New waterfall and stream build

[GBBUDD]

I'd just leave an edge right at the highest point you want and let it drain out. you'll want to have this area be where the water will drain away from the pond. if you have a long way to go to get the water out of the area then you may want to do a bulked fitting through the side to a pipe

 

[YShahar]

My hole filled with water so was wondering how best to include an overflow pipe or similar? Or do you guys just let it overflow into the garden? I assume a pipe would have to go through the liner?

If there's a possibility of water pool under the liner, then you might want to install a French drain there to take water away from the area. As for an overflow from the pond, different people use different methods. In my case, I left a bit of excess liner in one corner (opposite to the intake bay) and built a dry stream leading from there into the garden. Only after the heaviest rains does that stream get any water, but it does allow me to direct the overflow to where I want it.

For a pondless, you might be better off installing an overflow pipe through your liner with a bulkhead fitting. You could then run the pipe to a lower area of the garden for irrigation. Several of the Aquascape build videos show how to set something like that up.

 

[Will130]

Hey guys, bit of an update and a question. After our vile weather last month (cyclones and floods) I've made a bit of progress. Finished and lined the reservoir and dug most of the stream bed and lined half of that, (few pics below). I still need to finish foundations of the waterfall (as discussed above) and line that, etc.

I need to join 2 large pieces of liner just above where the stream essentially does a 90 deg turn. I've watched videos on seaming and have tracked down the double and single sided tape here but have a question on primer. Most of the videos I've watched use primer but the guys I'm buying the seam tape and more liner from reckon it's not needed if you use both the double sided and single sided tape.

Keen to get thoughts on that... I know I need to clean the liner very well, give it a bit of a scrub with a scour pad before seaming and roll it or similar to remove bubbles but how essential is the primer? I assume it will still work but possibly not have the longevity? It's not cheap here but happy to buy it if best or required. Is there an alternative cheaper product or do you have to use the specific EDPM primer?

Cheers!

 

[GBBUDD]

I HAVE MADE MANY SEAMS WITH EPDDM BUT I AM NOT UP ON THE LATESTES MATERIALS , ALL I CAN SAY IS ALL SEAMS WERE PRIMED EVEN WITH SINGLE AND DOUBLE SIDED TAPES. I ALSO SEAMED MY SEAMS THAT WAY I WAS NOT REMOVING ROCKS AND BOULDERS TO FIX A LEAKY SEAM

 

[Lisak1]

I'm with @GBBUDD - I would use the absolute most secure method I could come up with to avoid that seam becoming an issue in the future. I'd rather it "not be necessary" than to get to "oh how I wish I had" down the road.

 

[GBBUDD]

I'm with @GBBUDD - I would use the absolute most secure method I could come up with to avoid that seam becoming an issue in the future. I'd rather it "not be necessary" than to get to "oh how I wish I had" down the road.

I know how to seam and have done many roof seams over the years. And I still seamed from the bottom of the liner first. Then moved to the top of the liner and then seamed the top seam with seam tape again over both edges of the tape . All seams caulked on the
edges.

Call me overkill and maybe paranoid. But I'd rather spend an extra hour on the extra seams than rip apart the pond and 3000 pound boulders lots of little rocks and decorations.

Spending a day a week a month looking for the leak. The stress, F that.

 

[Will130]

OK cool. Will def use the primer and caulk! Have been chipping away at my project as time allows in between travel, foul weather, work and everything else. Have been remodelling the waterfall part so keen to get any thoughts on that. It's definitely not finished but it's getting there. A few pics below. It currently has geofabric over it to stop the rain screwing with it but this isn't final yet either but gives a bit of an idea of how it will look. Last pic has approx water path.

On the waterfall section, do you think I should dig in small pools kinda sloping away from the spill edge or just use rocks and liner?

 

[addy1]

I have small pools on all the waterfalls. Read ages ago that a collecting pool helps the waterfall.

 

[YShahar]

On the waterfall section, do you think I should dig in small pools kinda sloping away from the spill edge or just use rocks and liner?

I would definitely dig small pools in the waterfall. Not only do they make the waterfall more natural looking, but they improve the sound of the waterfall, as you have some water falling into water, rather than on rock. It would also be helpful to have flat shelves around each pooling area on which to set your rocks. If you have some flat rocks, you could use those to edge the pools, and use river rocks for the floor of each pool.

 

[addy1]

I have small collection pools at the top of the waterfall and at the bottom.

 

[GBBUDD]

I would definitely dig small pools in the waterfall. Not only do they make the waterfall more natural looking, but they improve the sound of the waterfall, as you have some water falling into water, rather than on rock. It would also be helpful to have flat shelves around each pooling area on which to set your rocks. If you have some flat rocks, you could use those to edge the pools, and use river rocks for the floor of each pool.

The biggest benefit to a pool above the falls is it is a great place for a bird bath. no visual obstructions as the water drops over the falls. make it around 2 inches deep.

 

[Will130]

OK thanks guys. The falls section is quite narrow unfortunately but should be fine. I'll probably leave the retaining bricks I've used in to provide the flat edge and will dig in shallow pools

 

[Will130]

No real updates on this yet. Been very busy and the weather has been miserable. It rains EVERY weekend and its winter here now :/ I do have all the underlay, liner and overlay done and have started placing some rocks though.

Am thinking about the spillway too. I currently have a heavy duty storage container with a large angled lip which would work but I'm wondering if making a natural looking spring pool might be easier and nicer. I'm thinking of filling a smallish pool half with rocks with the 2" feed hose emptying into the bottom. The water would just well up in the pool and then head off down the falls. Any issues with this or other thoughts?

 

[combatwombat]

I'm wondering if making a natural looking spring pool might be easier and nicer. I'm thinking of filling a smallish pool half with rocks with the 2" feed hose emptying into the bottom. The water would just well up in the pool and then head off down the falls. Any issues with this or other thoughts?

No issue and a much nicer detail.