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Outdoor fountain

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I’ve always wanted a fountain in my backyard- I love the sound and look. I’m looking to get rid of the play house and put here. (Can part with tree too if need be). Any Suggestions on where to get a nice looking fountain and what style would look nice? I have a small rock garden near it. Was thinking of putting rocks in are around fountain too?

Featured Answer

felizlady

5 years ago

Go to an outdoor fountain and statuary place. Have complete measurements of the selected location. You will need an exterior electric outlet and a timer box (the timer may or may not come with the fountain. The best fountain would come with a recirculating pump to move the water from the lower "pond" reservoir back up to the upper water drop-off reservoir. You will find fountains made of stone and other materials. You will probably need to supply a perfectly level support surface for the fountain to sit on. With normal evaporation of the water, you will need to add water to the fountain when needed. If it is located out of direct, intense sunlight, refilling will be less often required.

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Comments (8)

baileysr
5 years ago
If you can afford it (ie a few hundred dollars), I’d suggest you go to an aquatic landscaping place and avoid the cheap stuff at Walmart et al. They often have a nice selection of bubblers and fountains that will last over time, and can advise you on how to install properly. They will also sell the chemicals that you need to prevent algae growth (highly recommended if you don’t want your fountain to turn green and black and slimes). It’s convenient that you have the hose is nearby, so you can refill it every few days (or, if you want a more advanced implementation, you can tap into the water source for self leveling).
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When you purchase a pump, it should tell you how far up it will pull the water. (if it's not the right one, take it back, you can get them at HD). There needs to be a source of water. So the statue needs to have some sort of basin under it. It could be anything. For instance, you could purchase just an inexpensive plastic container, invert another plastic container, cut a hole in it for the tubing, cover everything with decorative rocks, fill with water and your good to go. If you want something more elaborate, those are also available. One very important thing you need to be aware of is evaporation. If the fountain is in sunlight, evaporation is quite high. You will need to keep an eye on the water level for a few days after you initially run it, lest your pump burn up. I have a small fountain that I made out of two decorative ceramic cobalt blue flower pots in my front garden. In my back garden I have a water fall that goes into a large pond, a small pond with a small spray, and a medium pond with a somewhat larger spray. Really enjoy them all! (aside from the *&&^% raccoons that ate my fish this year,,,,,no more fish,,,,,,,,, SG
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Thank you mindy
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Make sure all cracks in the concrete are sealed with a hydraulic cement (masterseal 590?) and paint with one of the masterseal products. I believe they are available from HD & Lowes......if you plan to have fish, use the one suitable for potable water. masterseal web page
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K Laurence
5 years ago
Yes ... go to a fountain store if you have one in your area, there are several where I live. There are so many options to choose from & if you have an irrigation system in your yard you can tap into one of your sprinkler valves for automatic filling. Mine is left on 24 hours a day. It all depends upon how much you want to spend & what type you’re looking for. I have two fountains, love them. Btw, I’ll get back with an algae prevention product, non chlorine, that works great.
K Laurence
5 years ago
Btw ... for algae prevention I use a product called Baqucil Algicide, chlorine free, a tblsp every few weeks keeps my fountain clean. I order it from Amazon, qt size lasts a long time.
functionthenlook
5 years ago
I would recommend that you get one with a large water reservoir. And you have to watch because some splash a lot of the water out or the wind blows it out. Our first fountain was a pain. We had to fill it everyday. . That didn't last long before we shut that one down. Ours we have now has a large reservoir. . .We only have to top it off with water during hot dry spells. Most of the time mother nature fills it back up. We have no problem with it running dry when we leave for a week even in hot weather. My husband keeps it clean with just an occasional addition of just regular laundry bleach.
baileysr
5 years ago
Yes indeed, they can splash a bit. Mine often has a small ring of water about 6-12 inches around it, especially on cool mornings when it hasn’t had heat for evaporation. That shouldn’t be an issue for you in that spot, since you’ll be able to put plantings around it (or at least some
rocks). Oh, also, you live someplace with cold winters, keep in mind you’ll need to empty it and cover it.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
I would try to tie it in with the rock garden instead of having it stand alone it will look much more natural too.Si in this pic the waterfall type fountain could go where the planter is.
PRO
Water Scuppers and Bowls, LLC
5 years ago
A standing fountain would be beautiful...you could even build a small custom wall and place a scupper

or two and have it designed to your liking. Really th options are endless! Please let us know if we can be of any help!

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