The question we receive after every order is always the same: “what do I need to prepare?”
A marble chip garden fountain weighs a couple of hundredweight and upwards. It is not a pot: it is a structure that, once placed, stays there. Everything that follows concerns the days before the truck arrives.
1. The base: a concrete slab is required
The fountain must be placed on a flat, level concrete slab. Not on grass, not on compacted earth, not on dry-laid pavers.
The reason is the concentrated weight on just a few support points: ground that settles even slightly will throw the basin out of level. And a basin out of level is not merely an aesthetic flaw — water overflows from one side only, the usable water level drops, and the pump risks running dry.
Minor residual imperfections can be corrected during installation using rigid shims of wood or plastic, provided they do not compromise stability. Then check that the basin is centred and level.
If a concrete slab is not possible
There is a practical alternative: the fibreglass tub.
It is a basin with a reinforced double bottom, hydro-electric PVC pipework already built in, and pre-fitted for our kits. It completely eliminates masonry work — which is the most expensive part of any installation — and features an externally accessible pump compartment (h 20 × L 41 × P 32 cm, secured by 10 bolts): the pump can be installed and adjusted without draining the fountain and without reaching inside.
This is the option to consider when you do not want to open a building site, when the location cannot be reached by a concrete mixer, or when the installation needs to be dismantled at a later date.
2. How it arrives and how it is moved
The fountain does not arrive assembled, and it cannot be moved by two people.
It arrives in pieces — basin, base, column, bowl depending on the model — and is assembled on site. The individual pieces are still too heavy to be moved by hand: a pallet truck or a forklift is required to bring them from the truck to the installation point.
This means one thing, and it is better to know it in advance: the customer must have arranged this with their own builder or installer. This is not a service that can be improvised on delivery day, and it is not included in the transport.
The route from the unloading point to the installation point must be checked beforehand: width of passageways, steps, gradients, and the ground’s load-bearing capacity under the vehicle. A forklift on wet grass will sink.
(For weights, timescales and delivery methods: see Shipping and delivery.)
3. The pump: flow rate and head
A pump is chosen based on two values, and both are essential:
- flow rate — how many litres per hour it moves
- head — how many metres of height it can push the water
Head is what almost everyone gets wrong. If the fountain is one and a half metres tall and the pump has a 1.5 m head, the water barely reaches the top: the jet will be a trickle. The head must be chosen with a margin above the actual height of the outlet point, not the height of the basin.
| Art. | Model | Max flow rate | Power consumption | Head | Connections |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PP02 | Syncra 1.0 | 950 l/h | 16 W | 1,5 m | 1/2″ F |
| PP03 | Syncra 1.5 | 1.350 l/h | 23 W | 1,8 m | 1/2″ F |
| PP05 | Syncra 2.5 | 2.400 l/h | 40 W | 2,4 m | 3/4″ F |
| PP09 | Syncra ADV 5.5 | — | — | — | wet & dry |
| PP11 | Syncra ADV 9.0 | — | — | — | wet & dry |
| PP13 | Syncra HF 16.000 | 16.000 l/h | — | — | wet & dry |
| PP20 | Aquaforte 20000 | 20 m³/h | 420 W | 7,5 m | IN 2″ M – OUT 1½” M |
| PP21 | Aquaforte 25000 | 25 m³/h | 520 W | 8,0 m | IN 2″ M – OUT 1½” M |
| PP25 | Pompa Inox 32000 | 32.000 l/h | — | 21 m | IN 2″ F – OUT 1¼” F |
All models come with a 10-metre cable: this is the maximum distance from the socket, and must be taken into account when deciding where to position the fountain.
On the subject of running costs: a domestic garden fountain uses between 16 and 40 watts — less than an old-fashioned light bulb. It is the least significant cost element of the entire installation.
The larger models (Aquaforte) are vortex pumps: they pass dirt particles up to 6 mm in size, can be installed submerged or dry, and have a power reducer controllable via a smartphone app with its own Wi-Fi — no garden router required.
4. Power supply: the 30 mA rule
The standard safety practice recommends that, when the fountain is installed outdoors, a 30 mA RCD (residual current device) must be connected between the pump and the power source.
This is not merely a cautionary suggestion: it is a fundamental safety requirement, and it applies even to a fountain positioned two metres from your back door.
Cable extensions and cable joints must only be carried out by a qualified electrician. Water, 230 volts and exposure to the elements leave no room for DIY work.
Plan this alongside the electrical installation: if the model includes a lighting kit, the spotlights are routed through the same cable glands on the basin and must be wired at the same time. Doing it afterwards means dismantling everything again.
5. A water supply connection is only needed if you want a hands-off setup
The fountain operates on a closed circuit and does not require a mains water connection. The water level will drop over time — through evaporation, splashing and wind — and must be monitored, because the pump must never run dry. For periodic cleaning and winter care, see the complete maintenance guide.
Those who prefer not to think about it can fit the automatic top-up kit (KRA): a water level sensor controls a solenoid valve connected to the mains water supply and restores the level automatically. It requires a 220 V power supply and a mains water connection.
This is the only case in which running a water supply to the fountain makes sense — and it is a matter of convenience, not an operational requirement. It must be planned during installation, at the same time as the concrete slab: once everything is finished, running the pipe underneath something becomes a much bigger job.
To find out how long a marble chip garden fountain lasts over time: How long does a garden fountain last.
Frequently asked questions
Can I place it on the lawn?
No. A concrete slab is required, or alternatively a fibreglass tub.
How much space is needed around it to work?
Enough to manoeuvre a pallet truck or forklift to the installation point, with a clear path from the unloading area.
Do you assemble it?
The fountain is assembled on site, but moving the pieces is the customer’s responsibility — they must arrange this with their own builder or installer.
What is the maximum distance from the power socket?
The pump cable is 10 metres long. Beyond that, an extension fitted by a qualified electrician is required.
Is an electrician needed?
For the socket and the 30 mA RCD, yes. For connecting the pump to an existing, compliant outdoor socket, no.
