| Why should you seriously consider installing a pond | | | | members or pets. |
| & waterfall on your property. Besides adding | | | | At night a well-designed backyard pond becomes |
| equity to your home, a properly constructed | | | | a whole new adventure, especially if you have |
| water feature can bring more long term joy and | | | | built-in lighting. The cascading, splashing water |
| pleasure than anything else money can buy. This | | | | against the lights create an amazing symphony of |
| article will provide guide lines for considering such | | | | light and sound. Dancing light reflected on the |
| an investment. We can't live without it. Water is | | | | surrounding rocks, plants, fence or house |
| the very source of life That is why we are so | | | | becomes hypnotic and mesmerizing. Most people |
| strongly attracted to it. Maybe because we | | | | only experience this atmosphere at expensive |
| cannot live more than a few days without water, | | | | hotels or resorts. Now you can own the same |
| we want to have it close by. Most people would | | | | experience in your own back yard.. |
| like to live next to it, whether in the form of a | | | | If you are considering a water feature as an |
| stream, river, lake or ocean. | | | | investment in your property, may I add several |
| Unfortunately, there aren't enough bodies of | | | | words of caution. Down the road, these may |
| water to go around for everybody, even for | | | | save you the heartache, sorrow and aggravation |
| those who can afford living near them. The price | | | | of dirty, murky, green, smelly water, sick or dead |
| of beach front property reflects the fact that it is | | | | fish, leaky pond or waterfall, or high maintenance |
| scarce and in high demand. Even for those | | | | and energy costs. |
| fortunate enough to own such property, there is | | | | 1. Take your time. |
| a major trade-off and a good share of | | | | 2. Plan it out. |
| disadvantages. | | | | 3. Research the subject thoroughly. |
| Who wouldn't like to have a water garden on their | | | | 4. Seek out an expert in the field. A few years of |
| property, or a flower and vegetable garden, or | | | | experience are important. |
| even a wonderful orchard with oranges, apples, | | | | 5. Make sure the expert is licensed and bonded. |
| plums, peaches, lemons and avocado? Maybe a | | | | 6. Accept only concrete and steel rebar |
| corral with a horse or two. So much for thinking | | | | construction. |
| about a garden with most ocean front property. | | | | Never use a pond liner. Proponents of pond liners |
| You're lucky if you have enough land to be able | | | | will claim there is a 40 or 50 year warranty on |
| to walk between the houses!We can now see | | | | the liner. Not true! It's only true if you leave the |
| why water gardens with waterfalls and ponds are | | | | pond liner in the box. It would work only in a |
| becoming so popular. If you can't take your home | | | | perfect world - where there were no gophers, |
| to the water, just bring the water to your | | | | squirrels, chipmunks, rats, tree roots, sharp rocks, |
| home!Why is it so peaceful, yet still invigorating at | | | | pebbles or other such objects. Once you have a |
| the beach? Is it the sight or sound of the ocean | | | | hole, it is impossible to find. Even a pin-hole will |
| waves, the smell of the salt water? You may be | | | | allow 5 gallons of water per day to pass. |
| surprised to discover that the actual feelings of | | | | 7. Do not use submersible pumps. They are |
| peace, relaxation, stress, and anxiety release has | | | | inefficient and expensive to operate and are |
| little to do with the sight or sounds or smell of the | | | | difficult to maintain. Debris collects in them, |
| ocean. Extensive research has shown that moving | | | | requiring frequent cleaning. Submersibles can leak |
| water puts additional negative ions into the air. | | | | oil that may kill the pond inhabitants or, worse, |
| Breathing this supercharged air has an extremely | | | | short out and create a shock hazard. |
| positive effect on our body. The ocean creates | | | | 8. Use a biological filter to help eliminate nitrates |
| the greatest quantity of negative ions of all | | | | and nitrites from the water. (I recommend a |
| moving water. | | | | pressurized back-flushable filter, not a gravity |
| Therefore, it has the most beneficial effects on | | | | flow.) |
| our moods while drawing the largest crowds. For | | | | 9. Install a skimmer for removal of surface leaves |
| the same reason, waterfalls create such pleasant | | | | and debris. |
| and relaxing environments. You have probably | | | | 10. Use two anti-vortex drains on the bottom of |
| noticed how wonderful the air smells and feels | | | | the pond for suction line to prevent whirlpools and |
| just prior to, during and after a rain storm - again | | | | fish or turtles from being sucked into the drain. |
| negative ions. | | | | 11. Make sure your pond is a minimum of three |
| For a fraction fo the cost of ocean or lake front | | | | feet deep to regulate water temperature in the |
| living, almost every homeowner can reap the | | | | summer months and to discourage herons and |
| benefits of a waterfall and pond in their back | | | | raccoons from dining out. |
| yard. Ranging from an atmosphere of intimacy to | | | | 12. Build caves and ledges for turtles and fish to |
| one of grandeur, it's whatever the budget can | | | | hide in. |
| endure. Virtually everyone can own a portion of | | | | 13. Install an ultraviolet light to kill bacteria that |
| the best that nature has to offer. There are as | | | | cause smells and pathogens that kill fish and algae |
| many different varieties, shapes and sizes of | | | | spores that create green water. |
| waterfalls as there are rocks. Consequently, with | | | | 14. Do not use mechanical auto-fill valves; only use |
| a pond design of your choice, no two ever look | | | | an electronic one like the AquaFill System. It does |
| the same and they provide a natural individuality | | | | not stick or malfunction - thus preventing pond |
| for each homeowner. | | | | overflow and dead fish from chlorine poisoning. |
| Waterfalls can cascade into koi ponds, a stream, | | | | 15. Use plenty of water plants in the falls and |
| swimming pool, spa or simply spill through a | | | | pond. They provide extra oxygen and food for |
| rock-covered grate into a subterranean catch | | | | the fish and act as natural filters, utilizing the |
| basin, from where it gets pumped and | | | | nitrate nitrogen in the water. |
| recirculated. This type of backyard pond design is | | | | 16. Use a high-efficiency, out-of-pond pump that |
| great for someone with small children, since it | | | | conserves energy. By operating it 24 hours a day, |
| eliminates the need for a hazardous pond. It's also | | | | a high-quality biofilter (such as one made by Aqua |
| perfect for someone with a very small yard or | | | | Ultra Violet) will receive a continuous flow of |
| for those looking for little or no maintenance. | | | | oxygenated water, which the anaerobic bacteria |
| The soil removed in excavating a pond can be | | | | require in order to live. The bacteria are essential |
| utilized to create a mound or berm to provide | | | | for breaking down hydrocarbons, nitrates and |
| elevation for a cascade. A waterfall can pass | | | | nitrites in the water. |
| through terraced retaining walls on its way down | | | | 17. Make sure you have proper drainage around |
| to a pond at ground level. By passing through | | | | the pond and waterfall so run-off from the rain |
| rather than over the top, it will give the | | | | storms does not enter the pond and contaminate |
| impression that the waterfall always existed and | | | | it with silt, fertilizer, pesticides, etc. |
| the retaining wall was constructed later on either | | | | 18. Learn basic pond maintenance. (An ounce of |
| side. | | | | prevention is worth a [pond] cure.) |
| A backyard pond not only provides allure and | | | | When I say "everyone should have a waterfall," |
| charm to your property, it is as though you own | | | | I'm not simply promoting my life's passion. |
| a part of the Discovery Channel. The pond's | | | | Considering how much enjoyment a water garden |
| occupants provide a never-ending and forever | | | | and waterfall can give you, dollar for dollar, cubic |
| changing source of entertainment and education. | | | | foot for cubic foot, hour for hour, it is your best |
| From the antics of a pair of acrobatic turtles to | | | | buy for many long, healthy and happy years to |
| the male crayfish, claws clashing and gnashing | | | | come. |
| over the prize of a fair lady, each day becomes a | | | | From my experience with hundreds of pond |
| new chapter in the life of your pond. Are you the | | | | owners in San Diego, I have discovered that the |
| type that might say, "I don't ever want to own | | | | money spent on a well designed garden pond and |
| fish!" and then eventually end up with several, | | | | waterfall will surely bring you more long term |
| even giving them all names? I've seen this happen | | | | pleasure and joy than anything you ever |
| over and over again, because pond owners | | | | purchased in your life. |
| become personally attached to the inhabitants of | | | | Living is not truly living without water. |
| their water garden pond as if they were family | | | | |