Its hard to respond without actually seeing whats going on. I never installed a fountain but I can try to help.

I am certain that if the pump will burn out if you don't have water running through it constantly. I've learned that the hard way with other types of water pumps used in automatic cat feeders and fish tanks. The main thing to worry about is evaporation, if the water evaporates below pump level your pump will burn out.

As for the cleaning out problem, is it possible to have a pan at the bottom of the reservoir that you can just remove when you need to clean it?

Also, being that the galvanized trash can is exposed to water 24/7, it will eventually rust even though its galvanized. You will then lose water into the ground and the pump will fail. I watch alot of DIY television, any anytime a water feature is installed they use some kind of plastic or vinyl liner for the reservoir. I think this is a better option than a trash can because you can just dig a hole, put down the liner, throw some rocks on top and have more landscaped natural appearance. Hard to say without seeing exactly what you have going in.

I'm thinking what I would do if I were you is buy a plastic liner, dig a hole as deep as you want (or get a preformed liner that you don't have to shape yourself), place the pedestal fountain in the center, put the pump behind the fountain, cover the liner in river rock or pebbles to hide the liner, and maybe put some stones along the edges to hide the edge of the liner.

Another slightly more complex option would be if you bought a flexible liner, you first dig a wider basin, then dig a smaller deeper hole in the basin's center, large enough to fit the pump in it. Grade the wider basin so that water flows to the center deeper hole, kind of like a drain. Then line both the basin and the drain hole with the same liner. place the pump in the drain hole, and create an elevated stone platform for the pedestal to sit on top of the drain hole, but create it in such a way that it does not obstruct the flow of water into the drain. You can get fancy by putting some screen material over the drain to prevent debris from flowing into the drain hole. Then line everything with pebbles as above. This will hide the pump mechanism from view, which acts like the drain in your tub but instead of carrying the water away it circulates it back up to the fountain. I've never tried anything like this, so try something like this at your own risk :)

Taking a shot in the dark here, Marie. Firstly, it is difficult to read most of your posts without laughing, but now that Ive regained some composure over the loss of the vole, I truly relate to your fountain trials. Been there, done that.

Secondly, without knowing the depth of your stone basin, is it possible to use the pump within the basin and skip the garbage can reservoir? I had sunk a big kitty litter plastic pail in the ground years ago to use as a reservoir, but had the same problem you are now experiencing. Because I had to move the fountain alone, I gave up quickly, scrapped the reservoir idea and ran the Little Giant pump Âone big enough for 5 gallons  directly into the basin, then proceeded to hide the pump with a few rocks and yes, artificial greenery. When the water in the basin got murky, I just squirted the whole basin with the hose, filled it with clean water, and turned the pump back on. The pump only needed to be covered by water not to burn out; it didnÂt need the whole Atlantic.

Alternatively, (and not knowing your layout) is there anyway a reservoir can be placed near but not under a heavy piece of cement?

Kindly,

Jane

Eureka! Finally, a solution to my vole problem ... am off to get a bunch of fountains for my yard!! ;)

I knew many smart and funny people lurk around this forum. Did you know you can buy a heavy duty plastic reservoir that comes with a grille for the fountain to stand on and a hatch to access the pump. Priced 100-189 dollars.

Did you know if you go to Mahoney's in Winchester and ask the woman in the "fountain" department to help- at five p.m. and not a soul in the store- she will shift impatiently from foot to foot and tell you repeatedly that she can't answer your question because they sell all their fountains completely assembled. I persisted, and finally we agreed the magic words are "submersible pump" and that yes, a submersible pump must be submerged in water. I really wasn't trying to be a smart-ass or nasty, I really didn't understand. But no, the pond department doesn't sell preformed basins anymore. But they do, for ponds big enough for a dead mafioso and his car to disappear forever into.

But your suggestions and a diverse and winding internet search ("fountains" brings up fountain pens and chocolate fountains as well) gives us some functional ideas. I don't know when we'll get around to it because my husband just had knee surgery and is on crutches and the fountain is toppled like a Roman ruin. I bet my daughter and I can right it, but I still have to find a sturdy shallower reservoir. Or maybe not if I try your ideas.

Please keep throwing the ideas my way, and I'll tell you what we end up with.

PS the vole has vanished. I guess in a day or two it'll be a "floater"

marie/idabean

sounds like a job for a DIY club!

This process has helped me realize it is not just us who were grappling with this challenge. I wonder how many 'water features' will disappear from gardens as gardeners get exasperated with motors, cleaning etc.

Has anyone gotten rid of their fountain, pond or water feature ? Why?

Marie, I am of absolutely no help, but I just had to write because I just love your posts! You always make me smile - if not laugh outright! - and I love the way you retain your sense of humor in trying situations!

I'm thinking now I should get a fountain for out by the bed with the worst vole problem. No electricity source out there, so I might have to try one of those solar-powered ones. But with my luck, I'd most likely go out there and see the voles floating around on tiny rafts in the fountain, with white noses and sunglasses, holding tiny drinks with tiny umbrellas in them.

Last year I had a little inexpensive fountain. It was actually a small pump with the ... spout? I don't even know what you call it! The part where the water comes out, lol. Anyway, this decorative spout simply attached to the pump, and you were supposed to put it in your own container. I went out and bought a pretty, decorative container, like one you would plant in (no holes, obviously, lol) and set it up, putting a few rocks in to hold the spout straight.

Aw, how nice... oops...oops... wait! Get it! Down went the spout, leaning over the side of the pot, and the water was pouring on the patio. Okay, I straightened it up, made sure it was firmly anchored with five tons of field stone in the pot.... ah, there we go. Oh!..oh no, not again...

I have not set it up yet this year.

:)
Dee

rd.com - Here is a website with a diagram, Marie, of how a fountain can be set up with the reservoir in front of the cement pedestal with extra tubing leading into the base of the pedestal. A reservoir in front, back, aside, connected by hosing would allow you access to the water supply without having to move monsterously heavy concrete weekly. (weakly?)

There is always the Sponge Bob Water Slide with continuous arching water for taller birds available on Amazon.com.

:)
Jane

O.K. Take a deep breath. . .kick the vole out of the way, and let's start over
again from the beginning.

Years ago, when I tried my first fountain/watefall, I was just as flummoxed as you are now, but eventually I got the hang of it. . .it's really no more complicated
than installing a supercharged flush toilet or replacing the mainfold in a '54
T-Bird. . .but I jest, of course. . .

Real solutions: we need to know the exact dimensions of your fountain. . .
specifically, how deep is the "bowl" on top of the pedastal?. . .and how high
is the fountain from the bottom of the pedastal to the top of the fountain?
My guess is that the bowl itself isn't deep enough to hold the pump (which
MUST be submerged, as everyone has pointed out), and the plastic (or rubber)
tube which supplies water to the fountain from the pump must run down the
center of the pedastal. Are we guessing right so far?

If this IS the case, your only solution is a reservoir SEPARATE from the founain
(which is why I prefer larger fountains where the catch-basin is an integral
part of the fountain). . .personally, I would find the idea of an adjacent
bucket (or reservoir) unappealing; you were actually on to the most logical
and efficient solution with your five-gallon-pail. . .you just need to expand
and refine that idea.

Here's a cheap-and-dirty idea I've used over a dozen times in the past years
for simple waterfalls, overflowing birdbathes, or fountains just like yours.
You need to create a small pool to act as your water reservoir: my favorite
comes from an animal supply source (such as AgWay) and it's a small watering trough for horses or other animal, very tough, 24" round, black vinyl bowl, about 8" deep - an alternate, would be a black vinyl mortar tray
(from HD or Lowe's), the kind you mix concrete in, which are about 6" deep
and usually rectangular in shape (roughly 24"x30").

Sink this vinyl reservoir into the ground, so it sits FLUSH with the ground
level - it helps to dig your hole, tamp the bottom really hard, and fill with water (and let it drain away). . .this helps to keep the much heavier reservoir (filled with water) and the massive concrete fountain from sinking further
down once it's installed.

O.K. This next step is important. We don't want the reservoir to remain
FLUSH with ground level, because dirt and rain run-off would tend to spill
into it. So: we pour about an inch of clean sand into our hole-in-the-ground and set the vinyl reservoir on TOP of that. . .now, your black vinyl
pool is sitting a perfect 1" (approximately) ABOVE ground level, which is exactly where we want it ! Take a sturdy piece of scrap wood that is STRAIGHT (a 3-foot section of 2x4 is ideal), lay it across the edges of your reservoir in at least three different directions, and with a carpenter's level on top check to see if your pool is completely level. Here's why we used the sand: if it's not quite level, you can tap on the bottom of the reservoir to gently lower one edge - the sand will give just enough to allow this - using
your balled fist or a flat brick. Gentlly, now - you don't want to over- compensate ! Once everything is level, backfill with dirt around the vinyl
basin (since you obviously had to dig the original hole a bit wider than necessary) and tamp that backfill firmly, being careful NOT to disturb the
reservoir - water this backfill well (and gently) until really saturated, and let
it all soak in well (maybe an hour or so) before proceeding.

Now, we need to support the fountain. Using concrete bricks or patio blocks
(HD or Lowes - the perfectly flat, machine-made ones that will stack
securely) you create a "piling" in the center of your reservoir on which to
stand your pedastal/fountain. Depending on the depth of your reservoir, and/or the thickness of your bricks, you might need only one layer (which
would mean the pedastal base would be underwater - that's my preference),
or perhaps two. Remember, if you use THREE piles of bricks instead of just
the minimally necessary TWO, you'll make the pedastal/fountain steadier,
thanks to the tripod effect).

Your small little pump can rest on its side anywhere you like around the
perimeter of the reservoir, with the power cord snaking up and over the edge
and running off to the power source. By placing a small piece of slate (or
a flat dark stone) on TOP of your pump, it won't be visible once it's underwater. Stand your pedastal/pump in place, hook up the pump tubes, fill carefully with water, and you should be good to go. Try flipping the switch and see how it works. . .your only job now is to keep the water level in the
reservoir, if not full, AT LEAST covering the pump.

Finish off the edge of your reservoir/pool with irregular slates
around the OUTSIDE edge, resting solely on the ground, but abutting the
vinyl pool - since these slates are roughly 1" thick, they are about level with the edge, and a SECOND layer of slates can perfectly jut out over the edge of the pool and disguise it's presence. You could easily substitute stone, bricks, or whatever suits your fancy. . .

As for cleaning, I rarely ever need to clean my reservoir/pools (save for the
occasional stray leaf or twig) If suicidal voles tend to start hurling themselves
into your pool, why, just do what I'm sure Marty will be doing with all the
voles in HER new pools - she'll be dipping them in kerosene and having little
festive floating votives in her fountains ! Yes, at the end of the season,
I siphon all the water out of the pool, remove (and clean off) the pump for indoor winter storage, and then stretch a small, dark brown or black tarp
OVER the fountain and all the way to the outside edge of those slates
surrounding the pool - in fact, remove that second layer, stretch your tarp
and re-apply that second layer of slate to hold the tarp in place. The idea is
to keep as much water/snow/wind-blown-debris out of the pool as possible;
it not only makes Spring hook-up easier, but there's no freezing/thawing to stress the concrete or vinyl. Hate the tarp? One friend buries hers under a mound of pine boughs; someone else I know built an elaborate minature
shed/house which drops in place OVER the whole pool/fountain, complete
with little translucent windows that light up ! I told her all she needed was smoke coming out of the chimney - I'll bet she adds it this next winter. . .

How long do these vinyl pools last? Well, I can only tell you that one I installed nearly 15 years ago is still going strong. How dense was I about pools/fountains when I started? My major concern was how I was going to extend the water lines from the house, underground some fifty feet to the pool's
location - it was quite some time before I realized that pools and fountains require a POWER source, not a water source. . .duh ! Thank heaven I figured that out BEFORE I called a plumber. . .

Carl

P.S. Any questions? Let 'em rip. . .

Oh man, Carl -- I hadn't even thought of that ...

Floating VOLTIVES!

I am off to pitch this to Pottery Barn as we speak. :)

(Sorry we hijacked your thread, Marie, but you ARE the one who brought up voles ...!)

My friends, you are amazing. Just amazingly generous with your time and answers and sympathy. I am surprised, really, to learn we're not just stupid. We have a friend who has written several of the "Idiot's Guide to....." and he understands the basic level of information and instruction people need to learn a new skill. I must have looked at two dozen web entries on fountains and most of them made assumptions or skipped steps that were crucial to a successful outcome.
And none of them, not a single one, made me laugh.

I think this post is worth a special spot on GW- so people can access it easily without scrolling through a dozens of less useful answers.
I"m going to post a separate query later.

Marie

I have to say it:

VOLEIVES, VOLIVES, OR VOLEVES
NOT VOTIVES

VOLTIVES! LOL Marty and Carl - what a great act you two are!!

Idabean -

I also enjoy the humor of your posts! My DH is the one in the family with hands-on practicality, and I have slowly absorbed a tiny amount of his wisdom and experience . . . Get a wet-dry shop vacuum to clean out the bottom of the reservoir, and the extension cords needed to reach as far as the pond if necessary.

I have seen pictures of fountains with reservoirs filled with water smoothed pebbles or with a heavy duty screen covered by water smoothed pebbles. I guess you'd need a larger reservoir if you have pebbles filling it, but it's a nice effect. Here's a blog entry on fountains, and the 11th photo has what I'm trying to describe. Michelle may have directions somewhere else in the blog, but I didn't go hunting for that.