Welcome back to our Design Toscano fountain series; here is some practical information along with an introduction to Design Toscano’s Small Wonder fountain collection. To see the wide selection of other styles and sizes of garden décor try the Design Toscano website.
So let’s splash right in!
Quick Fact: Flowing water symbolizes cleansing, life and freedom.
Installing a Design Toscano indoor/outdoor self-contained fountain with pump that recycles water from a hidden reservoir is not at all difficult. As with all things it just takes a little patience for a huge reward.
Here are some suggestions before setting up your fountain:
- When using any electrical device please read and follow the included instructions carefully. Make sure the pump is seated level inside the fountain, if the pump or the fountain are tilted they might work harder, make more noise and splashing further.
- To even out the fountain area you can build a foundation or build a stand using patio stones or bricks. Or make a base of gravel; just make sure the groundwork is flat and level even if you have to dig.
- Look up pump instructions online if you need extra help; some pumps have water flow settings and yours could be adjustable to a lower setting if you want it to splash less.
- Plug in your pump only after you add the water. If you see bubbles or foam forming on the top of the water, this is an indication that your pump is not fully submerged in the water. Adjust the pump or add mor water so that water totally covers it.
Tip: For smaller or indoor fountains you can use distilled water that will help prevent hard water stains.
Safety
Don’t forget that a power source is needed to run a fountain.
Some safety advice:
- First check to see if your outdoor outlet has 3-prongs, a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) protected outlet.
- To prevent water from dripping down the cord and damaging the electrical socket, create a drip loop by allowing the pump power cord to hang below the wall outlet.
- Then consider how far you might need to run an extension cord; get one rated for outdoor use. We like to use electrical, duct tape or a connector cover to seal the connection junction if an extension cord is used. Think about whether or not children or pets might have access where the cord runs. To avoid tripping you may have to bury the cord. But first make sure the cord won’t be lying in water at any time of year and use a connector cover that is weather proof. Always check with a professional if you aren’t sure what is safe.
- Always keep the basin filled with water and free of debris.
- The pump works harder (and is more likely to burn out) without enough water, and if you overfill there will be more splashing. We like to top off our fountains with water each week to compensate for evaporation and daily splash loss. You may need to add water more often during hotter weather.
Design Toscano Small Wonders Fountains
Add a calming atmosphere to a master bedroom, office cubicle, or apartment balcony with one of the many Design Toscano Small Wonders fountain collection. Bringing a scaled fountain indoors will give you endless hours of pleasure; the sounds will create a peaceful oasis while adding humidity to a dry room. They also improve the air quality by distributing oxygen inside the home and office. We recommend using distilled water in indoor fountains to make maintenance easy.
Make any room delightful by bringing the garden inside or enhance an outdoor space with fountains, furniture and plants. As a welcoming touch by the front door, inside or out, a Design Toscano fountain will enhance the beauty of the environment. Small Wonder sculptural fountains are works of art themselves and are composed of many popular themes such as: playful animals, gargoyles, natural looking rocks like Glacier Peak (DW35126) and spiritual works like Endless Serenity Buddha (SS5615).
Next time we’ll be tackling accessorizing your fountain.
Jump to any of the previous posts from the Fountain How-To Series:
PART 1 – ADVANTAGES & TYPES OF FOUNTAINS
PART 2 – GARDEN FOUNTAIN PLACEMENT
PART 3 – CHOOSING A FOUNTAIN STYLE THAT SUITS YOU
PART 4 – HOW TO INSTALL YOUR FOUNTAIN
PART 5 – REWARDS OF ADDING A DESIGN TOSCANO POND SPITTER
PART 6 – ACCESSORIZING YOUR DESIGN TOSCANO FOUNTAIN