| Step 4: |
Set your filter box FIRST, so when you start digging, you can place the
excavated dirt around the filter box. This will help you avoid having to
move the same dirt twice.
Set your filter box so that the waterfall opening empties out where you
can see the flow from your viewing area. Giving it a slight turn to the
right or left will give the finished stream some character. Keep in mind
- every time the water falls over a rock ledge, you want to be able to
see it. It's not so important to be able to see it coursing down the
stream bed, but the effect of the water falling over a rock ledge in a
tumbling sheet will be visually appealing. Plan on giving your stream
some twists and turns. Nothing too drastic, as water will go over the
outside edge of the stream if it has to make too sharp a turn, but a 120
degree turn will add interest.
Stand back and look at the filter box. Check and make sure the lip is
facing an appealing direction.
excavated dirt around the filter box. This will help you avoid having to
move the same dirt twice.
Set your filter box so that the waterfall opening empties out where you
can see the flow from your viewing area. Giving it a slight turn to the
right or left will give the finished stream some character. Keep in mind
- every time the water falls over a rock ledge, you want to be able to
see it. It's not so important to be able to see it coursing down the
stream bed, but the effect of the water falling over a rock ledge in a
tumbling sheet will be visually appealing. Plan on giving your stream
some twists and turns. Nothing too drastic, as water will go over the
outside edge of the stream if it has to make too sharp a turn, but a 120
degree turn will add interest.
Stand back and look at the filter box. Check and make sure the lip is
facing an appealing direction.
RISE vs. RUN: You will need to set your filter box up high enough (or in some cases, down low enough) for the water to have
adequate room to fall over the rocks without running over the edges of the stream bed. Of course, if you want a straight sheet
of water off the filter box and into the pond, this isn't a problem, but if you want a more natural looking stream in addition to
the falling water, you will need to consider the Rise vs. Run factor. For this, you need to take into consideration the thickness
of the rocks you are using in the stream, the number of turns your waterfall will make, and the distance of the filter box from
the pond edge. One way to figure this out is to count the number of turns your proposed waterfall will make. You will want to
have enough Rise at each turn for the water to have adequate room to fall. Assuming your average RUN is 3' - 5' of stream bed,
a good rule of thumb is 8" of RISE for every turn. If the filter box you purchased is 26" from the bottom of the box to the lip of
the waterfall opening, and your stream has three turns, you will need a minimum of 24" of RISE for the 9' to 15' of RUN, so you
can set your filter box on grade. If you are setting your filter box further away from the pond edge, you will want to put an
additional fall in the stream bed even if you don't have a turn there. In this case, you will need to elevate your filter box.
ALWAYS set your filter box on a flat, compacted surface. NEVER set your filter box on excavated dirt. The dirt will settle
several inches in the first year alone, and your filter box will settle too, destroying your waterfall and sending all the water in
your pond out into your yard. I simply can't stress this enough. Excavated dirt can settle several inches over the course of a
year, especially if something heavy, like a 3' x 3' box of water is sitting on top of it. You will notice I use a lot of cinder block
under and around a filter box. The reason I do this is because cinder block doesn't settle, so long as you set it on a compacted
surface. Also, cinder block is 8" tall when laid on it's side, so it makes it the perfect hight for most waterfall applications.
adequate room to fall over the rocks without running over the edges of the stream bed. Of course, if you want a straight sheet
of water off the filter box and into the pond, this isn't a problem, but if you want a more natural looking stream in addition to
the falling water, you will need to consider the Rise vs. Run factor. For this, you need to take into consideration the thickness
of the rocks you are using in the stream, the number of turns your waterfall will make, and the distance of the filter box from
the pond edge. One way to figure this out is to count the number of turns your proposed waterfall will make. You will want to
have enough Rise at each turn for the water to have adequate room to fall. Assuming your average RUN is 3' - 5' of stream bed,
a good rule of thumb is 8" of RISE for every turn. If the filter box you purchased is 26" from the bottom of the box to the lip of
the waterfall opening, and your stream has three turns, you will need a minimum of 24" of RISE for the 9' to 15' of RUN, so you
can set your filter box on grade. If you are setting your filter box further away from the pond edge, you will want to put an
additional fall in the stream bed even if you don't have a turn there. In this case, you will need to elevate your filter box.
ALWAYS set your filter box on a flat, compacted surface. NEVER set your filter box on excavated dirt. The dirt will settle
several inches in the first year alone, and your filter box will settle too, destroying your waterfall and sending all the water in
your pond out into your yard. I simply can't stress this enough. Excavated dirt can settle several inches over the course of a
year, especially if something heavy, like a 3' x 3' box of water is sitting on top of it. You will notice I use a lot of cinder block
under and around a filter box. The reason I do this is because cinder block doesn't settle, so long as you set it on a compacted
surface. Also, cinder block is 8" tall when laid on it's side, so it makes it the perfect hight for most waterfall applications.
| Setting the Filter Box |
| DO NOT START DIGGING!! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! DO NOT START DIGGING!!! |
As far as your utilities are concerned, you can run your stream over existing utility lines, you just can't DIG there. If your
phone line runs under your waterfall, that's o.k., just don't plan on digging your POND in that spot.
phone line runs under your waterfall, that's o.k., just don't plan on digging your POND in that spot.
| Audio sounds provided by www.Freesound.org 38391- volivieri water flows over rock.wav 72722 - Manuel Calurano - Conversation between a nightingale and a frog.mp3 |
| Write me at: pondgal@gridcom.net |
Finally, attach all your plumbing. Assuming you have an idea of where you're going to put the skimmer box (i.e. pump) you will
run your plumbing from that side of the filter box to the proposed skimmer box location. You will have two 2" bulkhead
fittings, one with a Schedule 40 PVC cap to install in the hole you are not using, and another with a Schedule 40 PVC threaded
male adaptor to install in the hole you are using to pump the water through from the skimmer box. Silicone around the inside
of the bulkhead fittings BEFORE you install them in the sides of the filter box. Tighten the bulkhead fittings down as tight as
you can without popping a vein in your forehead. Use PVC primer and glue to install the PVC cap and male adaptor, then glue
your 2" black PVC flex pipe into the male PVC adapter with silicone sealant and lay the flex pipe from the filter box along the
edge of the pond to where you will be eventually locating the skimmer box. If you have elevated your filter box, there will be
a substantial gap between where the black flex pipe exits the filter box and the ground. Fill this gap up with cinder block or
other pieces of concrete debris the garbage man won't take so that the weight of the dirt on top of this pipe won't pull the pipe
out from the filter box later.
Don't even WORRY about the skimmer box until you get the pond dug and the liner installed. Just be sure you have enough 2"
flex PVC to make it from the filter box to your proposed location for the skimmer.
O.K., it's time to start digging!!
run your plumbing from that side of the filter box to the proposed skimmer box location. You will have two 2" bulkhead
fittings, one with a Schedule 40 PVC cap to install in the hole you are not using, and another with a Schedule 40 PVC threaded
male adaptor to install in the hole you are using to pump the water through from the skimmer box. Silicone around the inside
of the bulkhead fittings BEFORE you install them in the sides of the filter box. Tighten the bulkhead fittings down as tight as
you can without popping a vein in your forehead. Use PVC primer and glue to install the PVC cap and male adaptor, then glue
your 2" black PVC flex pipe into the male PVC adapter with silicone sealant and lay the flex pipe from the filter box along the
edge of the pond to where you will be eventually locating the skimmer box. If you have elevated your filter box, there will be
a substantial gap between where the black flex pipe exits the filter box and the ground. Fill this gap up with cinder block or
other pieces of concrete debris the garbage man won't take so that the weight of the dirt on top of this pipe won't pull the pipe
out from the filter box later.
Don't even WORRY about the skimmer box until you get the pond dug and the liner installed. Just be sure you have enough 2"
flex PVC to make it from the filter box to your proposed location for the skimmer.
O.K., it's time to start digging!!