Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

Flowing water can sound so wonderful, relaxing and energizing at the same time. They also release cleaning negative ions in the air, and can help keep your skin moisturized in dry climates. When the premade indoor fountains are not exactly what you want, too loud, too soft, just the wrong shade, not the right style, what do you do? Make your own.

This is easily done: the basic three elements are a bowl, a submersible pump, and water. Everything else is open to interpretation. Do you want a fast water flow, for a louder sound? Will the water fall, or do you prefer that it bubble, or jet up into an umbrella of water? Are you looking to recreate a natural look, or for a whimsical look, or a polished look?

Most pumps allow you to regulate the speed of the water flow, but unless you want the water flow to start where the water emerges from the pump, you?ll need tubing, and the width of that tubing has a dramatic effect on the speed of the water. Smaller tubes mean the water travels faster, and wider tubes will make the water travel slower. Buy several sizes and experiment. A smaller tube will jet up, when placed just above the surface of the water, while a large tube is good for slow-moving, bubbling fountains.

A natural-looking fountain may be made of shells or pebbles, and may include potted plants. It is easier to have plants in an outdoor fountain, where the sunlight sanitizes the water; indoors, an unattractive slime may develop. In fountains without plants, this is controlled with a small amount of bleach or commercial fountain cleaner. Some cat owners find their kitties using their fountains as drinking bowls: if you have cats, consider using either no water cleaner, or one that has been vetted by your vet.

Whimsical fountains are limited only by your imagination. Collections of dishes are popular, but I figure I have a fountain like that in my sink; why deliberately have one in my living room? Think of a poster or painting covered in epoxy, and with a strategically-placed hole… From a photo of a Roman fountain to your least-favored politician, spitting is a classic fountain activity. Pouring from jugs is also popular. Use wine bottles, styrofoam cups (I can just see it: ?Nearly Still Life With Starbucks?), or milk jugs if you don?t have a stone cherub hanging around, just waiting for a fountain to crop up.

Fountain supplies can easily be found on the internet and in home improvement stores. Be sure to shop around as prices vary pretty widely. In shopping around, you might just find a premade fountain that takes only a little modification to be the perfect one for you.

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