What Supplies Will I Need?
When you read our 20 Steps to building a
pond, you'll also see that there are 20 components necessary to get
the job done right. Aquascape Designs, Inc. manufactures all of these
supplies and more which are available through our Certified Aquascape
Contractors (CAC's). CAC's can be hired to do the job for you, or just
contacted for the supplies and expert advice you need.
Supply #1: Liners and Underlayment
Choosing the right liner.
The first step in choosing the proper liner is to educate yourself
on the selection of liners that are available. Over the years, The
Pond Guystm, Aquascape's elite construction crew, have
tested many different pond supplies in the field. We have also been
called out to many job sites where a pond had been installed using
inferior supplies, allowing us the opportunity to see how these
products hold up to the test of time and the forces of nature.
Read our section on
Pond Liners for detailed information
on liner selection.
What does Aquascape Designs recommend?
45 mil EPDM Rubber fish safe liner.
Advantages: EPDM is extremely flexible. EPDM easily drapes into the
excavated area and conforms to all of the nooks and crannies in the
application.
Disadvantages: Size is a limitation when specifying EPDM for a job.
The largest roll size manufactured is 50' x 100'. Seeming EPDM can be
difficult. You may have noticed that Aquascape offers seaming supplies
for EPDM rubber. Why not just seam two large sections together?
40 mil Polypropylene
Advantages: Durability, Custom Sizing, and Ease of Seaming.
Disadvantages: Flexibility and Cost.
Pond Supplies #2 : Filters
Choosing the right filter : the three types.
The three main types of pond filters include biological,
mechanical, and chemical / sterilizer. Biological work by using
bacteria to break down pond wastes, converting them into harmless
particles that can be used as aquatic plant fertilizers. Mechanical
filters work by trapping and removing debris and sediment, thus
cleaning the pond water. Skimmers and pre-filters for pumps are two
examples of mechanical filters. Water sterilizers, such as ultraviolet
or ozone generators, destroy all living organisms that they contact.
They are higher maintenance, and should be left for pools and spas.
Many filters overlap into more than one category. For example, our
BIOFALLS® has large amounts of surface area for
biological filtration, while the filter mats help with the removal of
fine to medium sized particles, which is a mechanical variety of
filtration. Read more detailed reviews from our
Pond Filtration
page. Pond Supplies #3 : Pumps and Electrical
Determining the best pump for the job.
The pump included in each of our Pro Pond Kits will provide the
proper flow rate as long as the elevation change between the pond and
the BIOFALLS® is 5' or less, and the pipe run is no
longer than 50'.
What if you want to create a custom project, one that has a long
stream, multiple streams, or extra wide waterfalls? Maybe you have a
10' drop in your backyard, and you salivate at the thought of the
waterfall you can create. Before you build this project, there are a
few steps you need to take in order to make sure the right pump is
specified for the job.
Establishing the flow rate.
The first, and most important step, before you even begin to look
for a pump, is to establish a desired flow rate for the waterfalls and
stream.
For each foot of spillway width you need 1,500 gph of water flow.
We have determined that this is a good "rule of thumb" for figuring
the proper flow rate over a waterfall. This flow rate will help ensure
that you have enough water to cover the entire width of the waterfall
and stream.
Example #1
If you're building a waterfall that is 2' wide, you want a pump
that will produce approximately 3,000 gph.
Example #2
If you're building a waterfall that is 10' wide, you want to use a
pump that will produce a total of 15,000 gph.
The "rule of thumb" does not mean that the entire stream has to be
the same width. Be creative by narrowing down the stream in spots to
create racing rapids, or expand the stream slightly to create a
bubbling brook. From our experiences in the field, this rate provides
an attractive amount of water, not so much that it's overpowering, and
not so little that it looks like a leaky faucet. Pond Supplies #4 : Plumbing
Plumbing... A Key Component of Pond
Building.
A well designed water feature includes many supplies and
construction materials for installation. One key component is a
recirculation system, which requires plumbing. Like everything else,
there is a right way and a wrong way to plumb your water feature.
Lots of Supplies to Choose From.
There are several different methods used in plumbing these days, and
over the last ten years of pond construction, we've toyed around with
most of them. There are different kinds of pipe, many random
components, and a wide array of fittings. After building 100+ ponds
per year, over the last several years, we know that the plumbing
method we use today, is the best way to go.
Types of Pipe
Schedule 40 PVC - The cheap cost of this material makes it the
most commonly used plumbing material in the country.
Pros
Strong and rigid, mainly used in household applications.
Each fitting and component is connected using glue and primer.
Inexpensive.
Cons
Only sold in ten foot increments, therefore difficult to
transport.
The need for 45° and 90° elbows to make necessary turns in
your pipe.
Every elbow will add head pressure to the pump, and will most likely
restrict the water flow to a less than desirable look.
Susceptible to cracking during the freeze / thaw cycle of most zones.
Poly Pipe - Poly Pipe was originally
designed for use in the irrigation industry. Aquascape's construction
crew used this pipe for several years before the days of flexible PVC.
The discovery of flexible PVC has made the plumbing installation a
much simpler and more effective process. Therefore we couldn't think
of any pros for the use of Poly Pipe in the water garden application.
Cons
Large Size. A 100' roll of 2" poly pipe stands over 5 1/2' tall
and can be extremely hard to work with once unpackaged.
The use of an industrial heat gun is necessary to reform the packaged
shape.
A rubber mallet, barbed fittings, and metal clamps are necessary for
making connections.
Inconvenient and extremely labor intensive.
Flexible PVC - This stuff is great! It
came to us from the pool and spa industry. All connections are made
with the primer and glue included in our ProPond Kits.
Pros
Can be rolled tightly for transportation.
Strong Memory. Which means it will unroll and straighten out much more
easily than poly pipe.
Can handle sharp turns and tight corners, which alleviates head
pressure on the pump by avoiding the use of trees and elbows.
Will expand and contract with seasonal changes.
Cons
None!
We can honestly credit the use of flex pipe for giving birth to the
"one day pond." For years we struggled to complete a pond in a single
day, and for years we were pretty darn close. Flex pipe was the answer
to our prayers.
Pond Supplies #5 : Rocks and Gravel
Types of Stone Available
Granite - A common stone used in the midwest for all types of
construction - from home building to landscaping and water features.
It's found in two forms - rounded cobblestones or boulders, and
quarried chunks and pieces blasted out of large granite deposits. They
come in a wide range of colors and sizes and look best when set in a
random, naturalistic manner.
Aqua Blue Boulders - These are our
personal favorite for pond supplies. We prefer them because of their
rustic beauty and character. These stones can be harvested from
natural hillsides and quarried. The harvested hillstones are more
intersting because they've been weathered and may have mosses and
lichens growing on them. Their rustic character allows them to be
placed as accents throughout a property, or used in focal points.
Gravel - The main purpose of gravel is
cost effective cover for the liner, while providing a habitat for
beneficial microorganisms. The gravel also lends structural stability
to the pond. To achieve this, gravel is placed in between and behind
the boulders. The gravel becomes a free floating mortar, naturally
locking the boulders on place. The gravel supplies we use are similar
in character and color to granite boulders, only smaller. The gravel
is smooth, giving it a water worn feeling that's easy on the feet, for
those who venture into their pond.
How Gravel Helps the Ecosystem
The rocky bottom is totally alive and brimming with activity,
covered with algae, microscopic invertebrates, and bacteria. This
section of the pond is basically a compost pile. When organic debris
falls to the pond's bottom, it's broken down it's broken down by the
benthic inhabitants. These organic recyclers will live off of uneaten
fish food, decaying plant matter, and nitrogenous fish wastes. If this
substrate pond supply was not present, the pond would quickly die,
effectively being suffocated by toxic fish waste and organic build up.
All of these supplies and more are available
through our Certified Aquascape Contractors. Use our
CAC Directory
to find a contractor in your area.
The content of the Pond & Water Garden Resources Website comes from
the book Pond Builders Bible everything Aquascape Designs Does
Revealed. Published by Aquascape Designs, Inc. / The
Pond Guy Publications. | Batavia, IL |
