No matter which instructions you read: everywhere, an electric pump is required as a prerequisite for a fountain to function. But isn't it possible without it?
Can you build a fountain yourself without a pump?
A fountain without a pump is hardly feasible in your own garden because it requires a lot of effort. Alternatives are pumps powered by solar or wind energy or ram pumps if there is running water.
A little physics to get you started
In fact, you can also build fountains without electric pumps - the numerous fountains from the 17th and 18th centuries, some of which are still functional today, prove this. However, such systems - such as those in Versailles - were not possible without enormous effort, because in order to get the water to bubble meters high, it first had to fall from a great height - after all, water only flows if there is a gradient - where it ultimately does had to be transported back up. In Versailles, for example, this was done using a hydroelectric-powered water lift, which lifted the masses to a height of 160 meters. Of course, you cannot manage such an effort in your own garden, and other physical gadgets cannot be transferred to a garden fountain.
Choose the right pump
The alternative remains that you cannot build a (permanently) functioning fountain without an electric pump. Submersible pumps are wonderfully suitable for most applications. There are different types with different flow rates, which determine how high the pump can spray the water. The nozzle also has a further influence on the water jet. There are different types of nozzles with different jet effects that can be placed on the opening of a submersible pump.
Install electric pump
Water and electricity are always a combination that should not be taken lightly when it comes to safety. However, low-voltage pumps are not suitable for larger spring pumps due to their limited performance and can therefore only be used for smaller water elements. Solar-powered pumps are another option, but the initial cost is quite high and the performance is quite inconsistent due to variable weather conditions. Installing a fountain pump requires you to run a power cord through a conduit pipe to protect it from damage. You lay this pipe under the floor, a deck or slabs.
Tip
A pump can also be operated without electricity in other ways: for example using solar or wind energy. If you can use a stream or other flowing body of water for the fountain, try using the so-called ram pump. This was still very widespread until 150 years ago, but today it has been almost forgotten.
