There are quite a few possibilities. Fountains are actually quite easy to make...the biggest problems are hiding the tubing and electrical cord and making sure the bottom container is big enough so the water won't spill out beyond the bowl. If it does, the bowl will end up empty and can burn out the pump.

The easiest way would be to place a totem in the center of a big bowl (punch bowl maybe?) Put the pump in the punch bowl with a piece of clear piping going up to the top of the totem. The top piece of the totem should be a bowl or pitcher or teapot so it can fill and spill over it's edges. Fill the bowl with water and turn on the pump. If you've designed the totem so nothing hangs out beyond the diameter of the bottom bowl, the pump will fill the top container of the totem and water will spill down over the rest of the totem back into the punch bowl. You can glue the clear piping down the back of the totem so it won't show from the front.

OR, you could drill a hole in the center of each piece of your totem and run the pipe up through the center all the pieces. Again, your bottom will have to be some sort of bowl that's wider than any of the pieces of the totem and wider than the splash range.

If you used a teapot for the top, you could attach it as if it's tipped and pouring out the spout. You might attach teacups around the totem in a circular pattern setting it so as one teacup fills from the teapot it pours into the next lower teacup. The bottom teacup can then pour into the bottom basin.

I hope I'm making sense in my explanations!

i've never made one...yet! BUT...i do have a great suggestion for you. when i go to thrift stores and yard sales, i'll look for fountains i can buy to take the pumps out of. i've gotten some for as little as 50 cents, and sometimes bought aquarium stuff to use the tubing.
kudzu

I have been looking at Solar Fountain pumps, no wiring.

Are there pumps that don't make a lot of noise?
The only one I 've ever had was a gift from a boyfriend of dd, I think it was very inexpensive, and it whirred. Drove me nuts. I gave it to the TS with a note on it that the pump worked but was noisy.
Kathy

I purchased my recent pump from Lowes and can't hear it. It's not a real small pump...but not big either. I think it is for fountains that are up to 4 feet tall. I don't hear it at all.

Sometimes you hear the pump because it is causing a vibration. Be sure it's not touching the edges of your catch basin which could be causing vibration and thus noise.

I've made a LOT of tabletop fountains (I used to own a crafters' mall) and sold them for centerpieces and for the guest book table at weddings, etc. I've never noticed the pumps making any noise and nobody ever mentioned to me that the pumps I used were noisy, so perhaps that was just a "bad" pump whirring and driving you nuts!

sometimes they get icky slimy stuff in them pretty quickly, like from dust(dog hair in my case!and lint,when the dryer vent came loose and we didn't realize it) pollen,tiny bugs-when they're outside. shut it off, and pull off the pump part, and go rinse it really good, bleach it sometimes-at least i have to here, we have very hard well water-the humidity combined with any moisture will case mildew in a couple days.oh, and you may have to do that to the hoses,too. anyway, it won't hurt to give that a try! lol
kudzu

There are many different types of pumps: Geared, spiral, diaphragm, piston, etc.
Only get centrifugal pumps. They donÂt make noise. The only thing you have to remember is that most centrifugal pumps are not self-priming and will need to go below water level to work well.

dcarch

My BFF gave me a rain chain for Christmas...oh I have always wanted one but would never buy one for myself...to much$$$, but I am gonna(actually I love it so much it is hanging in my diningroom by the patio doors and looks great there!)turn it into a water feature on my deck...it will tie in with the copper roofs of my castle real good!ha!