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May 9, 2013 12:24 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
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Has anyone made a mini garden with running water?

I think it would be cool to use our aquarium pump to make a little waterfall to flow down a stream to make a gold rush scene of CA in 1849 with prospectors panning for gold in the stream, a little town at the end.
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May 10, 2013 7:46 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
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After going past the fantasy stage in thinking about this, I remembered there's no outlets outside on this old house at all. ...and do I want to pay to run electricity for something like this even if it was inside? No.

Although I would extremely enjoy any anecdotes or pics anyone has to share with an electric feature, I would be especially interested to hear about any experiences with solar water features. Looks like pumps start at about $20 for something that would only work when it's sunny, on up in price to something that also has batteries (recharged by solar also) to run 24 hrs.

My brief research so far has led me to understand that when there's a raise in a pumped water system, there is more water needed for it to function properly and the water all falls to the lowest level when the pump stops. Depending on the design, that could mean that some/a lot of the water overflows and is lost and, if not replaced before the pump starts back up, could leave so little water that the pump burns out. So a waterfall may be a stretch of what's possible... A little trickle over slightly raised rocks would probably be much more practical, although I don't think any rise is necessary to make a wheel turn, that's the part I really want.
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
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May 10, 2013 9:24 AM CST
Name: Michele Roth
N.E. Indiana - Zone 5b, and F (Zone 9b)
I'm always on my way out the door..
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Forum moderator Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Master Level Dog Lover Cottage Gardener
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I have one of these on my *to do* list, too.

I haven't found an affordable solar system for the functions I want yet, so I've run electrical power out to a three outlet junction. So far I have the lower catch basin and a small pump operational. I'll eventually add another basin to another garden bed at the crest of a slight rise and link the two together. I figure that I'll probably need a larger pump to run the entire system since my return hose will be about 20 feet longer than the one I'm running now, but time will tell.

If I'm thinking right and you run the dual basin system, you should be able to use a second pump for a waterfall. The lower pump would send water to your uphill catch basin to keep it over-filled enough to run downstream, and the other would pull water from the uphill basin specifically to feed the waterfall that recycles water in that basin. If you have two catch basins with a pump in each one and your stream bed is set to flow from right at, or at least near the top when leaving your uphill catch basin, I'd think that water loss and the possibility of pump burnout would be slight. If the pumps are off the only water lost should be the minimal amount that's actually in the stream bed at the time of power loss. The remaining water would be held in your catch basins. In order for your stream bed to flow you'd need to replace water lost from each loss of power, but it seems to me that it might work. Smiling

[Edited for redundancy;)
Cottage Gardening

Newest Interest: Rock Gardens


Last edited by chelle May 10, 2013 9:28 AM Icon for preview
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May 25, 2013 6:23 PM CST
Name: aud/odd
Pennsylvania (Zone 6b)
Garden Ideas: Level 1
If you are doing mini garden waterfall you can use those battery operated table top waterfall ornaments. I have seen them in Dollar General. I think I have one somewhere when I was putting together a Fairy Garden before I moved.
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May 28, 2013 7:10 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
Thanks for the replies! Chelle, I read what you said initially but was too pressed for time that day to respond. I've since gotten distracted from this project, but still kicking it around in my mind. I've looked at a few sites to get an idea of the products out there and end up getting more confused. We're taking a vacation at the end of June. When we get back, I'll get back to seeing if I can make this work.

Cinta, you should see some of the DG's around here - disgusting and worthless, never ready for ads. There is a nice new one in the next town over that I'll pass by today. Will see if they have any of those waterfall things, thanks!

Really appreciate the ideas and suggestions!! Thank you!
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
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May 28, 2013 8:05 AM CST
Name: Michele Roth
N.E. Indiana - Zone 5b, and F (Zone 9b)
I'm always on my way out the door..
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Forum moderator Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Master Level Dog Lover Cottage Gardener
Native Plants and Wildflowers Plant Identifier Organic Gardener Keeps Horses Hummingbirder Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
I tip my hat to you.

purpleinopp said: ... I've since gotten distracted from this project...



Me, too. It's time to plant now.

My selected spot is in a shady area, so I think it would be a great deep summer project. Big Grin
Cottage Gardening

Newest Interest: Rock Gardens


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Jun 4, 2013 7:53 PM CST
Name: aud/odd
Pennsylvania (Zone 6b)
Garden Ideas: Level 1
If you do not find one let me know purple. I know I have two of them somewhere and I see them in the thrift store all the time. I know I can pick one up for you.

I found this cement fairy house and the fairies are metal for 2.00 last week.

Thumb of 2013-06-05/Cinta/b74b02
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Jun 19, 2013 5:35 AM CST
Name: Cinda
Indiana Zone 5b
Dances with Dirt
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Wow
What a find
Would look good in my garden too Smiling
..a balanced life is worth pursuit.
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Jun 20, 2013 6:59 PM CST
Name: aud/odd
Pennsylvania (Zone 6b)
Garden Ideas: Level 1
gardengus said:Wow
What a find
Would look good in my garden too Smiling


Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing

Did you find the battery operated waterfall?
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Jul 6, 2013 9:16 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
Man, I went on vacation, mid-June. By the time I got back in the groove of regular life, it started raining, and has been raining almost non-stop ever since... About 10" of rain in the past couple weeks. At this point, the last thing that interests me is running water. Still have the project in mind, but the ooomph to get 'er done is temporarily MIA!!

Cinta, thanks so much for your thoughtful offer! Hopefully my gumption will return and I'll find one...

Cute stuff you found!! Thanks for sharing ;)
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
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Jul 20, 2013 7:59 PM CST
Name: aud/odd
Pennsylvania (Zone 6b)
Garden Ideas: Level 1
Okay purple just keep in mind if you do not find a water fall I know I can find you one when you are ready.

Meanwhile I will keep rooting these Persian Shields. Rolling on the floor laughing
Avatar for Minflick
Jan 1, 2017 6:20 PM CST
Campbell, California (Zone 9b)
http://www.harborfreight.com/s...

Wouldn't work for every plan, but boy, is THAT good price!!
I'll keep trying until nothing else dies on me!
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Jan 1, 2017 6:31 PM CST
Name: Karen
New Mexico (Zone 8a)
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That is a great price, and I bet it would work for a mini water garden feature.
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Avatar for Minflick
Jan 1, 2017 8:32 PM CST
Campbell, California (Zone 9b)
Right?! It looks like the same pump in my cats water bowl, with a solar cell power source instead of a power cord. I've found a few other postings 'around and about' where someone put a bit of fish tank tubing to get the water up to where they wanted, since it comes only with a rigid plastic pipe up. I don't need much lift or flow, and I think this would supply more than enough. My only problem would be sunlight... Since I live in the redwoods!

I'm going to check my local store tomorrow and see if they have it...
I'll keep trying until nothing else dies on me!
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