a pic of mine. Yours looks like something I'd also try. Good work!!!!
I was thumbing through an older issue of Sunset Magazine and found nearly the same idea.... but your version is much nicer with the way the inner pot comes up higher...and yours has an overall nicer shape... I tore out the page anyway before recycling the magazine and will printout your instructions too.... It's a really nice idea. http://www.sunset.com/sunset/garden/article/0,20633,1631223,00.html
Posts: 1259 | Location: Putnam County, NY z5 | Registered: Jun 30, 2004
