Sue Whitney and Ki Nassauer of JunkMarket took a jaunt outside to create babbling fountains out of salvaged junk. “With just a little patience and imagination, you can make fountains out of most anything,” Ki says. Basic requirements: Be sure your watertight base is deep enough that the water covers the pump, otherwise the water won’t recycle. Steer clear of wood, which will rot.
 
You’ll find small submersible fountain pumps, hoses, and river rocks in the garden department of most hardware stores and home centers. Small pumps with adjustable water flow cost about $20, and you can purchase a nozzle kit for $13.  
 
Here’s step-by-step how-to for two of Sue and Ki’s fountains:

Metal Splasher
materials you’ll need:
Fountain pump
Nozzle kit (optional)
Rubber hose
Rubber washer
Roasting pan
3-inch bolts with nuts
Scrap wood
River rocks
 

Step 1: Make a frame out of scrap wood to enclose your roasting pan (simple mitered corners).
Step 2: Drill 3-inch bolts into each corner of your hollow corbel to raise.
Step 3: Place the fountain pump in your roasting pan base.

+ click to enlarge photo

Step 4: Cut your rubber hose to fit through the length of your hollow corbel.
Step 5: Feed your hose through the top. (You may need to drill an opening for the hose.)
Step 6: Attach a rubber washer to the top of the hose so it doesn’t fall through.
Step 7: Fill your base with rocks.
Step 8: Add water and turn the pump on.