WATER FEATURE CHALLENGE - 2
Once I had the design worked out, I listed up all the items I needed. Here's the breakdown of what I used and their approximate cost. (I'm including an affiliate link whenever I purchased the item or saw the same/similar item at Amazon.com for your information.)
Two Planters ($60) - These are the main features of the fountain, so I took the time to look around both the local and online stores. I wanted something with a nice shape, not too heavy, and had a neutral color. I ended up with a set of three charcoal gray planters made of light-weight concrete on Amazon for under $90. I used the large and small sizes for this project.
Solar Water Pump ($40) - Another key element of the project, I found this 7w pump on Amazon, which came with a decent sized solar panel and 3000mAh battery.
How did I pick this one from a huge variety of solar water pumps out there? Smaller ones (1.5 - 3w) seemed perfect for a birdbath but not strong enough to move water through my 24"-tall fountain. The dry-run protection was a must. I also wanted a built-in battery so the fountain can run at least a couple of hours after dark. After comparing prices and product specs on Amazon, I decided to start off with the least expensive model that fulfilled above requirements. Given my modular design concept, I figured, it'd be easy to upgrade it with something bigger or fancier (like this one) down the road.
Silicone Sealer ($15) and Silicone Tape ($11) - Initially I was just going to buy silicone sealer to plug the drainage hole at the bottom of two planters. Once I started reading descriptions, I realized I needed something that can hold up underwater. So, I found the silicone sealer on Amazon specifically made for fish tanks, ponds, etc. It's a little more expensive than regular ones, but I figured it would be worth it. I also found this self-integrating silicone tape used to wrap leaky plumbing pipes. I thought it would be helpful to reinforce the joints so forked out extra $$ for it (and I was glad I did).
Plain Plastic Pots ($8) - Now, moving on to items for structural support, the first item is the plain plastic planter pot, which would be placed inside the large planter to act as a stand for the small planter. I could stack two or three of them together to adjust the height. I bought three @ 2-gallon size at a local store (Amazon has them in bulk) but ended up using just two of them.
Up-a-Daisy Plant Elevation Platform ($16) - My initial plan was to buy a plastic saucer for the planter pot, then, saw this product at a local home-improvement store, which is intended as an insert to raise the bottom of the planter. It's pricier than the plain saucer, but I liked the fact that it had a bunch of pre-drilled holes, which I thought would be handy to pass the tubing through. Also, its backside is ridged (see it on product description on Amazon) and I thought, maybe, it would help stabilize the tilted planter on top better than a flat surface. The price varies by size - mine was 16", which just fit the opening of my large planter.
I found the small clay pot sitting around in my garage and thought it might come in handy to support the tubing inside the upper planter. (I didn't use it in the end, though.)
Rocks and Gravels ($10) - I used 0.3 cu ft of large beach pebbles (0.5 cu ft bag for $13) and about 0.2 cu ft of pea gravels (0.5 cu ft bag for $5) to decorate the fountain, both from a local store.
Landscape cloth ($0) - I cut a 18"x18" piece from a roll of landscape cloth I already had. This will be draped over the plant elevation platform to act as a filter.
Landscaping Material ($50) - The project area needed to be landscaped first. I used 0.6 cu ft of white gravel (0.4 cu ft bag for $12), 0.3 cu ft of pea gravels ($2), 0.2 cu ft of large beach pebbles ($4) (all at local store). I also bought three small plants ($26 at local store). Landscape cloth and tacks were leftover from another project. I also commandeered a 12x12" concrete tile I found in the backyard.
Total Project Cost = $160 (fountain) + $50 (landscaping) = $210
I'm happy to report I was well under my $200 budget for the fountain itself. Landscaping could have been a little less if I used plain pea gravel (over white gravel) or didn't get as many plants. But I figured I could spend $10 extra for a nice backdrop to my new fountain.
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