In over my head, building a huge waterfall. Need pointers.

[Tjsherrill]

one thing that is never mentioned with the pros is caulking good old fashion caulking. i would use the foam or BACKERROD "{MUCH CHEAPER THAN EXPANDABLE FOAM}" hit it with the foam and then once that dries coat it with a layer of caulking turns not water proof to being very close if not waterproof.

Caulk is something I had wondered about. That makes sense.

 

[GBBUDD]

Caulk is something I had wondered about. That makes sense.

and i believe you are already experienced in bib liners

 

[cas]

Very Impressive! Great job.

 

[Lisak1]

Take a drop of water and drop it on a hot rock. What happens? Now repeat that one million times. Every splish, every splash, every twist and turn. Most of us are mostly pond with a waterfall and we know the biggest water loss to evaporation is due to the water splashing down those falls. The bigger the falls the greater the water loss due to evaporation.

YOU are mainly waterfall with a small pond. Your water loss will be exponentially greater than the reverse set up. That’s why I always say - get to know YOUR OWN POND. It won’t function like any other pond because it’s unique.

Great job by the way! Your gonna have many happy hours ahead!

 

[YShahar]

It is basically working how I thought it would. There are tons of things to fix, clean up, finish... But for now it does run.

Oh my! That is truly impressive! Going to be even better once you get it planted up.

 

[Tjsherrill]

Thanks all for the kind words. I have a ton to learn.

We've had a few days of a lot of rain so I am stuck inside. But a few nice days are coming. I am planning to work on a few things:

1. Fixing areas I know are causing small leaks or where the liner is a little low for the "streams"
2. Working on the pond water level. I have a plan to make that a little deeper which should help me get water working into the intake bay much better

I do have a couple of questions:

1. Since everything has run a few times, all the rocks and gravel inside the pond have gotten a coating of dirt/green stuff. Do I have to drain it to clean it?
2. @GBBUDD could you share more detail about how you are using the backerrod?

Lastly, I am working on a plan to handle if the pond overflows. In case of crazy rain like we are getting, I am worried it could happen. My thought is to dig a hole next to the pond and line it. Then, put a sump pump in it and run a pipe out to my driveway drain. I'd bury the hose and all that, and a deck would go over the sump pump area (with an access of course). Thoughts?

 

[GBBUDD]

Thanks all for the kind words. I have a ton to learn.

We've had a few days of a lot of rain so I am stuck inside. But a few nice days are coming. I am planning to work on a few things:

1. Fixing areas I know are causing small leaks or where the liner is a little low for the "streams"
2. Working on the pond water level. I have a plan to make that a little deeper which should help me get water working into the intake bay much better
   

I do have a couple of questions:

1. Since everything has run a few times, all the rocks and gravel inside the pond have gotten a coating of dirt/green stuff. Do I have to drain it to clean it?
2. @GBBUDD could you share more detail about how you are using the backerrod?

Lastly, I am working on a plan to handle if the pond overflows. In case of crazy rain like we are getting, I am worried it could happen. My thought is to dig a hole next to the pond and line it. Then, put a sump pump in it and run a pipe out to my driveway drain. I'd bury the hose and all that, and a deck would go over the sump pump area (with an access of course). Thoughts?

Backer rod is nothing more than foam similar if not the same as pool noodles but thinner. You stuff that into larger gaps then give it a little blast with waterfall foam to hold it in place then you could roll a bib liner up along it or coat it with caulking or even concrete just don't make anything thin it will crack and fail and become sharp liner punctures.
But if you do have a large area to fill don't worry so much about new concrete poisoning your pond unless you realy start using a good deal like 15 bags or so and it's exposed to the water fully.

 

[GBBUDD]

Just let there be a low edge between a couple rocks to the fish don't get out . Then if you realy want to dig some more make a cistern and collect as much water as you can . Put a small aquarium pump in there to keep the water circulating.but add a float switch so if the water gets low the pump shuts off.
With all your splashing and sun exposure and rocks burning off the water you won't be sorry with a cistern you'll only wish you made it bigger . And mine is 3000 gallons

 

[Tjsherrill]

Following up on this: how to clean the grey/green silt that has landed on all the gravel and rocks inside the pond? I think its just dirt, but it could be something else.

Need the community insight into cleaning.

My goal is a clean pond.

 

[GBBUDD]

It is your POND........ it is not A swimming pool... ALGAE IS NOT ALL BAD. With all the drops that you have you are going to have a battle with algae for a while. until your pond balances out . and even then .. if you want your clean natural rocks then salt or chlorine is your future

 

[Tjsherrill]

It is your POND........ it is not A swimming pool... ALGAE IS NOT ALL BAD. With all the drops that you have you are going to have a battle with algae for a while. until your pond balances out . and even then .. if you want your clean natural rocks then salt or chlorine is your future

I don't need perfectly clean, but we washed down some, and all the gravel and rocks look great without the coating they have on them now.

I could empty it, wash down again and refill but that's 2400 gallons or so down the drain.

 

[GBBUDD]

it will be back and stronger than before. the pond is a living colony you need all the umpa lumpas to move in and thrive it takes time it can talk a year maybe two .

look at the third video from the bottom on this page they have a eco pond first then they have a salt pond " i think your heading here" https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/some-very-impressive-pond-builds.26353/page-2

 

[Tjsherrill]

it will be back and stronger than before. the pond is a living colony you need all the umpa lumpas to move in and thrive it takes time it can talk a year maybe two .

look at the third video from the bottom on this page they have a eco pond first then they have a salt pond " i think your heading here" https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/some-very-impressive-pond-builds.26353/page-2

I have seen that one. Its good. But I want koi next spring. I'll keep on it.

 

[Pablo]

Following up on this: how to clean the grey/green silt that has landed on all the gravel and rocks inside the pond? I think its just dirt, but it could be something else.

Need the community insight into cleaning.

My goal is a clean pond.

I understand the frustration of having a dirty pond right after starting it. I filled my pond three weeks ago and right after that the skies opened up and it hardly has stopped raining since. After tonight it will be up to 9 inches of rain (I have a weather station in my backyard) in that time. I still had work to do around the pond of course and had some dirt piles that ended up washing into the pond because of the deluge. A good portion of the pond was covered in mud. While I agree you want the natural buildup on the stones to generate the bacteria but that looks better when it happens naturally and you get used to it, the plants grow in and you have the fish etc. We all want that clean look in the beginning, if not then we would not be rinsing off the dirty gravel as we put it in our ponds and bogs or spraying the stone work as we get ready to fill it. I looked at the dirt falling into the pond as an accident, not natural.
What I did a week later was to pump out some water and then I used the sprayer on the hose to get the dirt off the stones. I put the sprayer under water and it was able to stir things up. I had a pipe going to the woods and just kept the pump running as I did this with hose, so the dirty water was ending up out of the pond and gradually new water was taking over. I had to let the pond fill up a bit and then continue doing it. I would switch it up and use the net to stir up the water again so the dirt didnt just settle down again. Took a few hours but it worked, I did not pump out the pond completely and get in their to spray everything down. Just worked the sprayer around the pond. I ended up with about 2/3 new water, pond is 3700 gallons. Within a day the water the water was clear and you could see the stones and gravel no problem. Way I look at it is if your pond has only been running a week or two there is no harm in doing a little clean up, you really are not disturbing the natural bacteria build up since it hardly started anyway and this time of year not much is going to be happening.

 

[j.w]

A big garbage can full of quilt batting set up at the top of your pond will save on your water bill and collect a lot of that silt as you stir up the pond. It works but it takes some time to do it as you need to keep cleaning the batting when it gets full of silt and then put it all back in and do it over and over again. It does work! I have used a smaller set up at my pond when I want some yuck out of the water.

The hose is attached to a pump in the pond and sucks up water and goes over and through the batting and then water goes back into pond through holes in the plastic pot. Like I said for a big pond full of silt you will need to keep stirring up the water and use a big huge container

I hung my batting on a wire fence part and hosed it off. Easier and more efficient than just laying on the ground.