Home Blog
Contact
Us About
Us Submit
Website Resources
Pond waterfalls
Pond Waterfalls are nice, but it's important
to be aware of a few things. Waterfalls have many important benefits,
but can offer some pitfalls for a pond as well. The right balance
of function and form are always best to maintain when building a waterfall.
Benefits of pond waterfalls
First, let's look at what is good about a waterfall.
Besides looking nice and adding a tranquil sound to a pond, they act
as a natural filter and water purifier. The circulation of water through
the pump and back down over the rocks into the pond not only helps
clean water, but oxygenates it too for the fish and plants.
The thing to be careful of is the height of pond waterfalls.
A gently slanted slope no more than a couple of feet high is all you
need. This will not only look better in a flat backyard, allowing
a waterfall to blend better with the landscape, but is also better
for the fish and plants.
Keep it peaceful
The object when building and maintaining a pond is to keep
the water as still and peaceful as possible. Waterfalls are OK, as
long as the water falling into the pond is gentle. A torrential current
will hurt plants and disturb fish. Be careful, and remember to keep
it modest when it comes to waterfalls. Smaller ones look and sound
just as nice, and are better for the health of a pond.
by Patricia Skinner
Pond features
If you want to maximize the beauty of your backyard
pond, you need to include at least one water feature. If you have
to choose, I'd say a pond waterfall is the most desirable of all pond
water features. You can design your pond waterfall to be any height
you want and surround it with a selection of exotic pond plants such
as hostas to make a really exciting display.
There's nothing quite so dramatic or romantic than a well-designed
pond waterfall when it's all lit up at night. But beauty is not all
you get with water features such as a pond waterfall. They are great
at oxygenating your pond water which not only makes for healthier
fish, but can reduce the pressure on your pond filtration system.
A pond waterfall for oxygenation
Algae and parasites will not have such an easy time of it in a pond
that's well oxygenated due to an effective pond waterfall. So for
the sake of your fish, a pond waterfall is a great idea. You need
to make sure that the back of your waterfall is waterproofed with
some kind of pond liner so that the water doesn't drain out. If the
pond and the waterfall are waterproofed with the same pond liner,
then this is the ideal situation.
You can place rocks and plants to make your pond waterfall look as
natural as possible, and for great dramatic effect. Expert lighting
can make a really fabulous nighttime feature of your pond waterfall
too. Once it's finished, chances are you'll just love hanging out
next to your pond waterfall!
by Michael O'Brien
Pond waterfalls are extremely beautiful additions to a home
landscape. The sound of the flowing water is so soothing. The way
the sunlight gleams off of the falling water makes your backyard feel
like some kind of outdoor paradise. You can be really creative with
pond waterfalls as well. They can be designed in just about any formation
you see fit.
Building pond waterfalls
Pond waterfalls should begin with a good foundation. Think
of them the same you would a small hill or mountain. The base should
be nice and wide, and the rocks you stack on top of it should taper
upwards, becoming smaller and smaller the higher you get. It's important
to get a wide variety of rocks and stones of different sizes. Flatter
rocks tend to be best for waterfalls. This is the part where the real
creativity will come in so be sure to have fun with it.
Next comes the not so fun part. How are you going to get
water to fall down the waterfall? A pump will need to pull water out
of the pond to be re-circulated to the top so it can trickle back
down into the pond again over the rocks. A pipe can be hidden behind
the waterfall as can the pump itself. Another system of pipes will
be needed to pull water out of the pond.
It's also important to decide what kind of a waterfall you
want. Do you want a soothing trickle or a strong rush? The size and
power of the pump will determine its strength of water flow. You also
want to make sure your waterfall will be able to stand up to stronger
currents structurally. Don't be discouraged. A little re-adjusting
will be necessary.
Related article -
Waterfall ponds
