How to DIY garden fountains, 45 inches tall?
by
Beth
The instructions need to be simple. I want to use pots rocks containers
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First you need to find a pump that will deliver a suitable gallons per hour flow to the height you want. Gallons per hour is determined by how wide the first fall of water needs to be. If you want a 1" wide flow essentially need 100 gph; 2" needs 200, and so on. Then you need to measure the height from the top most fall to the top of the water level in the catchment basin; you say 45".
Looking over the AquaTop fountain pumps https://www.pondboy.com/items/fountain-pumps/aquatop-fountain-pumps/list.htm model 480 delivers 200 gph but only to a height of 3 ft. Your height is nearly 4 ft, so this pump is too small for your need. Their next model is #305 delivers 315 gph up to 5 ft. This pump is the best for what you need. It's always better to go slightly higher, because too small means you won't get as much water as you may need.
Most fountains require the pots to be set level so water flows equally from all sides. https://www.homedepot.com/c/how_to_make_a_terra_cotta_pot_fountain_HT_PG_OD However, here is a HomeTalk fountain where pennies were used to make saucers tilt in a desired direction. https://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/garden/diy-terra-cotta-pot-fountain-31555642 In another variation a notch was cut in the edge of the saucer. When saucers are used a hole has to be drilled through at least one of the saucers for the supply tube.
DIY Terra Cotta Pot Fountain