How To Winterize A Pond: Pondless Waterfall, Water Feature, Or Fountain

How To Winterize A Pond: Pondless Waterfall, Water Feature, Or Fountain

winter fountain

Whether you have a pondless waterfall, koi pond, or outdoor fountain, there are a few important steps to take to winterize any water features that you may have in your backyard.

One step to take is to ensure that the pond area is free from debris such as fallen leaves, branches, or dead plants. The presence of these is often the largest contributor to maintenance requirements. Proper placement of a water feature away from potential debris can lead to a maintenance-free waterfall. In other cases, more notably in the fall months, such organic materials will deteriorate in the pond. This lowers the quality of water which can in turn decrease the lifespan of the pond pump. It is recommended to cover the pond water supply using a net or trimming nearby branches.

Much like a pool, it is essential to keep the pond free basin free of decomposed organic sludge. If draining of the pond followed by a sweep is not possible, it is recommended to use a pond vacuum. One should not over clean because the fish, frogs, tadpoles, and other organisms will often use the organic sludge at the bottom of the pond to nest in.

Another concern if you have fish is that the levels of ammonia, hydrogen sulfite, and nitrates will be increased as a result of the debris. Hydrogen sulfide in particular is poisonous to fish. Also, because fish require oxygen to survive, it is recommended that an open hole is maintained to allow oxygen in and to let carbon dioxide out. If you find that the water has frozen over, it is recommended to open the hole using boiling water as banging on the ice can irritate the fish.

Proper pump care for a pondless waterfall is necessary in harsh climates that are well below freezing temperatures during the winter months. It is recommended that you disconnect the pump, drain, and store in a dry place. It is also recommended that the waterfall be drained and covered to protect the internal hose/plumbing systems. If you have fish, it is recommended to try and leave some form of aeration system on for the pond to provide a fresh supply of oxygen to the pond. If the weather is too cold then a regular aquarium air pump will do in a pinch (even if the water is freezing). Floating pond heaters are available in stores and serve the purpose of keeping the pond surface from freezing over.

frozen fish pond

Pond owners will find that the deeper and larger the pond, the less maintenance is required in the long-run as a natural ecosystem builds up over-time. Smaller ponds that are shallow tend to require more careful attention. this is especially true in the winter as they can freeze over killing the fish inside. Fish often stay near the deepest areas of a pond during the winter months.

WaterfallNow’s waterfalls on the other hand can run year-round as Vancouver’s temperature is not as harsh. Because water rarely freezes in the Lower Mainland, BC, we are able to operate almost all of our waterfalls in any season without any issues. The fiberglass kevlar backed membrane can withstand even harsh freezing temperatures without fear of cracking that could cause significant damage to the structure or worse – leaks.

Home Depot’s Guide To Winterizing Your Pond

 

 

 

Pond Waterfall And Water Garden Designs: Vancouver Edition

Featuring award winning pond waterfall and water garden designs by landscaping companies around the world

Thinking of renovating your yard this summer? WaterfallNow can bring any backyard water feature idea to life no matter what you have in mind. Here are some ideas for garden landscaping renovation projects using natural stone or concrete that home owners in Metro Vancouver have access to with contractors throughout the area.

This is a traditional style pondless water feature using the Aquascapes technology. It is a popular choice for many homeowners that are looking for a natural look and beautiful sound. It is also a popular choice for those wanting a Koi pond. Overall I would say that this is the most popular and recommended design. You can add a fountain, custom waterfall and even change the look simply by adding or rearranging the stones. Maintenance is only a hassle if you don’t have the budget to hire an experienced professional. If you like this design, call WaterfallNow and we will draw something up for you.

Here is one of my favourite videos from The Pond Digger a CAC with Aquascapes.

It is a rewarding feeling to have the skills and experience to do any project right the first time. Of course it will require many years of experience and the ability to properly quote a project before this can be achieved. When you consider how many variables there are when offering full-service landscaping it is no wonder most businesses struggle in their beginning stages. I personally believe that specializing in one thing and doing it better than anyone else is the best decision you can make from a business building perspective.

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Shout out to Pacifica Landscape Works. I just rediscovered these guys on Houzz today. The level of work that they do is incredible so be sure to check them out as well.
A cool contemporary design created with concrete rock (GFRC). A great idea for a koi pond. You can see the pond is properly constructed as it is not so small that it can’t sustain itself. Larger ponds require less maintenance because they develop a natural balanced ecosystem within.
WaterfallNowSomewhat hard to see but this is a small project made in the front yard of a home in Surrey. As you may know, WaterfallNow often uses an artificial rock compound panel that is very durable and looks like the real thing. This is used when the client wants a large rock that looks like one large piece. It is difficult or even impossible even using modern machinery to create something similar so we build it from scratch, piece by piece. LED lighting is just an additional tool that can be used to create a certain effect.
artificial rock panel vancouver
Faux rock panels are what make larger resort-style waterfalls and water features possible. WaterfallNow has made a countless number of smaller projects using this method and has the ability to create larger ones as well depending on the clients budget. We can work out a design that suits your needs for larger projects in any height, width, or design. The colour and lighting add-ons can also closely match whatever you have in mind.
Book your complimentary design consultation with a landscaping contractor in Vancouver or your local market today and start brainstorming some ideas. While word of mouth is great for the contractor, you as the home-owner should get at least 3 different quotes from different contractors to get the best value, service, ideas, and designs. The garden is after all your private sanctuary so you want to get it made right the first time.
Houzz.com is a great resource that is highly recommended for getting ideas.

Pondless Waterfalls: Artificial Rock Features

Pondless waterfalls

These are a fascinating addition to most yards that address the problems with pond waterfalls. Not everyone has the natural landscape and slopes to work with in creating a regular waterfall. Pondless waterfalls on the other hand can be built anywhere. Moreover, the lack of a pond means less maintenance. Less to clean, no requirements to leave it running all the time, safe for children, and more uptime. Premade pond kits are available at most stores. Alternatively you can do a local search for waterfalls, water features or landscaping companies.

When constructing a pondless waterfall the two major things to consider are the size of the water reservoir and the dimensions of the cascading waterfall. Once those two things are determined the rest is history. A method WaterfallNow recommends for getting ideas is to do a search online. WaterfallNow is in the process of creating ready to order waterfalls for the garden. Those that have a project requiring on-site custom work can request much larger features.

How Do Pondless Waterfalls Work?

Pondless waterfalls require water but not the traditional pond. By now most people know how the evaporation process works in nature. A pondless waterfall works in a similar way. One way to picture the process is to imagine a giant hose that sucks water up from the earth up to the rain clouds which  sends rain back to the earth and gets sucked up again – repeat. The same water that comes down the waterfall and into the water reservoir gets sent back up to the top of the waterfall through a hose which then sends the water back down.

Pondless Waterfall

WaterfallNow’s rocks are hollow making them portable. First the hole is dug, second the pond liners (EPDM) are added, and third the rock and plumbing are installed. Additional steps depend on the level of customization depending on the lighting or plants used.  Most of the work is in the preparation of our rocks.

Pondless Waterfall Artificial RockJust add plants

The Benefits Of WaterfallNow’s Pondless Waterfalls Include:

  • Attractive year after year: Only light cleaning to the water reservoir is needed once every few months.
  • Less that can go wrong: If there is a problem with one of the parts repairs or replacements are within reach.
  • Not a permanent feature: Can relocate, take down, move, sell, use as a cover, or be upgraded to something larger.
  • The beauty of a large water feature in even a small space: Scalable both vertically and horizontally.
  • Not prone to freeze-thaw action or hidden leaks within the rock.
  • No forming prep-work.
  • Safe for small children: No fear of drowning in a pond.
  • Less green bacterial mess: Higher upfront cost than other applications without the ongoing maintenance fees.
  • Only need to turn on when in use: Cost on average $3-6 per month when used a few hours per day.

Many landscape designers use natural rocks to create cascading streams. This is the method that most people are familiar with and one that WaterfallNow no longer employs. In this situation it is most common for the landscape artist to work with the land as opposed to against the land. In some cases they re-create the land itself by adding large boulders or more dirt. This is done to achieve the desired height (dimensions) for the water feature. The benefit of pondless waterfalls for those that simply want a nice sized realistic miniature waterfall in their yard is that the land does not dictate what you can or cannot have.

Making The Pond

As always, contact BC ONE CALL before you dig to avoid hitting any plumbing).

WaterfallNow creates the water reservoir for indoor applications as well as for outdoor applications. All that is required is very light digging. WaterfallNow’s pondless waterfalls usually go only 3 feet deep for the larger projects and less for smaller ones.

Creating the pond sounds easy and often gets overlooked. Doing it right plays a role in ensuring that the water level will not decrease on a daily basis. This means you don’t have to constantly fill the pondless waterfall with more water on a daily basis. As long as the water that goes up falls back onto the pond liner and into the water reservoir you won’t risk damaging the water pump. Water pumps last many years when properly maintained. A water pump that is not fully submerged in the water will not operate as long as it could due to the damage caused on the motor.

Dig the hole, remove sharp objects and rocks, lay down a few layers of pre-liner (carpet/tarp) and the pond liner (EPDM) on top. These are the essentials.

Pondless Waterfall Pond Liner

Making The Artificial Rock Features

WaterfallNow employs a fibreglass/natural stone combination to create rock faces that look like the ones found in nature. These pieces are assembled either on location for custom work or premade (ready to ship). There is relatively low demand for artificial rock made using fibreglass as the majority of the population is unaware that such a thing exists. Most people are however familiar with styrofoam which isn’t as durable or concrete which is prone to cracking.

Making artificial rock waterfall

Let us know how we can better serve you as we continue to improve.

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