Container Fountain

• Building a container fountain is a practical way to try your hand at building a water feature if you've never done it before. These small fountains can be placed on decks, patios or outdoor tables.
  
  Find a round watertight container, such as a large flowerpot. The best choice would be a stone, marble or ceramic container. You can use a wooden container, but it will need to be waterproofed. Besides determining what you want the container to look like, you'll need to choose a size. If you are looking to add a water plant to your fountain, a 30-inch diameter container will work well. If you want several plants, you'll need something much larger, especially if you want to put fish in it. Fish need as much surface area as possible to survive.
  
  

Putting the Container Fountain Together

• Now that you have chosen your container, paint the inside with a water-garden paint. This will help prevent leakage. Next, fill the container with water to make sure there are no leaks. If you find a leak, repaint the inside. If not, you are ready to go.
  
  Take a water pump with a fountain pipe and place it in the bottom of the container. It is best to lodge the pump in the container between two bricks. Run the pump cord to the nearest ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet. Now add a potted plant to the container by placing it on the bricks. You'll want to use water plants, such as water lilies or water irises. Fill the container with water and turn on the pump.
  
  

In-Ground Fountain

• You can build an in-ground fountain for your yard or garden by using another container such as a large marble vase or ceramic urn. Choose something with an ornate design to give it a classic fountain look.
  
  Choose a location for your fountain and dig a hole. The hole should be able to hold all of the water from the container and a bit more. This hole will be the reservoir for your fountain.
  
  Drill a hole in the bottom of the container for the pipe that will run from your water pump. Place a flat rock or brick at the bottom of the reservoir with your water pump on top of it. Run the pump's cord from the bottom of the reservoir to an outdoor GFCI outlet. Once the pump is in place, put all of the water you would need to fill the container into the reservoir. Then add a metal grate on top of the reservoir and put your container on top of the grate. The pump's pipe will run through the grate and through the center of the container. To hide the reservoir and the metal grate, stack rocks on top of the grate and around the container.
  
  Turn on your pump and watch the pipe shoot the water from the container. Turn the pump's motor up or down depending on whether you want a rush of water or a trickle. Check the level of the reservoir and add more water if needed.