Come Hell or High Water
Who knew water features could be so multifaceted?
I did.
For the past couple of months, I've been experimenting with solar fountains and ponds, and it's actually trickier to get just right than it seems.
In this post, I'll share a timeline of what I've tried and how it's going.
First, I got a floating solar-powered fountain pump for the water-on-tap. It's really cool.
May 16
It can even do this, if I want it to:
But I didn't keep it like that because the water was going straight out.
Then, I got another solar pump in hopes of turning the Fountain Cantina into an actual fountain.
A fountain but not a fountatin
(The Fountain Cantina, by the way, has closed for business because Sneaky the Squirrel kept stealing too much product.)
Who, me?
This pump has a cable so you can put the panel in the sun and the pump could be in the shade. It also has a tube so you can make the water go up.
I tried assembling it on the fountain so that it would work like a fountain, but the pump wasn't strong enough to make the water flow. It dribbled.
Dribble, dribble
As I'm writing this post, though, I see that I bought the 2.5W pump, but they make a 7.5W one. That could have maybe solved the dribble problem.
Anyway, I changed the attachment and placed it in the bottom part of the fountain to create some water movement. I loved the sound it made, so I kept it at that.
May 23
I love the sound of a handful of peanuts being dropped into the Peanut Parlor.
It was also really cute to see Sneaky steal a sip.
But then... the mosquitoes invaded. Because the pump was on one side, the water wasn't circulating enough around the whole pond.
June 6
A group of wrigglers conspiring on the right
Then, I disassembled the fountain so I could put the pump in the center and have the water circulate all around.
June 10
BJ even approved of being able to have a shower and a bath at the same time.
I then turned the statue part into another drinking and bathing area for customers.
June 29
Moments before, however, it was a bee bath.
What is this!? A bath for BEES?!
I collected a bunch of rocks from the beach to make bee baths, as a fun and helpful-for-bees project.
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Evidence the Cantina bees are asking for water:
Can I get a water with my pollen?
Back to the conversion for my feathered friends – I basically just fiddled around until I figured out it was better as a bird bath. I used a pot tray, so it's an ideal depth for the Cantina Customers. I used more of my collected rocks to make it decorative.
This I approve of.
Cody also likes it
An evening drink
Now, going back again to the other part of the fountain with the solar pump. Two problems occurred. One, the pond water was getting too scummy. And with all that water in there, it was too much to consistently clean. Second, the customers (as anyone in the cantina business would know) are incredibly messy. They toss their seed husks into the pond, and it clogs the pump.
As you can see here, the pond is dirty and the pump is clogged.
July 18
So I siphoned all of the water out for good.
Sneaky helped with debris cleanup.
And that is where I'm at now with the fountain/pond situation. I really like the sound of running water outside my window, and the Cantina Customers like the running water, too, so I need to come up with a good solution.
I've tried no-waste seed as a way to prevent clogged pumps, but the customers are picky about some of the items on that menu. I could try a different blend.
I could move the fountain, but I do really like where it is now. That said, I haven't ruled out the idea of moving it.
I could add oxygenating plants to help keep the water clean.
I could fill the pond with soil and turn it into a place for plants, and place a pot dish in the middle as a water center.
So much thinking, experimenting.
I will point out that the original bird bath is still a favorite among the regulars.
The McDonald's of bird baths
The YouTube videos I've watched on pond building range from elaborate designs with multiple pumps, filters, and fish, to a simple plastic bin dug into the ground. I'm just trying to avoid mosquitoes, scum, and evaporation, but have found that to get the equation right requires a lot more problem-solving than I expected. Eventually, I want to have a sustainable frog pond for GoldenEye and his friends. And ultimately, I want to have multiple water sources around the Courtyard, including the native plant garden, for all wildlife.
Come hell or high water, I will make a cool fountain/pond that makes a pretty sound, that Cantina customers can enjoy, and that doesn't need constant cleanup.
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