How to Create Tabletop Water Fountains

Create a tabletop fountain using a decorative bowl and water pump.

Make your tabletop fountain an expression of who you are. If you buy one from a home store, it doesn't have the same personal touch. To build one yourself, remember the basic design principles of a tabletop fountain, including having an adequate vessel to hold water and a water pump. Next, use your imagination. You can usually accomplish anything you can imagine when making your own tabletop fountain. Start with a basic rock fountain and add to it as desired.

Things You'll Need

• Decorative bowl
• Silicone caulk (optional)
• Waterproofing sealer
• Plastic plumbing coupling
• Submersible water pump
• Decorative rocks
• Marbles (optional)
• Gems (optional)
• Seashells (optional)

Instructions

1. Select a decorative bowl to act as the vessel for your tabletop fountain that is large enough to contain a submersible water pump and other materials such as rocks and stones.

2. Fix any cracks in the bowl with a silicone caulking compound. Waterproof the inside of the bowl with a waterproof sealer. Allow the sealer to dry.

3. Create a cover for the water pump to stack rocks and stones on top of. Pierce the bottom of a plastic plumbing coupling three times to make three holes to allow water to get to the pump. Puncture one hole in the coupling for the power cord to run from the water pump to the exterior of the bowl.

4. Attach the plastic tube to the water pump; place the submersible pump in the bowl. Cover the pump with the coupling. Add water to the bowl until you cover the water intake.

5. Add rocks all along the pump coupling and on top of the coupling. Arrange the rocks in an interesting formation with the plastic tube situated between the rocks.

6. Add other decorations on top of the rocks, including shiny marbles, gems or even seashells. Added decorations should blend in with the rocks and not shift if the fountain is moved.

7. Plug in the water pump to a GFCI outlet. Watch the flow of water and readjust the tube until you are satisfied with the direction of the water flow.

Tips & Warnings

• In this example, water will bubble up between the rocks and back down to the pump below. However, you can add decorations for the water to flow from. For example, drill a hole in a seashell and attach it to the water tube. Then place the shell on top of the rocks and turn on the pump. Water will flow from the shell. Do this with just about any object you can drill a hole into and attach to the water tube.

• Always plug a tabletop fountain into a GFCI or "ground fault circuit interrupter" outlet. If a short occurs in the water pump, the GFCI outlet will cut power to the device.

References

• "Tabletop Fountains"; Dawn Cusick; 1999
• "Simple Fountains"; Dorcas Adkins; 1999