Bubbling pots and water features for small areas are a hot thing these days.

Sometimes someone's space and budget won't allow for a larger pond or waterfall.  Sometimes people just want a little bit of water flow to attract some birds, and to create that soothing sound of water in a space.

Enter the bubbling pot fountain.

We have installed a bunch of these bubbling pots.  What a great way to add a little interest to a garden?  It is a pretty simple entity.  You pick out what your vessel will be.  There are almost infinite options for a smaller feature.  Could it be a pot, a low urn, a rock with a hole drilled through it, a Japanese bamboo fountain, multiple rocks stacked, a formal cast figure like a bird, turtle, frog?

The type of small fountain is up to you.  Where we come in is to take your, "vessel", and create the infrastructure.  

There are two types of infrastructures that we install for these small water features.

1.  A LARGE Aquascape Aquabasin.  Anything less in size than that creates the opportunity for splashing and water loss. An Aquabasin is a roughly 5' x 5' plastic tub that is perfect for the application.  There is just enough space to have a nice feature with fairly good water flow.  You still have to do your part to minimize splashing and water loss.

From a structural standpoint it can handle lots of weight.  It is sometimes tricky leveling them because there is space between the top of the basin, and the 4 support posts within.  But that doesn't sway the flexibility and durability that an Aquascape Aquabasin provides. 

There are doors on 2 sides of it that allow for easy access to the pump, and lots of little slits for the water to get back down to the pump.

It is great for most applications.

2.  The other system that we install is custom.  This we have done when the client wanted a pot waterfall instead of a bubbling pot.  Normally you might get 1500-1800 through a typical Aquascape Aquabasin, but we've done pots with over 4000 gallons per hour!

It takes a little tricky plumbing, bigger basin, and a larger splash area, but it so worth it.   

Another cool thing about have a custom installation is the fact that you can add multiple pots, stones, fountains, etc.  I see lots of pictures online of small features with multiple basalt columns that look pretty cool.

Light up your bubbling pot right!

There a 2 simple options when lighting up a bubbling pot.  

The standard and typical light is pointed at the pot from just at the base of the pot, or from several feet away.  This is a big value adding investment.

The second option is complementary.  It is to add a light to the inside of the pot to illuminate the inside of the pot, and the, "bubble".

How do you cover the infrastructures? 

Rock is really the option of choice, but the good news is that there are lots of rock options.  We have installed river rock, Mexican pebbles, slate chunks, river rock gravel, granite chips.

It comes down to what color do you want?  And how much is in your budget.  If you love the Mexican pebbles, you won't love the price of like 90 cents per pound.  That could easily come to several hundred dollars.

The thing you have to steer clear of is a gravel / rock that is too small.  It can clog up the pump's intake, and block water from getting back to to pump via the slits in the basin.

What to remember.

1.  Never install a basin smaller than an Aquascape Aquabasin.

2.  Always hook up an automatic fill valve if possible.

3.  Make sure if you go the Aquabasin route, it is installed level, on a gravel foundation.

4.  You need lights on it!

5.  Don't use rock that is too small.