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Bubbly Fountain from a Basketball

16 years ago

Here's a project my GH and I did together. We took one of the kid's deflated basketballs and poured concrete in it. My GH cut it open first and used a 5 gal bucket full of sand to sit the bb on as he filled it. He inserted a piece of pipe the diameter of the bb and poured cement around it.

Next we buried a rubber feed tub (from farm store) in the ground for the pump. Put an old charcoal grill grate on top of it. You can see the results with the rocks I piled around. In the winter my GH removes the pump. We saw this idea from a book in the library. Also saw the original cement balls to buy but they were too expensive! The cord is hidden under the pea gravel and behind the posts. I now have "blue" water bubblying as I added pond blueing...and the old rope-handed feed bucket sits near it (that I posted previously) with a castor bean plant.

Image link: {{!gwi}}

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Comments (11)

gretch1964
16 years ago
Love it. I need to find a ball now. Thanks
nonacook
16 years ago
There is also one on our FAQ page that you might watn to look at.
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Stunning Felix!! I would really love to see your yard and gardens!! Where is summerfield? Kate and Sillybugs you both are too much!! HEY Bugs, those would be great to garden in, do they come in 9Med?? They match my red sweater purrfectly!!! I'd look really HOT wearing those while scooting around on my garden scooter! LOL
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So it might be a cat after all. Could they be drowning? It is 3 inches deep at most and barely 4 inches wide (a narrow doughnut shape with a decorative piece in the middle with a spout at the top). Most of the time they perch right on top, and the water bubbles up around them and over their little bodies. It's so cute.... When I have spotted them floating dead in there, there is usually at least two. I haven't found any hummingbirds dead in there, some kind of bird a little bit bigger and all gray-black. Maybe I should put something around the base of the fountain if it really is a cat. I know there has been a semi-feral cat harrassing a neighbor's chickens...the neighbor spotted the cat herding the chickens into a corner, she had to run out with a broom and chase it away. Another time when I was out in the yard I was dive bombed by crows, suddenly a cat sprang out of the shrubbery with a live crow in his mouth. If it is a cat the problem may resolve itself as the coyote population increases.
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cindee11461
16 years ago
that is really cool. Could you make a cement ball without making it a fountain? How large a hole did you put in the bb? Did you use fence post cement?
TwoMonths
16 years ago
That is great! And a great August POTM: Rocks
luna_llena_feliz
16 years ago
I saw a thread on something like this on the hypertufa forum. Your fountain looks awesome!
Bright199
16 years ago
Totally Awsome idea!!! Wonder if dh would miss that basket ball in the carport!!
User
16 years ago
Love it! :)
kudzukween
16 years ago
There's your POTM:) Beautiful, thanks for the instructions,too! You made it sound easy,lol:)but I know it must have been a lot of hard work! I'd love to get one of these made for myself.
use2bcapecodr
16 years ago
That really is neat!

~Sandy~
katladie
16 years ago
Cool, I love it.

Sharon
jeannespines
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, everyone ...to answer a few questions and I'll send another pic (with blue bubblies!) which I can't seem to figure out and do on a "follow-up."

My GH cut a small hole in top and bottom of basketball and then put a piece of water pipe (copper pipe) through it...to hold it steady. He then cut the ball open on the top enough to pour in the cement..he had this sitting in a 5 gal. bucket of sand. You can see the bb lines on the cement. Yes, you could just make a cement ball. It was fun and looks great with the old feed tub by it. Jeanne

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