At these times, there are two other filter media that can help to reduce pollution levels present in the water. Zeolite and activated carbon clean the water by chemical rather than biological means.
They are also useful in a new biological filter system while you wait for the colony of oxygenating bacteria to mature. Zeolite is a naturally occurring substance and is graded by size.
If placed on a tray in a filter chamber, it will remove ammonia from the pond water. Once saturated, it loses its effectiveness, so remove it from the system and recharge it by immersing it in a salt solution.
This action releases the ammonia and, after a thorough rinsing in clean water, it can be replaced in the filter chamber for further use. Zeolite is useful in temporary quarantine or medication ponds that do not have an established filter.
It can also be employed in the main pond filter when an increased load is present, such as when new fish are added. Remove zeolite from the filter before adding salt as a pond treatment, otherwise the ammonia the zeolite contains will be dumped back into the pond.
It may also remove other pond water treatments if left in place. Activated carbon will remove many pollutants from the water by adsorption. It is not normally used continuously, but only when needed, for example to remove pond treatment mechanicals.
When the many pores that is made by applying heat during manufacture are full, the carbon is exhausted and must be replaced. Several types of activated carbon are manufactures, but only use those made for aquatic purposes.
In addition to a well designed filter system incorporating suitable media, there are devices that further improve the water quality in the koi pond. While not being absolutely necessary, they will certainly make a noticeable difference to the clarity of the water and your view of the koi in the pond.
Water features are a fantastic way to enhance your landscape, but they can be quite intimidating to someone who has never had experience building or maintaining them. The excellent news is that, by understanding a few principles and following some basic steps, anyone can make a gorgeous waterfall in their outdoor landscaping.
The advantage of adding a waterfall to your landscaping as opposed to a simple pond is that a waterfall will add sound and motion to your waterscape. These characteristics will most certainly add to the relaxation factor of your waterfall landscape. Once you have made the choice to go forward with the addition of a waterfall to your landscape design, there are some simple elements to consider.
Finding The Best Location In Your Landscape For A Waterfall
Location, location, location! It will not only add to your home value, it will determine whether your waterfall landscape will be high or low maintenance. For example, the thought of a gorgeous running waterfall under a tree or two might sound excellent – until fall arrives and you find yourself cleaning many fallen leaves out of your water.
Since you will be installing a pump to continue to circulate water through your waterfall, availability of electricity will most certainly be a factor. Since too much direct sunlight can trigger algae growth in your water, finding a shadier spot for your waterfall landscape will save you on water maintenance. With these issues in mind, it is also helpful to remember that your waterfall will make a focal point in your landscaping, so plot for a central location that you will be able to delight in.
Landscaping Your Waterfall To Scale
Many starting out in the quest for a water feature will originally design a waterfall landscape that will be higher than necessary for the desired effect. A waterfall drop of about two feet will bring you the desired effect, and make the proper scale for your average sized pond.
For additional trickling action, build your waterfall a slight distance from you pond to achieve a gorgeous stream effect. Waterfall materials do not have to be complicated or pricey. You can stack rocks above your pond for a natural waterfall landscape, and a fiberglass liner makes a simple and low maintenance pond come to life.
Adding a waterfall to your landscaping plot is an attractive way to bring the element of water into your yard. The sound and motion of your waterfall will offer a relaxing retreat for you and your family to delight in.
Before installing a water feature you need to question yourself several vital questions first:
What is your budget? How much can you spend on the entire project? You could spend $3,000 on a water feature and find out you still need an additional $1,000-1,500 for plants and amenities, such as a deck, gazebo, walkways, fish or
landscape lighting in the pond, waterfall and lawn. Other possible extras are a biological filter, auto-fill for pond, skimmer, back-flushable bio-filter, and more.
How huge is a water feature? If you are building your own, then structurally size is not that huge an issue! I would charge the same price for a 3-foot high waterfall as I would for a 5-foot; the same for a 3 by 5-foot pond as a 4 by 6. There is only a $200 difference in cost between the 1,000 and 2,000 square feet of concrete shell surface. Your main concern about size should be space, not cost. How much of your yard can you sacrifice? Even if the space between your house and the property line fence is limited, a water feature can be incorporated.
Dad and I are making a fountain-pond. The water at center is about 2 feet to 3 feet deep. We are looking to find a pump that will blast the water about 25-30 feet (or more if possible) in the air with only about 4 to 5 feet of pvc tubing attached. We have the tubing available in anything from 1″ to 2 1/2″ so adapting to the pump hole is not an issue. All of the pumps we have found that looked like they would work say “max head 35-40 feet. ” We get excited, and reckon it means they shoot 35 to 40 feet in the air. That is not the case. I guess it means if you had a piece of pvc pipe that was 35 to 40 feet long the water would reach up there and come out. But that is most certainly not what were looking for. That would just look ridiculous. We want a minimal amount of pipe coming out of the water and a huge blast. Anyone who knows where such a pump exists would be awesome. I appreciate it.
Some of the products mentioned use affiliate links, for which we receive compensation when you make a purchase. In no case does this cause you to pay extra for a product, or cause us to give a favorable review or recommendation to a product that we think is inferior.
