Pondless waterfall...what to use

[hessie]

I just looked at a job to build a pondless waterfall and im not sure what kit i should be using, there are so many to choose from and i wanted some feedback on which one is the best bang for your buck!! Thanks

[JJS]

I,ve made my own, they're pretty easy to figure out, a trip to home depot, aside from your rubber and ground batting, should take care of what you need, your main item is what you want to spend on the pump.

[JimLewis]

We do LOTS of pondless waterfalls. Just take a look at a few I've posted to our website.

As for kits, I can tell you right now don't waste your money on the ones that come from AquaScapes. They are hella expensive and you can make your own version of the same thing for much less.

I don't do kits. I just buy each part individually. But if you want to use a kit, I think the one at the bottom of this page is pretty much what you need;

http://www.azponds.com/NEW%20Pond%20kits.htm

That kit is pretty much what I buy individually. In addition to that kit, you'll need a PVC one-way check valve, a PVC ball valve (to control flow), some Flex-PVC piping, a pond liner, rock, and gravel.

[jasonlandscape]

Check it out

Aquascapes vault well snorkell thingy, $700 with the centipede and a cap...

Big irrigation control valve box $35, drill 1" holes it. figure out a way to get the pvc in it.



for the top if u wanna do a bog...get a irrigation drain basin with a grate on top and stick the pipe in it. cover it with rock and peagravel.

[JimLewis]

Jason landscape is right. The Aquascape thing is WAY WAY WAY overpriced and overkill too. We often use valve boxes or valve boxes with a few valve box extensions instead.

PondEco also makes a nice, inexpensive pre-drilled pondless waterfall "vault" that sells for only $115.00 It does about the same thing as the $700 Aquascapes snorkel thingy.

One thing I'd add to what Jason said, the holes don't even have to be 1". I used to drill holes that big. But just a bunch of quick holes with a 3/8" drill bit works just fine. It allows plenty of water to get in quickly enough.

[TRBIGCREEK]

Hessie,

I founded and manage the water gardening division for the company I work for. We are distributors and authorized dealers for just about everything out there. I'd be glad to help you find the right kit or put together a custom kit for you. Let me know if I can help, my email address is trbigcreek@yahoo.com

TR

[Lightscapes]

Overkill? I find there is rarely such a thing in the professional contracting market. Most homeowners, if they wanted a DIY-quality installation (which is often what results when using the wrong tool for the job)would be DOING IT THEMSELVES! They hired you because (hopefully) you can install a better product with better workmanship that will last longer, work better, and cause fewer headaches. If you can't (or won't), maybe you shouldn't be taking their money.

Having said that, the Aquascape snorkel and centipede might be $700, but the Aquascape Microsnorkel and centipede is only $280. The micro fits a majority of the projects done and the standard is only used in much larger projects (which helps to justify the price).

[jasonlandscape]

Overkill? I find there is rarely such a thing in the professional contracting market. Most homeowners, if they wanted a DIY-quality installation (which is often what results when using the wrong tool for the job)would be DOING IT THEMSELVES! They hired you because (hopefully) you can install a better product with better workmanship that will last longer, work better, and cause fewer headaches. If you can't (or won't), maybe you shouldn't be taking their money.

Having said that, the Aquascape snorkel and centipede might be $700, but the Aquascape Microsnorkel and centipede is only $280. The micro fits a majority of the projects done and the standard is only used in much larger projects (which helps to justify the price).

i actualy think my control valve box is way better, not saying this from experience but the valve box is way bigger and makes room for way more water...plus i can stand on it and jump up and down on it all day long... i mean its made for riding mowers to drive across.

[lawnrich]

Has anyone heard of auqa blocks i just heard about it today and google can't find it.

[jasonlandscape]

Has anyone heard of auqa blocks i just heard about it today and google can't find it.

an alternative to using rocks....there realy strong

[Keith]

Has anyone heard of auqa blocks i just heard about it today and google can't find it.


These maybe? http://www.russellwatergardens.com/HydroBlox.htm

[JimLewis]

That's cool as heck! I am going to have to try those out next time we do a pondless waterfall.

[lawnrich]

thanks thats it.
it's cheep

[William Burnison]

Hessie, If you have not looked at or used the Savio system you are missing out. Practical, functional and a great price point. The entire idea behind "any" pond free or disappearing water feature system is that the container is no more than a pump vault. A way to access your pump system when you need to...No other reason. If any one else tells you something different, I would be skeptical. Disappearing systems have been around for years but only recently have manufacturers developed these new system to make our jobs easier.

I have, at one time or another, used nearly every system out there...from $100 to $1200 or more and they all do the same thing. Savio's system addresses all of the important issues without all of the price of some of the ones out there.

I saw a project in this months issue of Water Garden News where this guy did the worlds largest Pond Free Waterfall with 80,000 or 90,000 gallons per hour rolling over the falls and he used the Savio Pond Free Waterfall Wells.

[mgugliotti]

Overkill? I find there is rarely such a thing in the professional contracting market. Most homeowners, if they wanted a DIY-quality installation (which is often what results when using the wrong tool for the job)would be DOING IT THEMSELVES! They hired you because (hopefully) you can install a better product with better workmanship that will last longer, work better, and cause fewer headaches. If you can't (or won't), maybe you shouldn't be taking their money.

Having said that, the Aquascape snorkel and centipede might be $700, but the Aquascape Microsnorkel and centipede is only $280. The micro fits a majority of the projects done and the standard is only used in much larger projects (which helps to justify the price).

DAMN RIGHT!!!! I have been doing ponds for 12 years and made a great living doing it. Be a professional and do a professional job! If the home owner wanted crap, he would do it himself! This crap you guys are hacking in the ground is giving the industry a bad image. Very well said "Lightscapes"
M. Gugliotti, President Trailsend Water Gardens

[JimLewis]

Having said that, the Aquascape snorkel and centipede might be $700, but the Aquascape Microsnorkel and centipede is only $280. The micro fits a majority of the projects done and the standard is only used in much larger projects (which helps to justify the price).

I can use one valve box and a series of valve box extensions or just use a PondEco Vault and accomplish the same thing for about $100-$115. Why would I spend $280 to do the same thing.

Aquascapes is one of those companies who has all of their money tied up in advertising, magazines, shows, etc. They spend 10x more on this stuff than most other pond supply companies do. So they have to charge a lot more for their merchandise to recapture all that advertising expense. It's good for them but not so good for me when I can find another less expensive way to accomplish the same thing.

Our pondless waterfalls are every bit as nice, professional, and functional as one I would build using Aquascapes stuff, it just saves me and my client a lot of money to do it the way I do.