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Fountain Installation -Granada Hills

In the front of this home is a pre-exiting circular planter. All the pre-existing plants, shrubs, a small lemon tree, and about four tons of soil were removed from the planter. A trench was also dug from the planter to the side of the house. In the trench will go all the plumbing to allow for a "tunable" set of six "deck-jets," one set of recirculation plumbing, an automatic water-filler, and a conduit for low voltage lighting.

We will be installing a fountain center piece similar to this mermaid design which is about six feet in height. Additionally four deck-jets and four "gushers" will surround the center piece within the circular trough.

Before and after trenching. After all the desired plumbing is laid in the trench, the trench is back-filled and the grass put back in place.

Before and after trenching. After all the desired plumbing is laid in the trench, the trench is back-filled and the grass put back in place.

The plumbing is in place. Next will come the custom plumbing for the four deck-jets, the four gushing water features, the feed for the main fountain water feature, the auto-fill, and six separate conduits for the six underwater low voltage lights.

"Mapping out" the plumbing in the trough. Setting the height of the skimmer. August 17, 2009 The trough is designed to have about a two foot depth on the inside, and the top of the trough will rise just about one foot above the level of the grass. The skimmer and automatic water filler have to be installed at a precise level according to the actual water level to be maintained in the trough, the same would be so for a swimming pool. We'll treat this water feature as we would any body of water worth maintaining to a high standard. This makes for an efficient and easily maintained water feature instead of a mess that needs to have a major periodic clean-up.

Mapping out" the plumbing in the trough. The skimmer is set. August 17, 2009 The skimmer suction line is commonly connected to the "main drain" suction lines which are separated by over three feet for safety. There are six grey conduits which lead from six points in the trough for strategic lighting to a common sump. Inside the sump each of the power supply cables of the light fixtures will be connected inside a water-tight junction box to a single power supply. Doing this, hides the light cables from sight and also servicing or changing a single light fixture is as easy as lifting out the junction box above water level. With the future in mind, we like to design our water features for possible easy maintenance and repairs.

Mapping out" the plumbing in the trough. Now, the Auto-fill and the "gushers." August 17, 2009 Four gushers are plumbed to surrounding the center piece. The gushers can be "tuned" to gently "bubble" from just underneath the water surface so as to be subtle yet lend some more "action" to the whole water feature. Installing the auto-fill makes a huge difference in the ease of maintaining this water feature -no inconvenience remembering to throw a hose in the trough to maintain the water level.

"Mapping out" the plumbing in the trough. Now, the "deck Jets" and the reinforcing rebar. August 18, 2009 The "deck Jets" or "scuppers" which spit water from the side in a nice arc to towards the center piece will be evenly spaced between the gushers. Note the cross-work of rebar reinforcing for a crack proof trough base.

Cement August 18, 2009 Cement is poured over the network of plumbing and rebar to about an 8" thickness.

Cement August 18, 2009 This step is done and the cement is allowed to cure. Next will come the construction of the raised wall of the trough and the pedestal for the center piece.

Block Wall August 22, 2009 The walls of the trough are made using cinder block which slip over the bordering rebar.

Block Wall August 22, 2009 From this angle you can see how the auto-fill (left) and the skimmer (right) are built in. You can also see the four "deck jets" reaching up from inside the block wall.

The Center Piece August 25, 2009 This is the actual center piece, two mermaids and tiered lotus flowers. Water will spill from the top lotus flower to the successive ones.

Coping August 26, 2009 A coping is installed by pouring cement in within forms attached to the top of the walls (bond-beam) of the trough.

Coping August 26, 2009 Removing the forms.

Coping August 26, 2009

Coping August 26, 2009 There are four holes like this evenly spaced around the water feature, they are the "deck Jets" or "scuppers" which will squirt water towards the center piece.

Coping August 26, 2009 The "deck Jets" or "scuppers" finishing detail.

Tile August 29, 2009 Installing the inside tile.

Tile August 29, 2009 Installing the inside tile.

Tile August 29, 2009 Installing the outside tile.

Tile August 29, 2009 Installing the inside tile.

Mounting the Center Piece August 29, 2009 For our installation, we used a plank of "air craft" grade aluminum cut to the shape of the base. The plank was then secured to the cement, after which the center piece is then secured to the plank using all stainless steel hardware which will not rust. This insures that the center piece will not easily topple over.

Center Piece Detail August 29, 2009

Center Piece Detail August 29, 2009

Low Profile Lids August 29, 2009 Instead of using the ordinary white stock plastic lids for the auto-fill and the skimmer, we chose these customizable lids which can filled with the same cement texture as the coping making these lids more low profile and blend in.

Almost Done August 29, 2009 We still need to tile the floor, install the lights, and install the circulation equipment.

Test Run August 29, 2009 A garden hose is hooked up temporarily see how the water flows from the center piece. This is just the beginning.

Plumbing in the Equipment September 4, 2009 A "tight" manifold with individual valves allows for precise adjustments of the water stream from each of the four the deck jets.

Plumbing in the Equipment September 4, 2009 There was not a lot of room or options for placement of the equipment.

Inside Tile September 4, 2009

Tile Finished September 4, 2009

Gushers & Lighting September 5, 2009 A simple gate-valve on each of the four gushers allows for precise adjustments -a tube will continue up from this valve to just below water level to create the gusher. One of six low-voltage lights is shown in the background -note the power supply cable of the light disappearing into it's own conduit.

Testing the Lights September 5, 2009

Finished! September 5, 2009 This water feature is designed with ease of maintenance in mind, ease of "fine tuning," and beauty... and lots of "bells and whistles." Per our client's request, we raised the center piece to be able to view it in it's entirety. Function wise, the water feature has everything a swimming pool has, including a skimmer to keep the water surface clean and a filter to keep the water crystal clear. Additionally, this water feature has six underwater lights for night time illumination. While the center piece itself has water flowing from it's top and cascading down into successive lotus flower tiers, the water feature also has four gushers and four deck jets

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