Help install concrete fountain

17 years ago

We need help understanding how to deal with the water reservoir of a recirculating water fountain. It simply can't be as difficult as it is or no one could maintain one!

It is a simple very heavy concrete/cast stone basin on a pedestal and the water comes out of a spout in the center.

We used a 24 inch deep galvanized trash can for the resevoir. The can is wider than the fountain pedestal base so any splash falls back into the bucket. The fountain pump is threaded through a plastic bucket inverted in the can, and the pedestal of the fountain rests on top of that plastic bucket, which brings the bottom of the pedestal level or a little above the soil level.

Here are our problems.

This is a concrete fountain. It cannot be easily moved. So how do you get to the "reservoir" which holds the water and the pump with a two hundred pound dead weight over it?

So, we've grunted and strained our backs moving the damned fountain. Even with screening around the base and over the bucket, debris falls in.

When the water in this "resevoir" is dirty it is a terrible job getting it all out. There is always an inch of two of water and silt left, even after scooping and scooping. The can is so deep, it can't be lifted out to clean it or the walls of the hole will collapse

Clearly our "resevoir" is much too deep. What do we use? Again does access the reservoir with an immovable object over it? How much water does a fountain need to actually keep flowing? Does the amount of water influence how often the water needs to be replenished due to evaporation?

Even cleaning the bowl of the fountain is difficult because the fountain cannot be tipped to dump out the dirty water.

I know we made this much more complicated than necessary. My husband is about to go on strike. Please help! I love my fountain. The robins love it and my bees dip in for drinks.

We need clear simple instructions. Do not assume we understand or know anything. If you can download a drawing, sketch or illustration it would help us a lot. Believe me, I have spent hours searching the web, and nothing is simple enough to understand!

Thank so much for your help.

idabean

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

maggie_berry
17 years ago
This is such a great question. I would like to get a large fountain. Did you ever figure this out?
Maggie
Marie Tulin Boston burbs z 6a
Original Author
17 years ago
Except for Maggie, a deafening silence....I posted my question on the New England forum and have several replies. Please check that forum.
Marie
Related Professionals
Lewiston Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Laconia Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Lubbock Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Cowansville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Bainbridge Landscape Contractors · Anderson Landscape Contractors · Abilene Landscape Contractors · Boston Landscape Contractors · Keene Landscape Contractors · Bloomington Architects & Building Designers · Danbury Architects & Building Designers · Torrington Architects & Building Designers · Gloucester Architects & Building Designers · Willmar Architects & Building Designers · Reno Architects & Building Designers
maggie_berry
17 years ago
Thank You for letting me know where to go to get a few answers!
gleng
17 years ago
Idabean,
A pre made fountain generally relies on the water in the fountain basin for its "reservoir". Since you already have your fountain set up, why not use the same pump to pump out your reservoir? Get a tube that slips inside the outlet tube and let the pump pump out the reservoir. Don't worry to much about the 2" of dirty water at the bottom.
echoes_or
17 years ago
Gleng is absolutley right. Use the pump to get rid of the water.The bottom silt isn't that important. We have the large HEAVY pillars bubbles in one of our garden water features. You have more water than you need in your holding pond.

You are ok with how you have it setup. What we use at the office is heavy metal screening with an opening cut so it fits around the base of your fountain. On top of that place river rock or ???? over the screening. That way if you have a need to get to the pond you just remove the rocks off and lift the screen up. The screening is heavy enough that you can stand on it etc... Do you have a drip system nearby that you could run a line or two into your pond to keep it topped off?
Marie Tulin Boston burbs z 6a
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks everyone. I'm making progress. Bought a shallower heavy duty rubber small animal feed bowl (6 gal), a more reliable pump, and finally figured out that the conflicting advice was based on my having a fountain without an integral reservoir. The two nursery people I spoke to couldn't understand my confusion because we were talking about different kinds of fountains.
I will drain the current too big bucket, but I have to tell you the vole that fell into a month ago sank to bottom in one state and arose again-still very dead- in another.

It has got to come out of there! I have to overcome my squeamishness, put a big throwaway container in there and pick up the meat and toss it all in the woods.

Then I can proceed.

You guys are so great. I would have abandoned this project a while ago without you.

idabean/Marie