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by Ed
We’ve been looking to add a garden water feature to our yard for well over a year now.
We’ve kicked a few ideas around in that time. I liked ponds, for example. Robin pointed out that we have a dog who would spend all his time in said pond and we would never have a dry pet again.
I felt this was a good point.
We settled on a standalone bubble fountain water feature. We decided to build it ourselves because:
a) we like building things ourselves and
b) most store-bought water features look exactly like store-bought water features and cost a lot more than the individual parts that go into them. It’s a poorly kept secret that we’re a bit frugal.
We started planning.
Concept 1 – A Water Wall.
Sounds amazing right? It was going to be made with some glass shower doors we found at a Re-Store.
That plan was rejected after basically a year of thinking on it because I still couldn’t come up with a practical way to support the glass and have water run down it and have it not look hideous.
Concept 2 is what this post is about: A Simple Bubble Fountain Made with Pots.
There was a spot in near our deck silently begging for a water feature. It would be much more doable.
How to Make a DIY Bubble Fountain Garden Water Feature
Bubble Fountain Materials:
- 2 pots (one large, one smaller) – any material, but strong enough to hold water and rocks. Ours is glazed terra-cotta. More expensive than plastic, but still cheaper than a ready-made fountain.
- 1 fountain pump
- This one would work very well and gets great reviews.
- It should have enough vertical lift to pump water taller than your stacked pots (you can find this information in the specs of most fountain/pond pump kits)
- 1 plastic pail (I used an old wine kit bucket, but anything you don’t mind drilling holes in will do)
- Automotive fibreglass material (This is what I used.)
- Rocks (Some decorative and some large ones that take up a lot of space and are cheap/free)
- 1 piece of hose that fits the outlet on your fountain pump (most have adapters and can use garden hose, plumbing ‘PEX’ pipe or anything in between that you might already have)
- Garden hose washers or similar waterproof item to fill gaps
NEW! ⇒ If a Video Tutorial is more your style scroll down – we’ve got a video there for you!
Assemble Bubble Fountain as below.
I have added some notes and thoughts in the images as appropriate.
Step 1 – Seal the Pump into the Bottom Pot
Step 2 – Prep the bucket to cover the pump
Step 3 – Assemble in layers and try some test runs.
Step 4 – Start filling with River Rocks and keep testing.
The only thing left to do now is pouring yourself a glass of wine and relax next to your new fountain.
Jill Lester
Sunday 31st of October 2021
Love your ideas!!
frugalfamilytimes
Thursday 4th of November 2021
Thanks so much, Jill!
Sherri
Sunday 14th of March 2021
Love this! My son and I are going to tackle this project together. Where is the video link?
frugalfamilytimes
Tuesday 16th of March 2021
Hi Sherri - I'm so sorry - the settings for the video were a bit messed up - you should be able to find it at the bottom of the post now! Let me know how your project goes! :) Robin
Hazel Kohler
Friday 22nd of January 2021
This is exactly what I've been looking for, for my tiny courtyard garden! All the shop-bought ones look, as you said, like shop-bought, and none of them gave the subtle, almost silent, water flow I wanted. I'm going to have a look around the rest of your projects, hoping that you've made a firepit!
frugalfamilytimes
Tuesday 2nd of February 2021
Thanks so much, Hazel! We love the sound it makes - so soothing. Sorry - we don't have a firepit project. :(
Julia Webb
Monday 3rd of August 2020
I can't wait to do this ,I have everything ,it to hot in AZ to do this now ,but at 77 I love gardening and something like this ,,plan semple .all I need is deferent pump . do you have a book ? I can buy ?
frugalfamilytimes
Wednesday 12th of August 2020
Hi Julia - sorry we don't have a book - but the tutorial above is very thorough and should help you make one of your own! :)
Unknown
Sunday 31st of May 2020
How does the pot sit flat on the ground if the pump cord is coming out from the bottom. My pmpp cord is fairly thick?
Kim
Wednesday 24th of June 2020
Here's a thought. If you didn't want the electric cord to go out through the bottom so that you could place the bottom pot flat on a surface and the cord wouldn't get in the way. Why not drill a hole just big enough for the cord to go through close to the bottom but on the side of the bottom pot. If you use a terracotta pot then soak the area you're going to put the cord through with water. You could get a cloth and get it soaking wet and place it on the spot and use some tape to hole the cloth in place. Then once the terracotta pot is soft in that spot then use a drill and you'll still need to be careful but drill the hole there in the soft stuff and insert the cord through there. Then to keep the hole from leaking patch it with silicone or with the bondo. Once dry you won't have to worry about it being toppsy turvy when sitting on your porch or whatever. But make sure you soak the terracotta really good. If you can put a wet cloth on both the inside and outside it'll help soak it right through and faster than trying to do it from one side.
Ed from Frugal Family Times
Sunday 31st of May 2020
Great question; we have ours in a garden, where it sits in soft earth and mulch, so we just kind of twist it around till it sinks down and rests level.If we sat it on a deck or patio, I would be tempted to get those feet you can put under Terra cotta pots or use some brick pavers to create space under it. Hope this helps.