Container fountains can be set up in almost no time once you have the materials. In just a few steps you can have a self contained fountain for a deck, patio, or anywhere you have a power supply nearby.
The first thing you will need is a fountain pump kit. The easiest way to do this is to look for one that is specifically made for container fountains. They can be found at many home centers and on your favorite e-commerce websites.
Fountain pump kit including the nozzle (top),and light ring (bottom)
I found the one I’m using online for around $16 and I’ll leave a link at the end of this post. My fountain kit has L.E.D. lights so you can enjoy the fountain at night. It also features a “bell” fountain nozzle that doesn’t splash water outside of the container.
One more thing you may want to look for is a control valve so the flow can be set just exactly as you want it.
The container and fountain kit unboxing
The next item you’ll need is a water-tight container or planter. I’m using a resin planter here, it was inexpensive but still mimics the look of hammered bronze. You can use anything like an old sugar kettle, a half whiskey barrel planter (with a liner), or something fancy like glazed ceramic planters.
Assembling the fountain kit was easy. You can likely do this part without even having to read the instructions.
It will typically come with 4 parts:
- The pump assembly
- One or more extension tubes to create a taller fountain
- The nozzle spray head (sometimes there are additional nozzles to create different spray patterns)
- Some kits also include submersible lights
Placing the assembled pump on a brick base
Next, I placed some patio pavers in the container to give the pump a flat base and to raise the nozzle head above the rim of the container where the water line will be. You can also use a small upside down clay pot for this.
Adding water and rocks to the container
After placing the pump and filling the container with water I noticed that I did not really care for how the brick pavers looked, so I decided to place some decorative beach pebbles on top of them. Not only did it look much better, the pebbles also gave the pump base more stability.
This is just to note and not a requirement. The pump base has enough weight to it that it should not tip over.
Completed D.I.Y. container fountain
Now all there was to do is plug it in! I ran the plug wire behind the back of the container and underneath the deck so it’s not noticeable.
Every now and then a bird will come to drink out of it but they don’t make a mess. I think this is because it’s too deep to bathe in and their butts are pointed away from the water while they drink.
Enjoying the fountain with L.E.D. lights on at night
I really like the light effect at night. I would encourage you to find a pump kit that includes lighting. The one I bought changes colors slowly.
After almost a year of operation it still works great! I don’t leave it on at all times, usually just when I’m in the backyard. Not bad for a $16 pump kit.
The link below is for the lighted container fountain pump kit on Amazon.
Submersible Container Fountain Pump Kit
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