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Saturday, March 31, 2012
Pond-free fountains provide safer, more flexible design option
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| An example of a pond-free fountain. |
You're measuring, digging, fitting, moving rocks, digging, doing way more plumbing work than you're probably used to, digging, and then doubling your water bill for the month. And the work doesn't stop there, because eventually your water will evaporate from the pond and you'll have to replace it. If you have wandering young children, you've now got a drowning hazard.
A pond-free fountain, or disappearing fountain, is an easier, safer alternative to a pond water feature and provides more design options in the yard.
It's a smaller, ground-based fountain structure that uses a pump to cycle water up through decorative rocks, pottery, or other elements. The water supply is underground in the base and does not evaporate, and no above-ground pond means no hazard for small children. All of the plumbing sits on top of the base and is easier to access than in a pond feature.
A fountain base such as Atlantic Water Garden's pro-series FB3200 measures just under 3 feet wide, so it can be placed in just about any part of the landscape.
For a visual of the system, see the excessively corny video below. It's exceptionally corny, so only a skim-through is necessary to get the general idea. But if you're planning on purchasing this base or a similar unit, this video is probably a must-see before installation.
Whispering Hills sells the FB3200 and FB4600 fountain bases, custom cuts of stone, and a variety of stone and other materials that can be used in fountain construction.
