Here are some water gardens recently installed by Valley Water Gardens.
Click on a picture to see a larger view of it. Visit Valley Water Gardens to purchase all of your pond supplies, building materials, plants, fish, etc.
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The homeowner had a previous 150 gallon pond fed by a 25 foot stream (very much out of proportion) which had developed numerous leaks. In this photo, the homeowner removed the original stream and pond and we have started preparation for the new pond. Notice the 4" downspout drain line which would have been in the middle of the new pond, but was rerouted. |
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The stream was shortened to about 12 feet and the head raised to provide waterfalls and retaining pools . The new pond is about 950 gallons. It uses an Aquascape pump with Signature-series biofalls and skimmer. |
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This is an elevated view of the stream and retaining pools. |
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This water garden is about 7500 gallons and consists of two ponds connected by a stream. The lower pond is about 20 feet wide and 50 feet long. The pond incorporates a commercial filtration package consisting of a bead filter, a 5100 GPH pump, and a 120 Watt U. V. Sterilizer.
An air compressor delivers air to three air stones in the large pond. All of this is housed in the stone spring house to the right. |
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The upper pond is about 8' by 10'. The only visual source of water is from the urn. There are actually two other sources of water feeding the stream. |
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The stream leaving the upper pond. It's about 25 feet long. and the flow rate at the falls at the bottom of the stream is about 5000 GPH. |
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The falls where the 3' wide stream enters the lower pond . Note the air bubbles in the lower pond from one of the air stones.
There are more than 10 tons of stone around the two ponds and the stream. |
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Frog days of Summer at one of the ponds at Valley Water Gardens. |
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A typical pond net frame with netting stretched over the frame and secured with rock around the perimeter. This frame is made of 1/2" schedule 40 PVC pipe with 18" x 1/2" rebar anchors.
Larger ponds require 3/4" or larger pipe with support bracing in the middle to support the netting. x |
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This pre-existing pond (built by the homeowners) had a small stream headed up just to the right of the tree. A submerged pump was used to circulate water.
Valley Water Gardens upgraded the installation using a skimmer/pre-filter housing the pump in the lower pond, lengthening the stream, and adding a waterfall at the head of the stream as shown in the next two photos. |
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A small retaining pond was dug at the head of the stream and completely lined with river rock from the bottom to the top. A bio-filter was installed above the retaining pond, creating a waterfall in the process. |
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A second waterfall was established at the spillway of the retaining pond into the stream.
The advantages of this upgraded system vs. the old system include:
- The pump/pre-filter is out of the pond and easy to service
- Debris are skimmed off of the pond surface into the skimmer net or basket making pond maintenance easier
- If a leak occurs in the stream or falls the pond cannot be pumped dry
- The biological filter processes and filters the pond water naturally by means of nitrification
- A beautiful waterfall is created during the bio-falls installation (a win-win situation!)
- End result - a beautiful, healthy ecosystem that you can claim rights to!
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