For water features in the Houston, Pearland areas visit this site.
What
is a pondless or disappearing waterfall?
What is the difference
between a “pondless waterfall” and a disappearing waterfall?
You may have heard or seen the term
pondless waterfall in a pond store or on the internet. A pondless waterfall and
a disappearing waterfall are virtually the same thing. They both refer to the
fact that there is no pond at the bottom of the waterfall.
Pondless Waterfalls:
aka - disappearing waterfall
The name explains it all. It's a waterfall and stream, without
no pond. Why would you want a waterfall without a pond? The truth is that a
pond less waterfall isn't for everyone, but it can be a great alternative
for someone who isn't quite sure about installing a full-fledged pond, with a
full- fledged price. Adding a pond and the end of a waterfall and stream could
add $3000.00 or more to your feature. If you like koi fish or gold fish
adding the pond will offer more room to grow and give the fish a home to play.
Standing water can also be scary for people with young
children. We all know how fast children move, and the thought of having a pond
so close to their play areas discourages some from considering a water garden.
Other people feel that taking care of fish would be too much
of a responsibility and that they won't be able to take proper care of it, or
mosquitoes might become an issue. Others say they don't have the room for a
whole pond. The pond less waterfall is for all the people that have these
concerns, but are still in love with waterfalls.
A pond less
waterfall also requires much less space than a full pond which means one can be
installed in practically any size yard. And because of our innovative
installation system, we can install your new waterfall in about a day.Just think, you could be enjoying your new water feature
tonight! ( applies to the base $3200.00 model )
We also offer under waterfall lighting as well as outdoor
lighting. If needed we can contract out to a licensed electrician to put a
electrical box near your feature so there will be no need for extension cords.
Experience is
everything:
There are mechanics behind a water
feature and knowing the rate of water flow is a crucial part of each waterfall
and stream. The right pump and the right hose makes all the difference. Click on
the photos below for an example of what I'm talking about.
Questions and answers:
Where should I place my
electrical outlet box?
Most pumps have a 15 to 20 foot power
cord. A regular 110 outlet within 12 feet of the catch basin or pondless area
will suffice. We like to install a 4 plug GFCI so we are able to install
underwater lights as well as outdoor lighting.
Do I need an automatic
fill valve?
No. An automatic fill valve is not
required. You will lose some water due to evaporation. Simply add water to the
catch basin about once every 5 days to a week (less if water feature is
installed in the shade). The automatic fill saves you the hassle of refilling
the pond each week. It’s convenient but not necessary. We live in Texas and it
get hot so in some cases you might need a top off at 4 days.
What is the best way to
find a leak?
The easiest way to detect a leak is to
pull back the rocks along the side of the stream and make sure the water is well
below the level of the liner. That not a problem, there a very few water
features that don't settle a little, that's why we offer a 3 month function
warranty.
Before I turn on my pump
how full should I fill the catch basin of my disappearing pondless waterfall?
The water should reside a couple of inches
below the gravel level. We recommend not turning off your waterfall. The pumps
we use are meant to be run everyday 24 hours a day. Don't sweat it.......Our
pumps come with a 2 year warranty. *** Important ***
Do not turn your water feature off everyday, there is a large amount
of water flow in the waterfall and stream. When you turn it off the pump all the
water recedes and fills up the basin and all extra water flows out and away,
almost like flushing a large toilet. It will need to be refilled each and every
time unless you have the auto fill.
Will I get mosquitoes in
my disappearing pondless waterfall?
As long as you are running your pump at
least a couple of hours a day, you will not get mosquitoes. Mosquito larvae
prefer stagnant water. We recommend leaving our pumps on 24/7.
Is my pondless
waterfall ready for fish?
No, not really, we have had customers put
fish in the disappearing waterfall and in my opinion they just suffer. These
type of waterfalls are built shallow and fish need a little room to swim. We can
still design and build the same waterfalls we just need to add a pond to the end
about 2 feet deep.
How do I maintain my
disappearing pondless waterfall?
Add algaecide to your water once a
week to keep the slime and algae from building up. If no auto fill has been
installed, use a garden hose (once a week) to top off your basin. Lastly, when
leaves build up in your stream and basin area, turn off the pump, let the leaves
dry, and then remove the debris with a broom or blower.
We also provide waterfall maintenance so you don't have to clean
out leaves or debris.
