Water, the essence of life, finds charming expression in a bubbling
tabletop fountain garden and provides a grounding connection to
nature. The imaginative play involved in crafting a personal fountain
meets other needs, too, for self-expression, relaxation, and
creativity. Table top fountains are wonderful stress reducers and
room beautifiers. Gather the kids, favorite shells and crystals, a
casserole dish or punch bowl and a submersible fountain pump and have
a blast!
There are also many benefits to having a fountain at home or work:
* Fountains release negative ions, said to promote better moods and
concentration.
* Fountains humidify dry air and encourage lush growth in nearby plants.
* The gentle, calming water sound helps you relax into sleep. If you
find later that the noise is irritating rather than soothing, then
the fountain has done its job of stirring the energy to a better
balance. You can then turn the fountain off at night or move it to a
different room.
* Fountains are a unique gift, made with your own creative touch.
* A fountain dish of memories can display shells, crystals, special
stones and other accents.
* As a sanctuary and meditation tool, a table top fountain sets the
stage for going within -- physically coming to an attractive water
setting and also mentally journeying into oneself.
Let's look at the basic how-to's of fountain building:
1. Select a small submersible pump from an aquarium, hardware, or
garden supply store. Or from fountain suppliers on the web. The Hagen
Aquapump, for instance, has a water flow regulator, suction cup feet
to hold pump securely, quiet motor, simple maintenance, output of
80-85 gallons per hour. Cost: about $20.
2. From the same source, fit plastic tubing on the pump spout and get
about 8" of the tubing to elevate the water . The most common tubing
size is 1/2" inner diameter, 5/8" outer diameter. Cut the tubing
length to fit your bowl and design.
3. Find a waterproof bowl at least 2" deep. Look for ceramic, glass,
seamless metal, plastic, or water sealed wood. Check Target,
Wal-Mart, K-Mart, second hand stores, garage sales, flea markets.
Look in your cupboard for a pasta, casserole or serving dish, punch
bowl, or fruit bowl if you're in a hurry to make a fountain.
4. Search outside for stones or visit a garden center or landscape
yard for flat, round, or smooth stones. Use big ones for filling the
bottom (generally won't be seen) and smaller ones for accenting the
visible top. Scrub off grit and /or rinse in a water-bleach bath to
clean off dirt.
5. Read the pump directions. Attach the pump's suction cup feet,
locate the propeller (behind the front cover) for easy cleaning in
about 3 months. Set the water flow bar in the middle to test the
effect. Cut 1-2" of plastic tubing and fit over the pump spout.
7. Put pump in bowl, add tap water to more than cover the intake
valve (2" minimum); plug pump into electrical outlet.
8. Unplug pump and adjust water flow if needed. Add larger rocks to
fill bottom of bowl and hide the pump. Disguise the cord going over
the edge of the bowl by placing a tall rock or plant cutting in front
of the cord. Or tape the cord to the outside of the bowl and place a
scarf over the cord on the table.
9. Stack smaller rocks on top near the pump spout. Express your self
by adding accents such as candles, flowers, shells, crystals or
figurines to your fountain. Plug in, adjust the water volume and
stones as needed, and enjoy!
10. Suction excess water from the bowl with a turkey baster. Check
water level daily for the first week, adding fresh water as needed to
keep the pump completely covered. After three months, take fountain
apart and clean the pump. Pull off the front cover, remove debris
from propeller and screen, wipe the bottom. Reassemble your
fountain, experimenting with a different bowl and accents.
Bonus tip: Ask family members to add a special accent each for a
"dish of memories".
About the author:
Paris Mannion, author of Create Your Indoor Fountain and Create Your
Own Tabletop Fountains, publishes a free newsletter Design on Tap.
Visit http://www.BuildFountains.com for indoor fountain supplies,
fountain photos, top ten lists, step by step illustrated fountain
projects, fountain books and more.
