Glass Block Water Fountain

Did you ever think of making your own free-standing water fountain? I did one once for a dinner party. It can be used as a beautiful free-standing illuminant with glass blocks and candles. There's something so beautiful about candlelight, crystal or glass, and water all working together. Glass blocks are making a comeback, and we love that. They also come in a plastic version. These are lightweight, interlock together and are easy to work with. Here's how to make a glass or plastic block fountain.

Materials:

• 6 or 8 glass or plastic blocks
• Copper refrigeration tubing
• 1 copper "T" connector
• 4 copper end caps
• Small fountain pump
• Clear 1/2" plastic tubing
• Silicone adhesive Scissors
• Awl
• Permanent marker
• Copper pipe adhesive
• Large, shallow rectangular-shaped glass or plastic hydroponic pan
• Tea light candles
• Crystal wineglasses
• Moss

1. Place two glass blocks side by side. Stack two more blocks on top of the base blocks and, if desired, stack two more on top. Adhere the blocks together with silicone adhesive.

2. Cut 2 pieces of copper refrigeration tubing half the width of the two glass blocks. Measure and mark the location of the "rain holes" where the water will come out of the copper tubing and cascade down the glass blocks. The marks should be about an inch apart.

3. Use an awl or nail and hammer to punch out the holes in each of the two pieces of tubing.

4. To create the extension from the front of the glass blocks to the back where the pump hose will connect, cut a piece of copper refrigeration tubing about an inch longer than the depth of the glass blocks. If you're using plastic blocks, there will be a hole running down the center of the blocks. The extension can be cut to the measurement of the front of the block to the center hole.

5. Connect the two pieces of copper tubing with the rain holes to the top two sides of a "T" connector. Connect the extension to the bottom part of the "T" connector. Place a copper elbow on the back end of the extension to fit into the flexible plastic tubing that connects to the fountain pump. Cap all open ends of the copper tubing pieces with end caps.

6. Fill a shallow rectangular glass pan partially with water and place the glass block fountain in the pan. Place the fountain pump in the water behind the glass blocks and connect it to the copper extension tubing with 1/2" plastic tubing.

7. Arrange additional glass blocks on either side of the fountain at different heights and levels. If desired, arrange flowers (we used orchids) and moss around the fountain. Place tea light candles in crystal wineglasses and place the glasses in the pan. Other tea light candles will float on the water even when they're lit.