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