| Before installing a water feature you need to | | | | waterfall will bring you the most enjoyment, |
| ask yourself several important questions | | | | therefore it should be located closest to the |
| first: | | | | area where youplan to spend most of your time |
| | | | out of doors. |
| What is your budget? How much can you spend | | | | |
| on the entire project? You could spend | | | | Do you want to see or hear the waterfall from |
| $3,000 on a water feature and find out you | | | | indoors? Consider adding an exterior patio or |
| still need an additional $1,000-1,500 for | | | | French doors to your house to access your |
| plants and amenities, such as a deck, gazebo, | | | | water feature area. Do you wish to have fish |
| walkways, fish orlandscape lighting in the | | | | and other aquatic creatures? Long term, a |
| pond, waterfall and lawn. Other possible | | | | properly maintained nitrogen cycle costs less |
| extras are a biological filter, auto-fill for | | | | than maintaining a pond that uses chlorine |
| pond, skimmer, back-flushable bio-filter, and | | | | and other chemicals. Fish, plants and proper |
| more. | | | | bacteria are needed for healthy pond and |
| | | | nitrogen cycle. Once properly established, a |
| How big is a water feature? If you are | | | | healthy fish pond is virtually maintenance |
| building your own, then structurally size is | | | | free. |
| not that big an issue! I would charge the | | | | |
| same price for a 3-foot high waterfall as I | | | | Are you willing to remove or replace certain |
| would for a 5-foot; the same for a 3 by | | | | trees or bushes to enhance the waterfall and |
| 5-foot pond as a 4 by 6. There is only a | | | | pond? Some trees have very aggressive root |
| $200 difference in cost between the 1,000 and | | | | systems that can literally move concrete as |
| 2,000 square feet of concrete shell surface. | | | | they grow, causing cracking and upheaval. |
| Your main concern about size should be space, | | | | Certain trees cancontribute a great deal of |
| not cost. How much of your yard can you | | | | debris to the water feature that fouls the |
| sacrifice? Even if the space between your | | | | water and may cause premature failure of the |
| house and the property line fence is limited, | | | | filter system. |
| a water feature can be incorporated. | | | | |
| | | | What type of rock do you want? A commonly |
| Small ponds 1½ to 3 feet deep can | | | | used rock is cobble stone. However, because |
| facilitate a sump pump located within the | | | | of the round shapes, water rolls over the |
| pond. Even though a sump pump is | | | | surfaces and creates a minimum of sound or |
| inexpensive, it consumes much more energy | | | | visual effect. In contrast, irregular, |
| than an above-ground pump. A pond any deeper | | | | angular, sharp-edgedgranite or similar rock |
| than 3 feet requires an exterior pump for | | | | creates turbulent conditions similar to white |
| better accessibility and maintenance, and at | | | | water as it flowsover the edges. The greater |
| a higher cost. But they pay for themselves | | | | the "white water" the more sound is produced. |
| in a short period of time with the energy | | | | Also, a side benefit is the aeration of |
| savings. Also, larger ponds require greater | | | | water which benefits fish and discourages the |
| filtration, more cleaning and maintenance. | | | | production of algae. However, do not attempt |
| | | | to match the color of rock with the decor of |
| The size of the waterfalls will determine the | | | | the house, brick and other features of your |
| size of the pump needed. The higher the | | | | home. Stay natural - contrast is good! |
| waterfalls, the bigger the pump needed to | | | | |
| supply the water and the greater the cost for | | | | What about electrical supply for the pump and |
| electricity. Height creates head pressure | | | | equipment? In 20 years I have never seen the |
| which requires more energy and is the major | | | | electrical costs for supplying power to the |
| factor in operating cost. | | | | equipment site exceed $1,200, and the average |
| | | | is less than $400. |
| How much entertaining will you do? Will you | | | | |
| need a deck? If so, how big? You might | | | | What about a water supply for an automatic |
| consider placing a pond next to an existing | | | | water leveling system? Water is very |
| deck. Many people do just the opposite, they | | | | accessible in any household and getting it to |
| build a pond and then construct a deck beside | | | | the water feature site is a minor expense. |
| it. In this case, you can take advantage of | | | | Simply tap into an outside water faucet. |
| an existing deck and construct an open | | | | |
| stairway (stair bridge) tospan the pond. | | | | There are hundreds of questions that arise in |
| This affords unique access to the opposite | | | | the course of a water feature project. It is |
| side. | | | | best that most of these questions are |
| | | | answered prior to commencement of |
| Will you have adequate room for table and | | | | construction, it could save you hundreds of |
| chairs? Do you want a spa? Or a fire pit or | | | | dollars by avoiding mistakes. |
| barbeque? Enough lawn for games? Where do | | | | |
| you spend most of your outdoor leisure time? | | | | Look before you leap and research before you |
| That is the area for your waterfall! The | | | | weep. Happy koi, peace and joy. |