Month: August 2013

DIY fountains might seem complicated or difficult, but the reality is that they are very simple to create.

The first trick in working with DIY fountains is to understand how fountains work. Once you understand how the pieces all connect together, and the basic philosophy of how they work, you will be able to fix, create, and design your own fountains.

DIY Fountains

Fountains are made up of five parts:
• the reserve to hold the water,
• the pump to push the water,
• the line that delivers the water to the top of the fountain,
• the screen to keep stuff out of the filter, and
• the fountain.

As long as the fountain is stable, you can change and improve how the water is delivered to the top.

The second trick of most fountains is to understand which pump you need. Most fountains work off of submersible pumps; the problem is finding a pump that will push water to the elevation of fountain.

The next big problem is figuring out how much (volume) water you need the pump to deliver to the elevation (height) of your fountain. Most pumps have a grid chart on the back that will show you how much volume the pump will move to different heights. If the fountain is three feet tall, and you need 3 gallons of water pumped per minute (GPM), then you can look on the back of the pump box and see if that pump is the right one for your project.

If you are creative, then the third trick is to use a flexible line/hose as a conduit for water. These are the secrets to becoming a MacGyver of residential fountains.

Need some expert advice on choosing, building, and maintaining DIY fountains? Just ask.

Here’s an excellent choice as you consider residential fountains.

As you start your search for the perfect residential fountain, you might find inspiration in a surprising place: geology. There is a term for a naturally occurring water feature called a disappearing river, and they work in one of the most amazing ways. The water runs along like a normal river and then just disappears into the ground. They may reappear at some distance, but the effect is dramatic. That same technique is being used in to create disappearing waterfalls and water features in backyards all across America.

The disappearing waterfall or river in the natural setting actually drops down into a sunken reservoir and then travels along an underground aquifer until it reappears, usually as a waterfall. Well, it is not secret that most of us do not have the space for all of that, which is why we take those basic concepts of nature and apply them to the technology of residential fountains.

What is residential fountain technology? It is the very basic concept of the natural disappearing river. It is a basic reservoir, a pump, and a line. Water is pumped from the reservoir, up the line, and reemerges as a waterfall. The water then cascades down the water feature (waterfall or fountain) and then disappears into the reservoir where it begins the cycle again.

What we have just described are pondless water systems. The benefit of using pondless water systems to create water features and residential fountains is that they come with all the parts and supplies, sometimes even the plants, necessary to create a waterfall or a river. They are easy to install, affordable, and you can easily attach your creative side to these projects.

If you have questions about pondless water systems and other residential fountains, just ask the pros at WP Law.

Be creative in choosing your residential fountains features.

Residential fountains are about more than just moving water. They can easily take on all sorts of dimensions. Recently, we saw a Homeowners / DIY residential fountain that was created out of several galvanized containers that were attached using a metal pole.

The containers were arranged as follows: the first was flat, the second was tilted, and the third was actually an old watering can, which emptied water into the second. The second container then spilled into the third. The amazing part was that the three containers were filled with flowers. They contained a simple mixture of petunias, but the effect was stunning.

The project consisted of a pump, a reservoir, and the containers. The artist, for that is surely what whoever was who created this feature was, just used their imagination to create a piece of art that was also a water fountain. A great DIY project.

The second idea is to use your residential fountain to add to your outdoor living space. We’ve all seen the statuary with water emerging from various body parts, but what if we told you that you could create a centerpiece that nobody had seen before? You could combine plants and brick to create something that is both modern and ancient.

By using flexible pond liners or a deep tube contain you can stack the bricks to make a square around the container. You then alternate the bricks to create spaces and gaps between the bricks. In these spaces, you plant moss. The water travels up the container and spills over the outside of the bricks. Changing the upper bricks can create a waterfall, or splash zones. On the top of the feature, you place a flower pot with hanging plants. The effect is stunning, and in no time the creation takes on the look of an ancient artifact.

Have a DIY project with residential fountains brewing in your imagination? Contact us with your questions about how to make it spectacular.

Two facts that may change how you think about water feature pumps.

As straightforward as water feature pumps may seem, they can still hold some surprises. Whether there are new technological innovations that make the pumps more efficient or there are tips for getting the most out of your water pumps, there is always more to discover.

Here are two things that you might not have heard about water feature pumps:

1. You can use solar power. Perhaps one of the best things developed recently is cheaper solar power for water pumps. Being able to reduce the outflow of cash helps your bottom line. Solar power systems offer free energy, and the increase in solar technology has made these systems affordable.

What makes these systems beneficial to the end user? In short, there is no need for a generator. You save on energy and fuel costs needed to run the water pump, and you can install these where traditional electricity is absent.

2. Water pumps have a peak flow. While the box may say they produce X number of GPH, or PSI, there is always a tradeoff in the real world. If your pump box says that the pump will push 300 gallons per hour, it will, but only under ideal circumstances. If your pump box says it will produce 50 PSI, it will, but not when it is pumping 300 gallons per hour. There is a peak where the two flow rates meet, and that peak is affected by things like uplift, distance, and even temperature. It pays in the long-run really to consider how the pump in your water feature will be used before you choose a model.

As always, we are very happy to help you find the perfect pump for your needs. Just let us know what your water feature questions are, and we will be happy to help you find answers for them.