Blue Thumb Triple Spillway Bowl Kit
Complete Triple Fountain Kit with Dramatic Spillway Design
The Blue Thumb Triple Spillway Bowl Kit brings sophisticated elegance to your water garden with three stunning brass bowls featuring integrated spillway spouts. This complete fountain kit creates a mesmerizing multi-level water display where water pours dramatically from each bowl's spillway, creating beautiful arcing streams that cascade to the levels below. Each kit includes three graduated brass bowls, professional basin system, pump, and all components needed for a turnkey fountain installation that combines classical brass beauty with dynamic water movement.
Authentic Solid Brass Construction
Each of the three bowls is meticulously crafted from high-quality solid brass, a premium metal alloy prized for its beauty, durability, and distinctive aging characteristics. Unlike painted or coated finishes that fade or peel, brass develops a natural protective patina when exposed to the elements. This living finish evolves through the seasons, deepening in color and character over months and years. The result is a truly unique fountain that becomes more beautiful with age, with each bowl developing its own character as the patina forms.
Integrated Spillway Spout Design
What sets these bowls apart is the integrated spillway spout on each bowl that creates a dramatic water display. Water flows from within each bowl and pours out through the wide spillway, creating beautiful arcing streams that cascade to the bowl below. This perpetual flowing stream creates mesmerizing movement and layered water sounds, making your fountain an eye-catching focal point. The spillway widths are proportional to each bowl size, ensuring optimal water flow and visual impact at every level.
Complete Triple Spillway Bowl Kit - Model ABBTB3K -
Three Graduated Brass Bowls Included:
Small Bowl (Top Tier) - 18" Diameter
- Bowl Diameter: 18 inches
- Spillway Width: 8 inches
- Weight: Approximately 12 lbs
- Material: Solid brass construction
- Finish: Natural brass with developing patina
- Position: Top tier - water flows from this bowl to medium bowl
Medium Bowl (Middle Tier) - 24" Diameter
- Bowl Diameter: 24 inches
- Spillway Width: 10 inches
- Weight: Approximately 16.5 lbs
- Material: Solid brass construction
- Finish: Natural brass with developing patina
- Position: Middle tier - receives water from small bowl, flows to large bowl
Large Bowl (Bottom Tier) - 30" Diameter
- Bowl Diameter: 30 inches
- Spillway Width: 12 inches
- Weight: Approximately 22 lbs
- Material: Solid brass construction
- Finish: Natural brass with developing patina
- Position: Bottom tier - receives water from medium bowl, flows to basin
Total Bowl Weight: Approximately 50.5 lbs (brass bowls only)
Complete Kit Also Includes:
- Professional Basin System: Large-capacity molded basin for water reservoir
- High-Performance Pump: 1300GPH Pump
- Flow Control Valve: Adjustable valve allows you to fine-tune water flow and spillway strength
- Complete Plumbing System: All necessary tubing and fittings for three-bowl installation
- Decorative Pebbles: Polished stones to conceal basin and create finished appearance
- Installation Hardware: Mounting components and supports for bowl positioning
- Detailed Instructions: Professional installation guide for proper fountain assembly
Key Features:
- Complete turnkey triple fountain kit - everything included
- Three graduated brass bowls create stunning multi-level display
- Integrated spillway spouts on each bowl for dramatic water arcs
- Authentic solid brass develops beautiful natural patina
- Professional basin system sized for three-bowl configuration
- High-performance pump ensures strong water flow through all levels
- Adjustable flow control valve for customized water speed and sound
- Decorative pebbles included for professional finishing
- Living finish that evolves with the seasons
- Creates layered water sounds from three cascading levels
- Each bowl develops one-of-a-kind character
- Premium quality construction for generations of use
The Triple Spillway Experience:
The three-bowl spillway configuration creates a spectacular water display with multiple levels of cascading water. The pump pushes water up to the top (18") bowl, where it flows from the 8" spillway in a beautiful arc to the medium (24") bowl below. Water then pours from the medium bowl's 10" spillway to the large (30") bowl at the base. Finally, water cascades from the large bowl's 12" spillway back into the hidden basin, where it's recirculated. This creates three distinct water arcs, layered soothing water sounds, mesmerizing visual movement at multiple heights, and a dynamic fountain that's beautiful from every angle. The graduated spillway widths (8", 10", 12") ensure each cascade is proportional and visually balanced.
The Beauty of Natural Brass Patina:
One of the most captivating features of brass is its ability to develop a natural patina over time. When first installed, your bowls will display the warm golden tones of polished brass. As they're exposed to air, moisture, and the elements, a transformation begins. Over weeks and months, the brass will develop deeper bronze tones, eventually showing beautiful blue-green verdigris accents similar to aged copper or the Statue of Liberty. This patina process is completely natural and actually protects the underlying brass from corrosion. The constant water flow from the fountain accelerates and enhances patina development, creating rich color variations across each bowl's surface. Each bowl may develop slightly different patina patterns based on its position in the fountain and water exposure, adding to the unique character of your fountain.
Perfect For:
- Estate landscapes and grand water gardens
- Resort and hospitality installations
- Commercial landscape projects
- Formal gardens and entryways
- Large koi ponds and water features
- Outdoor living and entertainment spaces
- Mediterranean and Tuscan-style landscapes
- Contemporary and transitional gardens
- Statement water features and focal points
- Luxury residential landscapes
- Architectural landscape designs
Installation Overview:
This complete kit is designed for professional installation. The large basin is buried at ground level and filled with water. The three brass bowls are positioned at different heights using the included mounting hardware and supports - typically on pedestals, stands, or integrated into a custom stone or hardscape structure. The pump sits in the basin and pushes water up through plumbing to the top (18") bowl. Water flows from each bowl's spillway to the bowl below, creating the cascading effect. The flow control valve allows you to adjust water speed to achieve your desired visual and auditory effect. Decorative pebbles conceal the basin edge and create a finished, professional appearance.
Installation Flexibility:
The three bowls can be arranged in various configurations to suit your space and design vision. Common installations include stacked vertical arrangement with bowls at different heights creating dramatic vertical cascades, staggered placement with bowls offset horizontally for wider visual spread, integrated into stone or hardscape features for a custom built-in look, or positioned at pond edges with spillways pouring into the water. The kit provides the components; your installer can customize the arrangement to perfectly suit your landscape.
Professional Installation Required:
Due to the complexity of the three-bowl system and the need for proper positioning, leveling, and plumbing configuration, professional installation is essential. A professional installer will ensure proper basin excavation and setup, correct bowl positioning at appropriate heights, optimal plumbing configuration for even water distribution, secure mounting and stability for all three bowls, safe electrical connections for the pump, proper spillway alignment for optimal water arcs, and long-term performance and reliability. The investment in professional installation ensures your triple fountain operates beautifully and safely for years to come.
Care and Maintenance:
Brass bowls require minimal maintenance. The natural patina development is part of the fountain's charm and requires no special care. If you wish to maintain or restore the bright brass finish on all three bowls, periodically clean with brass polish and apply a protective sealant. For natural patina development, simply allow the aging process to occur naturally. Regular fountain maintenance includes cleaning the pump intake screen weekly, maintaining proper water levels in the basin, using fountain water treatment to prevent algae, ensuring all three spillways remain clear of debris, and checking that water flow remains balanced across all levels. In freezing climates, drain all three bowls and the basin completely, and remove the pump for indoor storage during winter months. The brass bowls themselves can remain outdoors year-round.
Shipping and Handling:
Due to the substantial size of the complete kit (three brass bowls plus basin, pump, and components) and total weight of approximately 200 lbs, commercial freight shipping is required. The kit is carefully packaged to prevent damage during transit. Delivery typically requires a loading dock or forklift, or several people to safely unload. The investment in a complete triple brass spillway fountain kit ensures a spectacular water feature that will grace your landscape for generations, becoming a treasured element that increases in beauty and character over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does the triple spillway fountain work and what makes it special?
A: The triple spillway fountain creates a spectacular multi-level water display that's far more dramatic than single-bowl fountains. Water is pumped from the hidden basin up to the top (18") bowl. It flows across the bowl and pours from the 8" spillway in a beautiful arc to the medium (24") bowl below. The water then flows across the medium bowl and cascades from its 10" spillway to the large (30") bowl at the base. Finally, water pours from the large bowl's 12" spillway back into the basin to be recirculated. This creates three distinct water arcs at different heights, layered water sounds that blend into a rich auditory experience, visual interest at multiple levels, and a dynamic fountain that commands attention. The graduated spillway widths ensure each cascade is proportional and visually balanced. It's a true statement piece that transforms any landscape into a spectacular water garden.
Q: What's included in the complete kit and is everything I need provided?
A: Yes, this is a truly complete kit that includes everything needed for the fountain itself: three solid brass spillway bowls (18", 24", and 30" diameters), a professional-grade large-capacity basin for water reservoir, a high-performance pump sized for optimal three-bowl performance, a flow control valve for adjusting water speed, complete plumbing system with all necessary tubing and fittings, decorative polished pebbles to conceal the basin, installation hardware and mounting components for bowl positioning, and detailed installation instructions. The only things not included are the structural supports for positioning the bowls at different heights (pedestals, stands, or custom hardscape - these vary based on your specific design), the electrical connection (you'll need a GFCI outlet nearby), and professional installation labor. Everything needed for the fountain components themselves is in the kit.
Q: How should the three bowls be positioned and how much space is needed?
A: The bowls need to be positioned at different heights to create the cascading effect, with each bowl's spillway positioned to pour into the bowl below. The exact positioning depends on your design vision and can be customized during installation. Common configurations include vertical stacking (bowls directly above each other for compact footprint), staggered arrangement (bowls offset horizontally for wider visual spread), or integrated into hardscape (built into stone walls or features). The footprint is determined by your chosen arrangement - a vertical stack requires approximately 30" diameter (size of the largest bowl), while a staggered arrangement may span 6-8 feet or more. Vertically, plan for the bowls to be positioned at heights that allow the spillway arcs to reach the next bowl - typically 18-24" between bowl levels. Professional installers can help design the optimal configuration for your specific space and aesthetic goals.
Q: Can I adjust the water flow and how does it affect the fountain?
A: Yes! The included flow control valve allows you to easily adjust the water flow rate, which dramatically affects the fountain's appearance and sound. With higher flow, you get strong, dramatic water arcs from each spillway, louder, more energetic water sounds, and more splashing and movement. With lower flow, you get gentler, more subtle water arcs, quieter, more peaceful ambiance, and less splashing. The high-performance pump is sized to provide strong flow through all three bowls, and the flow control valve gives you fine-tuning capability. Most people adjust the flow seasonally - higher in summer when outdoor entertaining calls for dramatic impact, lower in spring and fall for peaceful contemplation. The ability to customize the experience is one of the great features of this complete kit.
Q: How long does it take for the brass patina to develop on all three bowls?
A: Patina development varies based on environmental conditions, but all three bowls will develop patina at slightly different rates based on their position and water exposure. The top bowl, which has water flowing through it constantly, may develop patina fastest. In humid climates or areas with frequent rain, you may see initial color changes within 2-4 weeks, with more pronounced patina developing over 3-6 months. In drier climates, the process may take 6-12 months. The brass will progress through several stages: starting with bright golden tones, transitioning to deeper bronze and copper colors, and eventually developing blue-green verdigris accents. The constant water flow accelerates patina development, and each bowl may develop slightly different coloring based on its water exposure, creating beautiful variation across the three tiers. This natural variation adds to the unique character of your fountain.
Q: Is professional installation really necessary for this fountain?
A: Yes, professional installation is essential for the triple spillway fountain due to its complexity. Unlike single-bowl fountains that simply sit on a basin, the triple fountain requires precise positioning of three bowls at different heights, each with its spillway aligned to pour into the bowl below. Professional installation ensures proper basin excavation and setup for the large water reservoir needed, structural supports (pedestals, stands, or hardscape) that safely hold each bowl at the correct height, precise bowl positioning and leveling so spillways align correctly, optimal plumbing configuration to deliver water to the top bowl and through all levels, secure mounting so bowls remain stable and safe, safe electrical connections for the high-performance pump, and proper flow adjustment for balanced water distribution. Attempting DIY installation could result in misaligned spillways, unstable bowls, poor water flow, or safety hazards. Professional installers have the expertise and equipment to create a spectacular, safe fountain that operates flawlessly.
Q: Will the brass bowls survive freezing winters?
A: Yes, the solid brass bowls are extremely durable and can remain outdoors year-round in all climates. Brass is highly resistant to freeze-thaw cycles and will not crack or deteriorate from cold temperatures. However, you must properly winterize the fountain system before freezing weather. Completely drain all water from all three bowls, the plumbing system, and the basin - water left in the system can freeze and potentially damage the pump and plumbing. Remove the pump and store it indoors in a dry location for the winter. Ensure the basin is completely empty. The three brass bowls can stay in their positions and will continue to develop their beautiful patina through the winter months. In spring, simply reinstall the pump, refill the system, and enjoy your spectacular triple fountain again. The bowls may develop even more beautiful character after weathering through winter.
Q: Can I purchase individual bowls separately or is this only available as a complete kit?
A: The Blue Thumb Triple Spillway Bowl Kit is designed and priced as a complete fountain system with all three bowls and components included. However, individual brass spillway bowls are also available for separate purchase if you want to create a custom configuration, replace a single bowl, or build a single or double-bowl fountain. The complete kit offers the best value if you want the full triple fountain experience, as it includes perfectly matched components (basin, pump, plumbing) sized for the three-bowl system. If you're interested in a smaller fountain, consider the individual bowl options or contact us to discuss custom configurations. The complete triple kit is ideal for those who want maximum impact and a turnkey solution for a spectacular multi-level water feature.
Note: Natural brass patina development varies based on climate, water chemistry, and environmental conditions. Each bowl will develop unique coloring and character over time. Actual finish will vary from photos shown. Professional installation required. Commercial freight shipping required. Total kit weight approximately 200 lbs.
