Slate of Hand
The box that conceals the water pump is made from 3/16"-thick slate tile. I cut the tiles to size with a carbide-wheeled, hand-held tile cutter (similar to a glass cutter), using the score-and-snap method. However, in my case it turned out to be the score-and-snap-and-break-and-curse method. I got through all the cuts eventually, but in hindsight I would recommend getting the tile guys to make the required cuts using a wet saw, or at the very least, using a slide-mounted tile cutter. Drill the 1/2" dia. hole in the top piece using a carbide-tipped masonry bit. Once all the pieces are cut, assemble the box using clear silicone as the adhesive. Complete the box by setting the clear vinyl hose into the hole, and fixing it in place with a dab of silicone.
Putting it All Together
Drop the plastic reservoir into the bottom box and set the pump in the centre. Position the slate box over the pump and fit the tail-end of the vinyl hose to the pump. Fill the area around the slate box with river rock. The power cord runs through a V-shaped notch cut into the top edge of the bottom box. Finally, place the top frame onto the bottom box using some dowels as registration pins. Fill up the reservoir with water and turn on the pump. Adjust the water flow to acheive a pleasant burbling on the top of the slate box. Make sure to top up the water periodically to compensate for evaporation, and add a few drops of bleach in the water to discourage unwanted algae growth.
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