Photo by flickr-jojo71

Generally speaking, there are four basic parts to water feature:

1. Pedestal area
2. Catch basin
3. Streams and falls
4. Shelves and pond

By understanding the function of each of these four parts, you can design a well-balanced and properly functioning home garden water feature.

Pedestal

The pedestal area is the excavated section of soil situated at the head of your water feature. This will usually be 8 to 12 inches deep where place stones or even plant some bog plants. One of the biggest mistakes people make when they build a water feature, is that they simply go ahead and begin stacking stones one on top of the other. Of course, if you do it this way, you’ll have no guarantee that all the water running over the stones will make it back to the pond. This is exactly why it’s essential to make sure that your pond liner extends all the way under the rocks, as this will ensure that all the water is returned to the pond.

Catch Basins

The catch basin has two fundamental purposes:

1) It helps to reduce splash. In other words, water running over the waterfall and falling into deeper waters will create fewer splashes than if it was falling onto bare rock

2) It helps to enhance the sound of your waterfall, in that as the water from the waterfall makes contact with the deeper waters in the catch basin, it will then result in a wonderfully robust sound.

The size of your catch basin will depend largely on the amount of water falling, and also the height from which it is falling. Bear in mind that the more water you use, the deeper your catch basin should be. Likewise, the higher your water is falling from, the greater the surface area should be.

Streams and Falls

I can assure you that streams and falls are perhaps the trickiest part of a good pond, in that if you don’t do them properly, you’ll end up having a nightmare. This is because you’ll more than likely end up having water running off the liner and getting in under all of your rocks, and this in turn means that you’ll have water falling onto areas which have no lining below.

This task becomes increasingly difficult the more you increase the slope and the volume of water. However, for the time being, you simply need to be aware of the fact that streams are channels which connect the various catch basins, while falls on the other hand are parts of the stream which have been designed in such a way so that water will run over rocks before it falls down into the catch basin.

Shelves and Ponds

Shelves are flat sections of soil on which rocks will rest below the pond surface. These are used to separate the deeper areas of your pond from the shallower areas. A water feature can also be made to look more natural by increasing the size of the shelves, which allows you to place more rocks in the pond.

An important thing to remember: a pond is not simply a hole in the ground capable of holding water; it’s home to an entire mini-ecosystem. The pond is also where you will have your skimmer box, your plants, and of course, your fish. With a little bit of imagination you can create a stunning underwater effect, but unfortunately so many people tend to skimp on this. Remember, the pond is the most important part of your water feature, and as such, it should be given the most priority.

Great Stuff (tm) polyurethane foam

Expanding foams and fillers are extremely popular in the construction of DIY  waterfalls, and you can rest assured that they are incredibly handy in some cases. When building outdoor water features, it’s important to understand the difference between latex and polyurethane foam.

Differences Between Latex and Polyurethane Foam Sealant

There are two key differences between latex foam and polyurethane foam sealant:

1. Latex foams are typically “open cell” and, as a result, can take on water. In fact, the same properties that allow you to wash latex foam off your hands with water also mean that the cured foam can absorb water. This can cause wood rot or deterioration in areas where wet latex foam is next to wood, such as a window frame. In contrast, polyurethane foam is a closed-cell foam. It forms a water-resistant outer skin when cured.
2. Latex foam does not expand. Polyurethane foam expands to thoroughly fill all voids and cavities making it an ideal air sealant.

Polyurethane foam can be shaped and molded to help direct water flow over and around rocks in a waterfall, rather than under and in between.  It can even be used to set and secure the cap stones in a retaining wall. Once cured they are water resistant and rot-proof, they provide some heat insulation.

Health Precautions

The EPA warns that spray foams pose a health hazard if not used with proper health protection (respirators and gloves) and work site ventilation. Spray polyurethane foams contain diisocyanates, which are potent lung and skin sensitizers (or allergens) and irritants.

How to use spray foams

Piston-type cans are available which enable the can to be used at any angle to reach difficult areas. It’s quite handy having a can which shoots out foam when you press the nozzle, but you need to remember that even once the foam is in place it will continue expanding. This often ends up with the foam becoming visible, but of course you can disguise it by throwing some fine gravel onto it before it sets.

Foam is of course ideal for using under a fall, particularly if you need something in place quickly. Using foam will also prevent water from being able to run underneath the stone. If you do use foams and fillers, make absolutely certain that your stones are in the correct place, bearing in mind that excess foam will make an unsightly mess on your rocks.

You should also make sure that you choose black foam, not white or yellow.  The black color allows it to blend among rocks and shadows and can fill, seal and adhere to other pieces without looking unnatural. Remember, if you use the common yellowish foam and it begins showing through between the rocks, your water feature is certainly not going to look as attractive as to what you had hoped for.

There are many different brands on the market to choose from. A good polyurethane foam is GREAT STUFF™ Pond & Stone Waterfall Foam Filler.  Whatever product you choose, be sure that it is fish safe and recognized by the International Professional Pond Contractors Association.

Natural waterfall (photo: flickr-corrieb)

You might think that concrete and mortar would be logical materials for building water features. After all, concrete is solid and waterproof, so it should hold water, right? Actually, I’m not very keen on using concrete when it comes to building a water feature.

My main objection to concrete water features is that they never really resemble what you would find in nature. Even if you build a stone wall that is mortared together with cement, and then have water running over it, it still doesn’t look natural.

Concrete is difficult to hide behind stone, and it concrete expands and contracts quite a bit, particularly in areas where the temperature fluctuates a lot. For this reason alone I find concrete to be unreliable.

If your aim is to create something which looks natural, then you should essentially try to use mostly natural stone materials. Not only will it look great, it is relatively easy to build your own waterfall using natural stone.

Water garden pumps are very important to maintain a healthy pond, and choosing the right pump can save you lots of problems down the road.  This article covers what to look for when choosing water garden pumps, and provides recommendations on good brands.  It also discusses  solar pond pumps and how to install and maintain pond pumps.

First things first

Always buy a water garden pump that is designed for use in a pond. It’s just not worth it to try to save money by buying a pump that is designed to do something else, such as a sump pump or swimming pool pump. They will not be able to meet the demand of running continuously, and they may cause you serious headaches.

Next consider…

When buying a garden water pump, you first need to know how much water the pump will be circulating in your pond. This determines what size of pump to purchase. Measure or get a good estimate of the gallons or liters of water your small water garden will contain before you go shopping for a pump. If you have a waterfall in your small water garden, you will need even more power behind your pump to push the water up.

Solar panel for pond pump

Electrical or Solar?

You also need to decide whether to purchase a traditional electrical pond pump, or a solar-powered pond pump. The main difference between them is the power method. The solar pond pump uses a small solar panel and therefore doesn’t rely on electricity. Beyond that, the traditional pump and solar pump accomplish  the same function of powering your pond filter (photo from flickr).

What does a water garden pump cost?

The cost of submersible pumps for your pond garden can run anywhere from forty dollars to a hundred or more depending on your needs. Do plenty of research before you buy one, as you want one that can do the job and cost as little as possible to run. And as mentioned above, it’s better to pay more for a pump that will consume less energy than get a cheaper one that costs a lot to operate.

Be sure to consider the energy cost of running the pump in your small water garden. Determine what it will cost per month or per year to run and how that will fit into your budget. It is better to pay more for a pump that will consume less energy than get a cheaper one that costs a lot to operate. A good economical alternative is a solar pond pump.

Which brand of garden water pump is the best?

Look for a known brand that has a good reputation. From my experience I can tell you that it just isn’t worth it to take a chance with a brand that doesn’t have a good reputation and track record.

The Cal Pond System has simple solutions for your garden pond needs. No tools are needed to install the pump. They have been around since 1958, making fine quality pumps. Clyde Pumps are also known for reliability. The Pond Market has a great website with high quality products. They have been in business eleven years and nine years on the internet. They have many resources to answer any questions you have about your garden pond.

What to avoid in a water garden pump

You want to be careful about buying pumps that are not from a well-known manufacturer. Find one that can offer you energy efficiency as well as trouble free operation. As mentioned above, avoid buying a regular sump pump or swimming pool pump for use in your yard pond. These will not hold up to the demands of running day and night as is required for a water garden. Also, a sump pump can short out when it breaks down – sending dangerous electrical current through your pond.

For more videos, tips, and information on building and maintaining water gardens, visit Aquascape.com.