Do-It-Yourself Desktop Fountain
- 1). Leave the submersible pump unplugged. A submersible pump is a pump designed to run in water, such as an aquarium pump. Running the pump in dry conditions can burn out the pump.
- 2). Set the flow control to "S" for slow or "F" for fast, if your pump has a flow control. A slow fountain creates a calm mood, and a fast fountain masks other noises more effectively and creates a livelier mood. Turn the power switch to "On" if the pump has a power switch. It's safest and more efficient to set your pump switches before adding water and adding the other fountain elements. Leave the pump unplugged.
- 3). Pour 1/4 inch of water into the container for your desktop fountain. Center the submersible pump in the basin and press down on the top of it to attach the suction cups on its base to the fountain container. This keeps the pump stable while the fountain runs. Let the power cord hang over the edge of the container.
- 4). Insert the plastic tubing in the hole on the top of the submersible pump, if the fountain's water level will be more than 2 inches above the top of the pump. Cut the tube with scissors 1 1/2 inches below the edge of the container. Place a piece of bamboo, shell or a hollow figurine over the tube, if desired, such as a frog with an open mouth for the fountain's water to flow through.
- 5). Place rocks, slabs of slate, crystals, shells, pieces of bamboo and a figurine in the fountain to hide the pump and decorate your fountain. For example, place rocks in a circle around the pump, leaving at least 1 inch of clearance between the rocks and the fountain pump's vents to allow for water flow. Center a figurine on a flat rock near the fountain pump, if desired.
- 6). Add water to the fountain to within 1 inch of the container's lip. Plug in the power cord.
Source...