Has anyone ever did this and any tips? I have never did it and I am not sure where to begin in what materials to use. I have a small pond/fountain now, it is about guessing 10 gallons or so and about 24 inches across at the most. It is only about a foot deep and it evaporates like crazy, grows algae right over night is impossible to keep clean and the pump is always clogged w junk and doesn't work. If I get a pump too big it physically won't fit (too tall) or too powerful,' if the pump is too small though the debris burns it out. Also the cords on these things are too short. ( )

So I am wondering if I built something of the disappearing kind, I could use something really deeper which would hold more water and not dry out as fast, but how do you know when the water level is low if you can't see it? And how do I size a pump to the project? Seems they jump from way too small to way too large.

Posting so I can follow.....interested.

I can't help, but I'd love to do this too! I'd love it to be solar so I could put it away from electricity.

We have a big fountain in AZ. It was always green with algae in the summer. Our SIL installed a UV filter on it and now there is no algae. The water stays clear.

I have mosquitoes in mine, and algea, and leaves, and its just gross. It's too small for plants or fish. It is on the south side so full sun all day, I can't move it because the idea is to have something there my son can see out of his window (he sits in his window a lot, he is disabled). I was thinking by covering it up it wouldn't get stuff falling in it, and wouldn't get the sun on it to grow the algae so much. I don't put any chems in it cause critters drink from it.

I have to admit that I didn't know what a disappearing fountain was but i googled it can found this great link:

http://www.greatstems.com/2009...

Seems like all that is required is a cement mixing tub (or the like), a small pump, some screening and some rocks.

oh yes that is helpful, thank you! I love the fountain they made there. I am having a hard time trying to find where to buy the grid thingy though is the thing.

says they used an old grill grating but wouldn't that turn into a rusty mess

Frilly, if you have a pump moving the water 24 hours a day you won't have mosquitoes. I have a small fountain that we leave running and don't have the wigglers there at all.

well it keeps filling up with debris, burning the pump out. So I thought by covering it up I could keep the water clean, the pump would last longer, woul
dn't need cleaned so much and it wouldn't evaporate so fast. That is my hope anyway.

I have a preformed pond that I converted to a pondless water feature. Here's some photos of the process. I did leave a small drinking area for the animals, and that's what I use to check for evaporation/splash loss. Essentially, we (my two sons with me watching...) emptied it out, cleaned it, releveled it, put in a box to hold the pump and some switches to adjust the flow in each tower, filled in the remainder with stones, and filled it up again. How much water you leave exposed is optional, could be zero.

I love it! I love the tall rocks, hmm I have to find me something tall to add some height...

Absolutely love your basalt fountain, Bonehead. Did you find it locally or did you order online? What did you mount the columns on for support?

For the past few years I was planning to do the same thing but because it is a pretty pricey installation I created this work-in-progress until I can justify the expense of a basalt trio for such a short season.

My son brought me the columns. He is a landscaper and has his sources, hopefully he got them at wholesale. My guess is he set them on some flat pavers so he could snake the water lines up the columns. I was mostly just the photographer and cheerleader. Here's an updated photo, with the grasses filling in. My granddaughter tends to throw the rocks all over, so they keep getting rearranged. No problem. And there is a stray paver that needs to be relocated. Always something...