Solar water feature

Irony

Anyone know where I can get small solar pump etc.I want to put together a very small container type water features (for bees) at bottom of garden.Or any sites that show how to put one together.

pookiewn

This might be helpful
http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/category/water-gardening/
There's also a how to make a mini pond in there too.

Amazon are selling one for £23.99, not sure if that is a good price or not!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Solar-powered-water-pump-Sunjet/dp/B000AKVRMK

Optimisticpair

I think the cheapest I've seen online was a solar lily fountain (I googled it) was around £40.

For general wildlife I think a good cheap option is a pond liner with a pebble / rocks shallow end so hedgehogs can get out, tadpoles can shelter and insects can get to the water from the pebbles. A submerged pump can be kept in a clay pot resting on bricks to keep the water inlet off the bottom. It only needs to be deep enough for the pump at one end.

If you just want some shallow water exposed you can put fine wire mesh over a container cut a hole through for the fountain and cover the mesh below the water line with pebbles.

Pebble fountains are simply a container with a concave plastic lid (like a dustbin lid) with a hole in it for the fountain which you cover over to hide with pebbles. Nothing can fall in and drown.

Irony

Mesh is a great idea as bees will drown if landing on deep water(1") .Clay pot poss but might crack in winter might have look into a small tub. If not, I may buy a ready made one .Keep hunting.X

jennyjelly

Hi, just been doing a bit of research because we want a water spout on our wall and we're thinking of buying one of these which apparently pumps 150 l per hour. I think it will be enough, but has anyone ever tried one of these for a wall fountain?

davemorton

Sorry, cant help, but if you do get one, please post back a report.

miltonskeen

I would use a website that allows reviews to be posted and do plenty of research. I've been after a solar aerator to help the pond recover from periods of high sunlight but the reviews seem to suggest unless you spends a fair amount you will get a poor product.

I think with solar products, the cheap ones especially, you get what you pay for.

jennyjelly

Well I've ordered one, not expensive to worth a try. Will report back in case the info is useful to anyone.

Painkiller

We had one of the floating Solar Lily Fountains - absolutely useless. The solar panel had to be spotless and the sunlight had to be fully on the panel for it to work so it rarely produced a fountain of water worth looking at. After it clogged up for the first time we took it out of the pond & have never been inclined to put it back.

miltonskeen

Yep, this is what I alluded to a few posts back. Good luck with the one you ordered!

jennyjelly

Just popping in to report back as promised.

Pump arrived quickly and I must say for a little cheapy it's fine - when the sun is out the water is about 4" high, which for what I wanted (bubbling over stones in a pot) is fine. As soon as the sun goes behind a cloud it reduces to intermittent little spurts. We are also looking for a pump to power a wall fountain, and this wouldn't be powerful enough for this so we still need an electric one.

Definitely a case of you get what you pay for but if you only need a little trickle I'd recommend it!