This is how
Choose a suitable site in your garden. A fountain viewed through a window is very pleasing to the senses, but also consider sound. You want to be soothed by the notes of tinkling water, especially on a beautiful summer’s evening.
Determine the dimensions your space will allow. Don’t go for a monumental design in a small space where a little rustic design may be preferable. However, don’t make the water basin too small or shallow, as you’d encounter problems with green water caused by algae growth.
Draw up a plan with dimensions and pertinent details like the placement of the submersible pump/flow pipe/power cable/ spout/decoration and so on. Pay particular attention to positioning the power cable as safely as possible. Note We decided to use an existing statue as the fountainhead and derived the dimensions of the basin from it. We elected to use a photovoltaic solar system to power the pump, but a standard AC pond pump would work just as well.
Set out and dig the trenches for the concrete footings. If you’re going to use standard-sized concrete or clay bricks (stone is also an option, depending on the results you have in mind), the concrete footings should be at least 100mm thick and 200mm wide.
Next, build up the outer walls to the depth of the foundation slab (minimum 100mm). Fill the foundation with soil and level it. Lay chicken wire and pour concrete for the slab.
Allow the concrete to harden for a couple of days, then build the retaining walls for the fountain basin. At the statue end we built a housing for the battery and solar control panel. Insert three evenly spaced copper pipes (200mm each) for overflow and a 300mm length at the fountainhead (the spout). Be sure to include an outlet pipe for future drainage of the pool. Also include a pipe that will allow the outlet from the pump to connect to the main fountain spout. Finally, allow for the exit of the power cable.
Plaster the structure (especially the inside of the water basin). Include lime and a waterproofing agent in the plaster mix – we used Concrim. Now you can decorate the structure with mosaic and tiles – we simply limewashed the plaster.
Fit the statue above the housing for the battery and control panel.
Next, install the pump and necessary piping. Place the battery and solar control panel as unobtrusively as possible (ours is hidden below the statue), bearing in mind that later on it can be further hidden by plants. If you have left a hole for the electrical cable, now is the time to lead it to the outside and seal the hole with silicone. Run the electrical cable through a conduit (or plastic irrigation pipe or even Polycop) to where it is to be connected to the electrical source (AC mains or 12V DC depending on your choice). Note If you decide to use a photovoltaic solar system you will need a solar panel / deepcycle battery (12V) and charge controller to power a 12V pump, or you could, by using an inverter, run an AC (220V) pump. This requires some knowledge of the principles involved but really isn’t difficult – and certainly the way to go if you want to use renewable energy.
The interior of the water basin now needs to be waterproofed. Several products are available, from the paint-on variety to plasters. For this the concrete plaster has to cure properly before you apply the final waterproofing (four weeks in the case of the Marbelite pool plaster we used). Perhaps this is a good reminder not to rush this project. Take your time and enjoy the process.
Use 18mm Polycop (or clear plastic tubing and/or copper plumbing pipe) and elbow joints where necessary to connect the outlet of the pump to the fountain spout.
Connect the power cable, paying close attention to safety, either to AC 220V mains or a solar system. If you don’t feel confident about this step, employ an electrician.
Once everything is in place and you’ve double-checked all the water and electrical connections, fill both basins with water, switch it on and take pleasure in your own fountain.