Creating ripples

[tmpondy]

Our pondless waterfall has a slow flow to it. It's not a large stream at all, probably 2-3ft x 8-10ft, nor does it drop far over that distance, about 2ft. We were at a restaurant that had a natural stream behind it in the woods. It had ripples in it. Our lil stream does not have ripples in it. My wife said that would be neat of we could somehow create ripples in our stream. How would a person do that? Would a more powerful pump do it?

 

[JRS]

Is your stream flowing around/over rocks and gravel to break up the water flow? If so, it seems like more pumping volume or more restrictions in the stream would be needed. I have yet to work on my small waterfall so not much specific experience.

 

[tmpondy]

Yes, there's river rock and bigger rocks in it. But I'm not sure a bigger pump in the bottom reservoir would work. That would pump more water and maybe at a faster rate into the upper reservoir. Would that then trickle out faster and create ripples?

 

[JRS]

My understanding is flow + restriction = turbulence. Wondering if you rearranged rocks and/or added more to create more restrictions in the channel to get more turbulence with the pump you have?

What is the gph of your pump? This article recommends 150 gph per inch of your widest water fall and you also have to account for flow reduction due to head pressure. https://www.familyhandyman.com/land...rfalls/build-a-backyard-waterfall-and-stream/

 

[tmpondy]

it's 1800 gph.

 

[addy1]

I would add more rocks,make part of the stream more narrow.

Can you post a picture so we can see what you have?

 

[tmpondy]

This was about 4 yrs ago when we built it but it's not changed much.

 

[addy1]

Very nice and pretty stream!
It doesn't look like the water is deep enough to ripple.

 

[tmpondy]

Thanks. I don't think making it deeper will help. My experience making it deeper made the surface water more smooth.

 

[addy1]

My stream ripples, but it is narrow and coming down a really steep hill. The pump is pushing it up a hill (over 100 feet of head pressure) The pump is around 1600 gph which is really reduced as it heads back down the hill.

 

[tmpondy]

Interesting. Can you explain please what head pressure is?

 

[Stephen Noble]

This was about 4 yrs ago when we built it but it's not changed much.

View attachment 125443

I wouldn't change any of your pump or plumbing until you've tried easier solutions first. These are not permanent suggestions rather, they are ideas to see if you can get the effect desired. Take two bricks and place them on their sides in a 'V' formation and see if you get rippling. Move them around and experiment. If so, you can replace the bricks with decorative rocks. Another idea is to take steel 'L' brackets and place them on the steam bed. Use flat bricks to hold them in place. They should create small eddies. You will probably get ripples and water diversions by simply placing rounded cobbles on the stream bed.

 

[sissy]

It is the distance your hose is out of the pond to where it comes out the end .You can always just use another pump or divert some of the water like I do in my waterfall pond .I cut the hose and used pvc pipe to make as home made spitter

 

[tmpondy]

Thanks for the head pressure info Sissy. Much appreciated.

Thank you also for the experiment ideas Stephen. Will give em a try next spring after we come out of the deep freeze here in MN.

This forum is very helpful.

 

[addy1]

Can you explain please what head pressure is?

This will help, it also includes joints size of piping, etc.

Understanding and Calculating Head Pressure of a Pond Pump | Best Pond Pumps