# Working Fountains are a pain...



## ResilientRosie (Feb 23, 2011)

... but they look so cool! 

For our upcoming production, I've put purchased a tiered fountain. It is this one: Walmart.com: Alpine Three Tiered Fountains: Massage & Spa The pump pushes the water up to the top tier and over grooves in the edges. When it fills the second tier, it falls through little holes down into the basin. It's a bit noisier and splashier than I'd like...

Can anyone tell me if there is a great way to:

1) Reduce the splash from water hitting water.

2) Reduce the noise of the splash (this problem may be solved if problem #1 is solved).

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!


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## MarshallPope (Feb 23, 2011)

I have no idea if this would work, or it may make things worse, but maybe you could add a plexiglass collar for the water to fall onto before rolling off into the basin. It would be the same principle as those modern slab sinks.


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## sk8rsdad (Feb 23, 2011)

Can you stick a piece of foam in the basin where the water hits sitting just proud of the water line? Maybe it will to soak up impact.


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## Footer (Feb 23, 2011)

I hate fountains onstage... spent way to many nights trying to keep the things from leaking....

But alas... here it goes. Plug those holes. In order to make the thing silent, you need to get rid of droplets and instead make the water sheet. Plug the holes, made the outer lip perfectly level, and that should do it. Its not going to look as cool, but it will make it quieter. You can't have both.


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## dvsDave (Feb 23, 2011)

Another question. I love watching behind the scenes footage from shows/movies. One of the things I remember is that the special f/x crew has to put a coloring agent into the water so that it shows up on for the camera. Having never done this on stage myself, is water visibility an issue and how would you solve it?


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## kiwitechgirl (Feb 23, 2011)

dvsDave said:


> Another question. I love watching behind the scenes footage from shows/movies. One of the things I remember is that the special f/x crew has to put a coloring agent into the water so that it shows up on for the camera. Having never done this on stage myself, is water visibility an issue and how would you solve it?


 
The famous title scene in _Singin' In The Rain_ utilised milk in the water to make it how up on camera...you'd have to be careful doing this onstage and I think you'd end up changing the water a lot more frequently.


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## alfnuts68 (Feb 23, 2011)

Aquarium filter pads


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## Traitor800 (Feb 23, 2011)

dvsDave said:


> Another question. I love watching behind the scenes footage from shows/movies. One of the things I remember is that the special f/x crew has to put a coloring agent into the water so that it shows up on for the camera. Having never done this on stage myself, is water visibility an issue and how would you solve it?


 
I just finished a 4000 gallon pool for a tour and at the lighting designers request we designed a system of hoses to aerate the water so that the LD could color the water better with the LED's that that he had under the water. I haven't seen anything regarding how well it worked but that was the solution that we came up with.

And if you want to talk about water being a pain, this video only shows about half the water gags in the show. Also pay close attention cause theres a prop in the show that some of you may have seen before on control booth.


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## erosing (Feb 23, 2011)

Traitor800 said:


> Also pay close attention cause theres a prop in the show that some of you may have seen before on control booth.



What a beautiful chariot you have there.


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## lightingguy1 (Feb 23, 2011)

Traitor800 said:


> I just finished a 4000 gallon pool for a tour


 

I'm Sure roadhouses are going to hate you!


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## jwl868 (Feb 23, 2011)

Is there any way to reduce the water circulation rate? Smaller streams may be less noise and less splash.

(I suspect that it's too "cheap" to pinch the pump output [and it might damage the pump], but you might be able be able to plumb a bypass to reduce the flow to the top tier.)


Joe


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## Traitor800 (Feb 23, 2011)

Arez said:


> What a beautiful chariot you have there.


 
The chariot was done by CB member Brian Wolfe and his shop, we did all the staging and automation.


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## Traitor800 (Feb 23, 2011)

lightingguy1 said:


> I'm Sure roadhouses are going to hate you!


 
That pool was just the b stage, there were also two smaller pools in the mainstage and water jets up and down the runways. I think it was something like 7000 gallons pf water that had to be delivered to each venue and then heated cause just the other day they were in Finland and the water was coming out of the trucks at 34*F.


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## thatactorguy (Feb 23, 2011)

jwl868 said:


> Is there any way to reduce the water circulation rate? Smaller streams may be less noise and less splash.
> 
> (I suspect that it's too "cheap" to pinch the pump output [and it might damage the pump], but you might be able be able to plumb a bypass to reduce the flow to the top tier.)
> 
> ...


 

I don't know about the prefab fountains, but the pumps I've seen at the stores usually have an adjuster dial to change the circulation rate. That gives an idea for the OP: if you're feeling adventurous enough, and the pump in the fountain doesn't have an adjuster or is- at the very least- easily accessible, you could try a smaller pump and see how that works...


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## ResilientRosie (Feb 24, 2011)

Thank you for the ideas, everyone. The pump is adjustable, but the change is scarcely noticeable - the strongest flow is barely any different than the weakest. Regardless, I do have it set on the weakest flow, but perhaps I will try some of these ideas. Foam in the water seems like the easiest fix right now. 

What do you think about trying to make the water run down lengths of fish line? Would that work to silence the splash a little?


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## BrianWolfe (Feb 24, 2011)

I have used a clamp on a poly tube return line to reduce flow or gate valve on a rigid line. As long as there is enough water circulating to keep the pump cool it works well. We also put foam rubber in the pool which quieted the splash and reduced spillover.


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