birdbath fountain

Question
I have a concrete birdbath fountain with a little boy and girl standing in the center holding an umbrella.  The water shoots staight up instead of falling down evenly over the umbrella.  Do you think there should be some type of screen or fitting at the top where the water comes out so it will fall evenly over the umbrella.  The water falls to one side of the birdbath and has a tendency to spit out of the birdbath.  Therefore the birdbath gets low on water quickly.  I bought this adorable fountain at a yard sale and would love to know if you have seen anything like this and how it is really suppose to work?

Answer
Hello Beverly. The fountain sounds absolutely adorable. I think we can get it working for you. If the water is shooting straight up simply check the pump to see if there is an adjustment on it. If you turn the pump down a little it may pump the water in a manner that allows for the water to spread out over the umbrella instead of shooting straight up and falling down only one side. This should help out with your water loss too. If the pump doesn't have an adjustment, simply take a hose clamp and put it on the hose coming from the pump and tighten it down to restrict the water flow. Doing this should not hurt the pump. There are small valves available too. The tech guys over at www.pondmarket.com can help if you need it. Small water features do not always have room for valves though. Check the pump for an adjustment first. It will either be on the front of the pump, the bottom of the pump, or the top where the hose attaches. Usually the adjuster will look like a small lever. Hope this helps Beverly!