Build a musical fountain

More and more people are asking can they build a musical fountain for their own "display"  We are showing some of the questions we have been asked. If you have any questions please ask. (These questions and answers are in no particular order)

Do the lights have to be below the water?

If in front  this can cause the background to be lit which may be distractive as it will light up what is behind.  If behind  when working they may "blind" the audience. If at the sides it may be too distracting, Above will mean you will require something  like scaffolding to fix them to. In the water They will work fine  but must be waterproof lights. Update 2009: Our lighting error page (on our information site)

I have some hose nozzles and a lawn sprinkler can I use these?

As theses are designed  for use with mains water pressure, a pump may not produce the same pressure and what will you connect them to?

We are a team of students, we have borrowed some diesel and petrol engine water pumps can we use these?

Unless you can stop and start the pumps and or the water flow very quickly like a musical fountain does, they will be of no use, not to mention the noise and exhaust fumes.

I have some ball valves from a koi pond can I use these to change the water flow?

You will need quite a few valves, and a lot of pipework from each valve, you will also need to be quick at operating them. Also if all the valves are open to make all outlets work, the available water pressure will be shared between all the outlets, so all jets will be at the same feeble low height.

I have some electric valves from a washing machine will these work?

The first thing to note is when outside the physical protection of a washing machine they can be lethal  Do not use them. These valves also rely on mains water pressure to open  and are slow, so would be of no use anyway.

Will a table size musical fountain be easier and or cheaper to make?

In theory, yes, since it will be smaller, but that is its main problem. There are no readily available components that small, so you will have to make everything yourself.  You will not be able to make a pump of any size so you will have to buy one, and a small cheap  pump will not be up to the task, you will have to buy a "proper pump" (Which is too big for a small fountain) so it is no longer cheap or small.

Can I make my own nozzles?

You can try, and we wish you the best of luck, please send us a picture. (To date, no one has) You need nozzles to direct the water flow / direction.

How can I make a pool?

Sorry, but if you have to ask that, should you be doing this task?

How do you make the water jets rise and fall?

We use pumps that we can control the speed of. You can not do this with all pumps, the ones we use have an asynchronous motor.

Once you have all the lights pumps etc what do you use to control it?

We use our custom written software, but if its for your own "entertainment" there are simpler options available. (Please ask)

I think you are being too negative because you want us to buy stuff from you.

Not true. No really, it isn't. We  would love to help some one make their own "musical fountain"  But everything must be safe, and actually work. If you want to, you can always buy products from else where, we are just telling you the truth to save you time and money.  The main thing is there really is more to a musical fountain than most people think, as the students who built a "musical fountain" found out, there really is more to a musical fountain than it first appears. (Click here to read  what the students did) We have been approached to help many people over the years nothing has ever comes of it because of the costs,  even for a diy "Musical fountain" we estimate you will be looking at a few thousand pounds to buy / build all the parts and make it work.

Please, if you have a question, go ahead and ask, (Use the contact us button)  we do not publish any names etc.