This is such a fun 1-day project.* I wanted a little fountain for our courtyard because who doesn’t love the sound of trickling water? I am about to do a makeover in the courtyard and I am still getting my mood board and ideas all put together. But I figured this was a super easy and quick DIY I could get done in a day. It really only took a couple of hours or less.
* unless you want to acclimate the water for the fish over a few days
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Materials needed:
• Container of choice (here is the one I used) A few more options, here, here and here
• River rocks or pond rocks
• Aquatic plants (there are tons on etsy if not available in nurseries in your area) Lily pads, frog bits, anubias
• Fish(optional) of choice. I used goldfish here, but am told the best are guppies or rice fish due to their size (be your own judge or ask at the pet store for your area)
• Solar fountain, or this one with lights
How to
Now we are ready to build our pond and fountain! First, I dumped all the rocks on the ground and sprayed them down with the hose. Then, I placed them in the bucket/pot and sprayed them down again, dumping the water out until it was clear. I had to do this about 3 or 4 times to make sure the water was clean. If you are not using fish, this isn’t quite as important.
Next, if you are using plants that are tall and require potting, you may want to add a cinder block, big rock, or upside down bucket or anything that will act as a “stand” to place your pot on so that the plant will stick out of the water and you can see it. This doesn’t include aquatic plants that you want to submerge. The lily pad I got was a big root ball and you just place it in the water and it sinks. The lilies will grow quickly! I had about 4 pads in 10 days from zero! Then fill your pot with water leaving a few inches for rain, sprinklers, evaporation, etc.
If you are using fish, make sure to fill your pot with water and let it sit and acclimate for at least 24 hours. Some will say a week, but please do your research and make your own judgment call. After that, tape the bag that the fish came in from the store to the side of the pot so they can acclimate to the water temperature for about 30 minutes. Then, you can release them into the water!
If you use goldfish I advise getting a small pond filter because they are very dirty fish. Otherwise, the plants and rain over time do a great job of filtering and cleaning the water naturally. Enjoy your little pond and ecosystem!
Let me know if you try this fun summer DIY for your outdoor patio, garden or courtyard!
