Introduction: Easy Backyard Water Feature

About: i love ponds

This mini water feature is very easy if you are just starting to work with water and landscaping. Just this year I have become quite interested in ponds and water features and this is the first one I built. The great thing about this is that you can branch out and make a bunch of different water features with this same design. It took me two days but I started at 2:00pm and finished it at 3:00 the next day. This was my first time so that was the time factor for the two days but you could easily do it in one.

You will need:

- a shovel

- pump

- tub of any size

- pot with a hole in the centre of it

- rat wire and wire cutters

- tubing that fits your pump

- a piece of plywood or a lid that will fully cover the tub

- some nice rocks

- drill

- french saw or something like that

- staple gun or hammer and nails

The planter has to be able to fit into the tub with at least an inch of clearance between the side of the tub and the side of the planter. If you do not do this, not all of the water that comes down off of the planter will go into the tub and you will waste water.

Step 1: Dig a Hole Based on the Width of Your Tub

Dig a hole that will fit your tub. Preferably the hole should not have the tub protruding out of the top of the hole. It's a good idea to wipe out your tub before you secure it in the hole (trust me, I learned that the hard way). Once you have fitted the tub in the hole fill in the sides with dirt.

Step 2: Cut a Hole in the Plywood or Lid

Take your pot with the hole in it, and put it on the plywood or lid. Trace a line that is at least 3cm away from the pot all the way around. This enables the water to cycle back into the tub. Once you are done that, drill a hole near the line big enough for a saw blade to fit through.

Step 3: Cut Along the Line to Make a Big Hole

Using a french saw, (or any other saw that will fit in the hole that you drilled) cut along the line that you made by tracing around your pot.

Step 4: Make Life Easier

To save a lot of time, I cut out an extra bit so it would be easier to access the pump when I needed to. Then when I lay down the rat wire, I cut a little door that you can fold up and down. It makes it way easier than removing the whole piece of plywood.

Step 5: Cut and Lay Down the Rat Wire

First, measure the hole so that you will know how much rat wire to cut. You want the rat wire overlap all the way around the hole just to be safe. Once you have cut the rat wire, either using a staple gun or a hammer and nails, make sure that the rat wire is taught.

Step 6: Assemble Your Pump

Make sur your pump is working. Connect it to your tubing and run it to see if it leaks because it is going in the ground soon.

Step 7: Cut a Hole for Your Tubing

With your wire cutters, cut a hole in the centre of the rat wire for your tubing to go up through. The hole should be just big enough for your tubing to get through.

Step 8: Fit the Pump Into the Tub

Through the little hatch, put the pump and the tubing into the tub. Fit the tubing up through the hole that you cut. Make sure that none of the pokey bits of the rat wire can puncture the tubing. Have the cord of the pump come out of the hatch.

Step 9: Pot Stuff

Rinse out your pot so it looks incredibly beautiful. Fit the tubing through the hole in the bottom of your pot. it should not protrude at all. Flip your pot right upside down onto the middle of the rat wire.

Step 10: FINISH HIM!!!

Fill the tub with water through the hatch. The water should be at least an inch above your pump, because if the water is too low, it will reck the pump. Put picturesque rocks around the pot so you cannot see the rat wire. Finish it off by putting dirt on the rest of the plywood or lid.

Turn it on and Bob's your uncle.

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