How to Make a Recirculating Flower Pot Fountain OR Flower Pot Fish Pond

Add a bamboo spout to add an Asian element to your fountain design.

A water fountain adds sound and motion to gardens and outdoor settings, making the space even more inviting and engaging. Adding fish introduces another element -- life. The golden orange, red and white colors of Koi fish will fascinate children and guests and enhance your garden setting. Whether you choose a fountain or a fishpond, you may be surprised at how much pleasure you'll receive.

Things You'll Need

• Large, tall container pot for a water fountain
• Large, wide pot for a fish pond
• Small pot to hold water pump
• Submersible water pump
• Duct tape
• Drill (if needed to drill holes in pots)
• Gravel
• Aquatic plants (optional)

Instructions

1. 

   Add a zen touch with a bamboo spigot.

   Purchase a large glazed ceramic container or an unglazed terra cotta pot to create a water fountain with both sculptural and textural interest. Purchase a small pot to serve as the water reservoir and housing for the pump. The small pot does not have to be made of the same material as the large pot, as it will not be as visible. Even a plastic pot will suffice.

2. Look for a small pot with a precut hole in the bottom or plan to drill a hole that will be wide enough for an electrical cord. The large pot should not have a hole in the bottom. A tall urn-shape will work best for the large pot so the water feature has height and good visibility. A large wide, barrel-shaped pot is a good shape for structure and width if you are creating a recirculating pond that will contain fish.

3. Seal the unglazed terra cotta pot (if this is what you purchased for the water fountain) by painting the inside with a waterproof sealer. Allow the pot to dry overnight.

4. Place a pump inside the small pot and thread the electric cord for the pump through the bottom hole. Thread the cord through the hole of the large pot.

5. Fill the bottom of the large pot with enough gravel to serve as a base for the small pot. Stop filling with gravel once the small pot reaches about one inch from the top of the large pot. Attach a flexible plastic tube to the end of the pump, wrap it around the perimeter of the small pot and tie with twist ties to secure it. Add about 3 inches of gravel inside the small pot to serve as a base for the pump. Surround the pump with gravel to keep it secure.

6. Attach the fountain tube to the pump. The tube should be made of rigid plastic so it stands upright to create the fountainhead. Cut the tube so it is no more than about 2 inches higher than the top of the large pot, if needed, so the water spouts like a fountainhead. Fill the large pot with water until it reaches about 2 Inches from the top of the pot. Turn on the pump. Adjust the airflow dial of the pump, if needed, to get the effect you want for the fountain.

7. Add Koi fish to the large pot, following instructions given to you by the fish sales person for conditioning the water correctly for the fish. Decorate the fountain with water lilies and other aquatic plants. Use landscaping rocks and gravel around the pots to hide electrical cords.

Tips & Warnings

• Level the ground where you will place the fountain with sand, gravel or a combination of the two.

• Carefully select the location for the water fountain. After filling the pots with water, they will be difficult and heavy to move.

• Consider adding a bamboo spout kit to give a fish pond an Asian-inspired look.

References

• House Plans Design: Flower Pot Fountains
• Basket Weaving: Bamboo Fountains
• Sunset: Make a Soothing Fountain
• Marigold Lane: How to Make a Simple Outdoor Fountain