A Beginner’s Guide on How to Make a Solar Water Feature

Last Updated on January 10, 2023

A solar water fountain can decorate an outdoor space and add some style to the overall ambience of a certain place. Not to mention, many fountains produce a subtle bubbling sound, which can be therapeutic and relaxing to your ears.

While different types of stock garden water fountains can make an outdoor space look quite attractive, most are very expensive.

However, you can still spruce up your garden with a DIY solar-powered water fountain.

Such water features can be created from simple appliances that have a low price tag. Not to mention, solar water features are energy-efficient and have a low maintenance cost. In this post, we are going to show you how to install a solar water feature.

Different Water Fountain Types

The following are some of the most common types of water fountains:

Waterfall Cascade

This water fountain has a simplistic and captivative design, which makes your garden look gorgeous. Most cascade solar water fountains have a water reservoir on the base level.

In most cascade models, the reservoir is quite close to the ground level. Therefore, for a waterfall cascade fountain to work effectively, a pump must be dipped in the reservoir to pump water to higher levels.

Water flows through a thin tube at a certain pressure to get to the higher levels. Once the water gets to a higher level, it drains down the fountain and gets back to the water reservoir. After that, the whole cycle starts again.

Waterfall cascade fountains have different designs and can spray different volumes of water. Not to mention, waterfall cascades might have different numbers of tiers or levels.

For instance, one cascade might have two levels/tiers, while another might have five levels/tiers.

Pond

As the name hints, this is a fountain fitted in a water body like a pond to improve the appearance of a certain place. It can also be installed on a container or birdbath that can hold water for a long period, just like a pond.

A pump gets immersed into a water body and sprays jets of water in different directions. Big pumps are used in big water masses, while small pumps are mainly fitted in small water masses.

In this type of setup, the pump has to be installed strategically to function effectively. The pump should not be immersed too deep into the water. It should be in a shallow spot.

Most pond pumps come with a floating disk that secures them in a certain position as it sprays water.

DIY Design

In a DIY design, you are free to come up with any design. You can also look at different pictures of DIY solar water fountains to get an insight into the different types of easy DIY designs that might make your garden look beautiful.

A DIY design idea makes it easier for you to get creative and use basic items to develop a unique DIY solar water fountain. You can also use different types of materials to create a solar water fountain. Examples of such items include plant pots, buckets, and trays. Not to mention, this is one of the most popular fountain types. Different ideas can guide you.

Step by Step Guide to Creating Solar Water Features

Follow our complete guide below on how to make a solar water feature:

Step 1: Look For the Most Suitable Tools for Creating a Water Feature

Solar water features can be created from various appliances. Some of the most common cheap house appliances that can be used in this project include flower pots, plastic containers, and steel tubs.

Simply put, this homemade solar water feature can be built from any container that can hold water for a long period.

Unlike an electric water feature, a solar-powered water fountain project is quite simple to create and does not have many electrical cables.

Step 2: Find the Most Suitable Location for the Solar Water Feature

Before you start building/creating a DIY water feature, you have to determine where you will position it. For example, most fountains are installed in gardens.

You can put it on a spot that is centrally positioned in your outdoor water garden. You can also place it on your patio or your backyard.

Also, make sure that you place it in a well-lit spot and access direct sun rays. It should be in a sunny location.

Since this water feature is completely powered with solar energy, you have to avoid dark spots that don’t receive enough sunlight from the sun. Therefore, you should also install it during summer.

Step 3: Use a Gardening Tool to Make the Surface Flat

A solar water fountain has to be placed on a flat surface to function effectively.

If the spot is not completely flat, it may topple and fall off quite easily. Not to mention, water will not be distributed evenly on the fountain.

Use a garden hoe to dig and loosen some of the chunks of soil that might be on that spot. Then, try to level it out so that it holds the fountain on even ground.

Once you finish levelling the ground, put a few ground stones on that spot. Such stones can elevate the fountain to a higher level. In addition, you can drive the stones into the ground to improve the levels of sturdiness.

Step 4: Pour Water Into the Container

Put a steel tub/galvanized tub on the ground, then pour some water into that container. Pour water into the steel tub until it reaches the half-full mark. Some of the water will be used to nourish the plants that will be on your DIY water fountain.

Step 5: Add Some Decorative Water Plants

While this is an optional step, a beautiful plant can make your solar-powered water fountain stand out, especially if it has a flower. Not to mention, some plants have unique roots that can get rid of the dirt particles that might get into the fountain. Other plants can remove algae from the water.

Insert the water plants into the steel tub. You can insert a plant while it’s still in a pot. Keep the plants in their original planter pots as you are putting them into the steel tub. Do not put large planter pots in the steel tub (use small or medium-sized pots). After that, place some rocks on the pots to improve the overall design.

Such rocks also improve the stability of the soil that supports the plants in the pots. They also stop other components from getting out of the pots.

Well, different types of plants can help you take your solar water fountain to the next level. Examples of such plants include Siberian Iris, Liriope, Water Lily, and Cyperus Involucratus.

Step 6: Install the Solar Water Pump

Once you finish inserting different plants into the steel tab, you have to install a solar fountain pump in your homemade water feature:

• Insert the pump in the steel tube, then place the solar panel just on the side of the fountain.
• Place the solar panel in an upright position so that it receives enough sunlight.
• Connect the solar panel is to the pump on the fountain.

A pump comes with a wire that helps you connect the solar panel to the main unit of the pump.

Since pumps have tubes that have different diameter sizes, they spray water to different heights. Due to this, you have to be quite keen while looking for a solar pump.

Pump tubes with a smaller diameter can spray water to a higher height than tubes with a larger diameter.

On the other hand, if you are planning to improve the performance of your pump, a tube converter might be a suitable tool for you.

As the name hints, this is a tool that can make your pump spray water to a higher height than before. It should be fitted on one end of your pump’s tubing to boost the performance.

One end of the tube converter has a large internal diameter, while the other end has a small internal diameter.

For instance, if your pump’s tubing has an internal diameter of 10mm, the tube converter will connect perfectly to the pump’s tubing. However, it will spray water through a smaller diameter.

Make sure that the solar pump is completely dipped in the water while you are installing it.

Install a Garden Fountain

Knowing how to make a solar water feature is quite easy. A solar water fountain can make a space look appealing. Moreover, homemade solar features are quite easy to create and are cheap, too. Since water features have different designs, choose a design that suits you the most and blends perfectly with your garden. Tons of ideas can guide you.

You have to look for a container that will act as a water reservoir for your solar water fountain. Make sure that the container is in good condition and doesn’t have any holes. Also, place your solar water fountain in a spot that has enough sunlight. The solar panel should be facing the sunlight’s direction. If the solar panel doesn’t face the sun, it won’t receive enough rays to power the pump.