natural rock waterfall & swimming pool?

[rider1000]

I've done a few waterfall and pond installations, but have a client who wants a waterfall running into her swimming pool. Has anyone here done this with natural rock? Wondering if it will change the chemical balance of the pool? All of the artificial rock I've seen just does not give the look I'm after. If you have, what type of rock have you used? I live in Indiana, so would prefer local stone, but would buy elsewhere if necessary.

[dan deutekom]

I have done several pools like this using local limestone. No one has had any problems with chemical imbalance.

[Fishwhiz]

Your make-up water in Indiana is going to be pretty hard water anyway. In order for limestone to affect the water chemistry, the water would have to start out as soft water. I wouldn't see much trouble with your idea in that area.
























ponds (http://www.aquahabitat.com/ponds.html)

[landscapingpoolguy]

wow,

i think can be of some help here......The answer is YES the rocks will affect the chemical balance of the water...but it is treatable. All rock, all natural stone contain , natural ores and metals. Most people use chlorine as a dissinfectant in there pools.. Chlorine is a corosive chemical. combine chlorine a (corrosive chemical) with anything mettalic and you have oxidation. which more or less just changes the color of the water and makes it smell kinda bad too. Usually ull get a minty green color. Also the natural ores have a tendancy to contain low ph levels....these low ph levels of the rocks can also lower the ph of the pool and thus affect the alkalinty....Alkalinty is a combination of ph and corrosiveness of the water. Usually a balanced Alkalinty=a balanced Ph but a low Ph is a sign of possibly a low alkalinity. which can also lead to corrosion of any metalic piping in the system(example heaters, back flow valves, metal ball valves etc etc.) I would try to build the exterior of the falls using the rock but make a path using morter for the water to travel through.....or go to the local quary and speak to a rock guy about a balanced rock as far as ph and acidity levels are concerned. I do believe that limestone is a pretty much neutral stone but i would check to be 100%. Just trying to help you out using my pool knowledge.. .Ive had 8 years in teh swimming pool service and repair business and have incorperated lawn servicing into my business...Any more pool questions please do not hesitate to ask.

ps

if you do use some sort of rock and it changes the water, chances are that the water has a metal problem and ull need a chemical called metal out(most pool places carry it or something liek it). The customer will have to incorporate adding whatever the specified amount is to the pool at least once a month for the duration of the season, inorder to keep the water from being green or smelling bad.

Chuck
Perfect Property Services Inc.

[Phishook]

Good info, thanks. I was told also, that lime stone wouldn't work in water gardens because it would raise the pH, creating problems.

[landscapingpoolguy]

glad i could help.

Chuck

[conepile]

I must have missed this post earlier.

I have a rock waterfall that spills into my pool. I do not have any issues with chemical imbalance. I keep my chlorine levels low (<1ppm), as recommended by the Nature2 purifier instructions. Ph and alkalinity levels are not an issue; I think once in the past three years I had to add baking soda, though there have been a few times I had to add acid. Normal maintenance for me is check the levels weekly (test strips), and alternate between non-chlorine/litho shock every two weeks. I digress, but my point is I don't seem to have any issues.

Of course, I cannot recall the type of rock at the moment. Big help I am, huh? I can post a picture; it might help. I will say that I saw an application similar to mine, but with different rock, also into a liner pool. They used limestone, and there was a great deal of scale on the side of their liner above the waterline, at the waterfall. The homeowner said they had to use Lime-Away regularly to clean it. Not attractive, nor do I imagine good for the liner.

[conepile]

Finished project:

[Darwin]

If you are looking for natural stone in Indy try "The Stone Center".

It's on the east side inside the loop if my memory is correct.

I've bought quite a bit of stone from them in the past and their quality and pricing is top-notch.

[Evan528]

Conepile, What a beautiful yard you have!

[conepile]

Royal brassfield is the stone. I have about 10 tons of it.

Darwin is right about The Stone Center. I seem to go there about every two weeks now.

Evan528: Thanks. My wife and I installed everything but the pool. It just seemed funny using my laborers at my own place, and financially not the best use of them, so we just sweated it out ourselves.

[gslam88]

Guys

Here is a pic of the most natural stones that I could use.... the ones that came out of the hole for the pool.... acutually broke the bucket of the 5 yard payload putting one of them in place......


sorry that the water fall is not on in the pic... still trying to get the pool open ... several broken pipes elbows and valves due to hairline cracks...



Pete