Rock Desk Fountain with Shell Waterfall (2 Parts)

Bring the calm of a small waterfall to your desk, shelf or coffee table. Water trickles through the shell bowl and pours over its spout into a rock-textured basin below. It is a quiet, relaxing centerpiece for home or office, and it also makes a great gift.

The fountain is made of only 2 printed parts plus a small pump. A print timelapse, an assembly video (pump and hose) and a video of the fountain running are included.

DESIGN BACKGROUND

• I wanted a desk fountain that looks like carved stone and flowing water, not a plain bowl with a pump.

• The basin has a faceted rock texture on the outside, which also helps hide layer lines. Its inner wall is straight and smooth, with a flat floor, so it is easy to clean.

• The column is carved with wave swirls and carries the shell bowl on top. Its wide base can be weighed down with gravel for stability.

• The column sits freely in the basin, so you can move it forward or back to change the look.

PARTS AND SIZE

1. Rock basin: 206 × 204 × 55 mm outside, 180 mm inner diameter. The rock texture makes the outline slightly irregular.

2. Column with shell bowl (one piece): 94.7 × 114.8 × 133.9 mm (X × Y × Z) as printed.Assembled height: about [133.87] mm.

Printer bed needed: at least 210 × 210 mm. I printed it on an ELEGOO Neptune 4 Pro (225 × 225 mm bed).

PRINT INFO

• Printer: ELEGOO Neptune 4 Pro, 0.4 mm nozzle

• Slicer: ELEGOO Slicer, default profile 0.2

• Layer height: 0.20 mm

• Material: PLA (brown)

• Basin: prints flat with the opening facing up, no supports.

• Column with shell bowl: prints with supports, which you remove after printing.

• No painting or post-processing apart from removing the supports [confirm].

• Long-term care: Like all FDM prints, PLA can start to seep water over the long term. To keep your fountain leak-free for years, seal the inside of the basin with a clear waterproof epoxy sealer or resin coating:- Lightly sand the inside and wipe it clean.
  - Brush on a thin coat, let it cure fully, then add a second coat if needed.
  - Let it dry completely before adding the pump and water.

REQUIRED HARDWARE (not printed)

• 1 × mini submersible DC water pump, 3–6 V, about 120 L/h, brushless and ultra-quiet

• 1 × clear PVC vinyl hose, 6 mm inner / 8 mm outer diameter, about 18.5 cm long

• 1 × 5 V 2 A DC power adapter

• 1 × DC power jack (barrel connector), so the adapter plugs into the pump wires

• Decorative aquarium gravel (optional, any colour; you can find it in aquarium and fish shops)

ASSEMBLY

1. Print both parts and remove the supports from the column.

2. Push the hose onto the pump outlet and cut it to length (about 18.5 cm).

3. Connect the pump wires to the DC power jack.

4. Place the pump in the basin and lead its cable over the rim.

5. Route the hose through the column to the shell inlet.

6. Set the column in the basin and put gravel on its wide base to weigh it down.

7. Fill with clean water until the pump is fully submerged. Never run it dry.

8. Add gravel to the basin and the shell bowl if you like, then plug in the adapter.

TIPS AND USAGE

• The flow is adjustable: a lower voltage (3–6 V range) or an inline DC speed controller gives a gentler flow.

• Want a stronger flow? Replace the pump with a larger external pump using an inlet hose and an outlet hose.

• Avoid tight bends in the hose, because a kink cuts the water flow.

• Top up the water as it evaporates, and change it about once a week. Filtered water reduces limescale.

• Keep the adapter and plug away from water, and never touch them with wet hands.

• Decorative use only. PLA is not food safe.