Seven Most Asked Questions About UV Pond Filters

!±8± Seven Most Asked Questions About UV Pond Filters

1. Is an ultraviolet light a filter? Yes, as far as the definition of filter goes. A filter is a device that removes unwanted material from liquid, gas, light or sound. Ultraviolet light removes harmful bacteria such a pathogens from the water. In the case of algae or planktonic spores, the UV light would act more like a transformer than a filter. The UV light transforms the live algae spores into dead algae spores; it does not filter them out.

2. Do I need an ultraviolet light in my pond? Some ponds need a UV light and some do not. If you have a small pond with a few guppies or mosquito fish, and it is 50% covered with hyacinth, water lettuce, or lilies, and it is being aerated by a fountain or waterfall, the answer is: No! If you have many fish, few plants, and a cheap bio-filter, yes, a UV light would help a great deal. Most large ponds of 20,000 gallons or more tend to be more stable biologically and nature's hydrogen cycle keeps everything in check.

3. Does the UV light kill beneficial bacteria? You probably ask that question because some liner pond guy told you, or you read it on his website, that it does. Well, it does not. Beneficial bacteria are not floating around with the algae spores and pathogens. Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, nitrobacter, and other bacteria are busy working and doing what they do. They live on the surface of things in the pond and in the rotting debris on the bottom of the pond, breaking down nitrites into nitrates and nitrogen, and breaking down ammonium into ammonia gas. Ultraviolet light does, however, kill the microscopic animals such as the rotifers and daphnia which each planktonic algae ("pea soup" algae). However, the UV light is taking care of those too, anyway.

4. What size should I get? Ultraviolet lights are sized by watts and the number of watts you need is determined by the size pond you have. You should move the entire volume of the pond through the filter and UV light at least every three hours, and ideally every 1.5 hours. If you have a 1000-gallon pond, you need a 1,500 gallon per hour pump. So you would need to get a UV light that is rated to handle 1,500 gallons per hour passing through it.

5. Which is the best UV light to purchase? Do your homework. Do not just compare the prices of the unit. Compare warranties and replacement bulb prices. Find out the flow rates and the amount of time that water is exposed to the UV light. What is the lamp life rating? Is it U.L. listed? Is it made of UV resistant materials? Is the power supply easy to disconnect? Is the lamp easy to remove? Does it have a lamp lens wiper so it can be cleaned without taking the fixture apart? Is the transformer located on the cord and not on the UV light body? Does it come with unions for easy disconnection from the system for maintenance? Buy a model that has the clear inspection cap so you can see at a glance if the lamp is working.

6. Where do I install the UV light in the system? The UV light should be installed after the bio-filter. This way, you are running filtered water through the fixture and it will stay clean longer.

7. How long should a bulb last? If you keep it clean (once a week), it should last for 18 months. This is all the more reason you should be willing to pay the extra to for the wiper model, because the labor would be too intensive if you had to take the fixture apart, remove the quartz lens, clean it, and then reinstall it every week. If you drop it or twist the cap on wrong and break it, it costs to for a new quartz lens. With the wiper model you simply pull a plunger several times and internal wiper acts as a squeegee to clean off the lens. If you do not clean the lens regularly, it will only last for a year, not 18 months. You can actually get two years out of your UV light if you turn it off during the winter months when the water is cold and the algae are dormant.

In conclusion I would like to suggest that you can never buy a UV light that is too big, but you can certainly purchase one that is too small!

Seven Most Asked Questions About UV Pond Filters

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Beckett Pond Pumps Are Perfect For Your Own Pond

!±8± Beckett Pond Pumps Are Perfect For Your Own Pond

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Pondless Waterfalls - Concrete Vs Pond Liner

!±8± Pondless Waterfalls - Concrete Vs Pond Liner

The get-rich-quick factor in the pond liner industry has forced up the price of pond liner kits to equal the cost of concrete construction. If you search for the truth about concrete ponds and waterfalls from reading the literature of the greed-driven liner pond industry, you will not find it. Why? Because if the truth be known, no one in their right mind would invest good, hard-earned money in a pond liner!

The pond liner track record speaks for itself:

More than 37% of all waterfalls have serious structural damage within 3 years of construction.

57% of homeowners say they are rather unsatisfied with the way their waterfall came out after the project was completed.

One in three waterfalls and ponds are leaking water within nine months of completion.

63% of "do-it-yourselfers" say they wished they had the proper information from the "get go" or that they had hired someone.

These statistics are from the pond liner industry itself (Bob Wilder, 48-Hour Waterfall). I can confirm and attest to these figures myself. I have built over 1,900 concrete and rebar waterfalls and ponds over the past 26 years. I have ripped out and replaced dozens of defective liner ponds and replaced them with concrete ones with lifetime warranties.

Pond liner guys will not attach more than a one-year warranty. They make no guarantee against rats, mice, ground squirrels, gophers, tree roots and sharp objects.

Let's compare apples to lemons... First, let's talk about apples (concrete waterfalls). We will construct a pondless waterfall that is 20 inches wide at the top by 20 feet long, becoming 24 inches wide at the bottom, to create a spillway 3 feet tall. At the bottom is a catch basin 4 ft. x 6 ft. x 3 ft. deep. The costs of excavation are as follows:

To dig a waterfall and basin takes two men 4 hours @ per hour = 0.

The flexible PVC pipe is 35 ft. @ .25 per ft. = .
Concrete (3500 psi with stealth fiber)): 2 yards = 0.
20 pieces of 20 ft. x 3/8 inch rebar = 0.
One 1/3 HP high efficiency pump, 2800 GPH, 356 watts = 9.
One anti-vortex drain = .
Four 2 x 4 ft. heavy plastic corrugated or galvanized plans to cover the collection basin = . Setting the rebar: 3 man-hrs. = 5.
Pumping and finishing 2 yards of concrete: 4 man-hrs. @ /hr. = 0.
Applying thoro-seal, 1 sack + 1 hour = .
Rock work + 8 sacks mortar mix: labor - 8 man-hrs. @ /hr. = 0.
Mortar: .

TOTAL EXCAVATION COST FOR A CONCRETE POND = ,236.

With this type of construction, no filter is needed. The water in the basin is not exposed to sunlight, so there are no algae. Plus the top layer of rock and the planks are easily removed for cleaning out debris about once a year. If a plastic screen is placed over the planks before the rock layer, cleaning is reduced by 90%.

Now let's talk about the lemons (the liner folks). The pondless waterfall liner kit advertised by all the disciples of the "liner messiah" on their websites is ,940 + tax & shipping, or ,176.

And now for the math: One concrete/rebar construction pondless waterfall completed with high-efficiency pump = ,236. One pondless liner kit to build a pondless waterfall of the exact same dimensions = ,176. If I did the math correctly, the completed concrete pondless waterfall costs more than the pondless waterfall liner kit; however, it is still in the box!

Concrete and rebar pondless waterfall has a lifetime warranty. Liner pondless waterfall: 1 yr. warranty on labor, lifetime warranty against factory defect. But there is no warranty whatsoever against holes caused by rats, mice, ground squirrels, gophers, tree roots, sharp objects, etc. Sorry Charlie!

Concrete and rebar pondless waterfalls use a high-efficiency above-ground pump that is easy to service (it has a 3 yr. warranty). The 1/3 HP pump is small, very quiet, and easily hidden behind a couple of rocks or plants next to the falls, or piped to another part of the yard. The liner pondless waterfall uses a submersible sump pump that is placed in the bottom of the basin, and then buried with hundreds of pounds of rocks. To service this pump (only a 2 yr. warranty), all the slimy, stinky rocks have to be removed from the basin first.

The concrete and rebar pondless waterfall pump produces 5,800 gallons per hour at only 356 watts (retail 9). The liner pondless waterfall kit comes with a sump pump (they advertise as "the best pump on the market"). It produces 5,700 gal/hour (100 gal. less) at a whopping 911 watts of power (over twice that of the above-ground pump). You will pay 5 more per year for electricity (at $.12/kwh) for that extra 555 watts. Their pump costs 0 retail (1 more than the above-ground). Oh, did I mention "the best warranty in the industry" is only 2 years, compared to 3 years for the above-ground?

The concrete and rebar pondless waterfall's rocks are all mortared in place. So anyone, especially small children, can climb on the rocks without them moving, with possible serious injury resulting. With liner pondless waterfalls, rocks will move and shift on their own without help. After a few months, the ugly liner is exposed in the falls and around the pond.

While building the concrete pondless waterfall, design liberties can be taken, such as altering the length, width or shape of the feature. With a liner pondless waterfall, the parameters have already been set by the manufacturer of the kit.

The concrete pondless waterfall can utilize the large, open basin to install an Aquafill automatic water leveling device. In addition, the basin can be made smaller because the space for water is not taken up by rocks as it is in the liner pondless waterfall basin. The only rock that exists is on top of the galvanized or plastic plank cover.

Wow! Concrete waterfalls are stationary, permanent, lifetime life-expectancy, cheaper to build, cheaper to operate, easier to clean, easy to maintain, longer pump warranty, safer and more natural looking! Apples or lemons? You be the judge!

I am sick and tired of these amateurs giving my life-long profession a bad name by their exaggerated, dishonest and sensational claims - only to be backed up by a nebulous warranty and, at best, shoddy workmanship. My disclaimer: There are professionals installing liners that do take measures to prevent rodent or root attacks by placing a think layer of mortar under and over the liner.

I found that if you are going to go to all that extra work and expense, just build it with 3500 psi concrete to begin with!

Pondless Waterfalls - Concrete Vs Pond Liner

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Factors to Consider When Choosing a Pond Pump

!±8± Factors to Consider When Choosing a Pond Pump

A pond can be a great landscape or architectural feature for any garden, big or small. Whether you want one for aesthetic purposes or simply to breed fish, garden ponds can turn your outdoor living space from a plain piece of land to a wonderful area that people want to spend more time in. Building a water feature takes a lot of work, but having a waterfall, stream or even a regular fish pond on your lawn would be worth it. And although building it may sound like an exciting task, more than how it would look on the outside, selecting the right pump should be a huge consideration as it is the heart and soul of any garden pond.

A pump is essential not only for waterfalls and streams, but even regular fish ponds as well. This is because it is the pump that allows proper oxygen circulation in a water feature so that the fish and underwater plants can continue to thrive. Fishes add life and color to a pond and goldfish, as well as koi fish are popular examples. On the other hand, underwater vegetation is important because it keeps the aquatic ecosystem balanced by keeping fish nourished and algae growth at bay.

One of the main factors you should consider in selecting the right pond pump is the amount of water it should be able to move over a given time. Manufacturers usually list the GPH rating and the lift rating of each pump so that you can better gauge which product is best. Determine your pond's volume by multiplying its length, width and height. You can calculate the number of gallons needed by multiplying the volume in cubic feet by 7.5 gallons. Water should be able to circulate at least once every hour so with that, you will be able to determine the proper GPH rating of your pump. Say your pond measures 5' length by 5' width by 5' height, the GPH rating would be computed as 5 X 5 X 5 X 7.5 to get 937.5, which means you should get a pump rated at least that figure.

Also, you should consider where you want your pond pump to be placed. There are several advantages and disadvantages to each one. Above ground or external pond pumps are very low maintenance because they are less susceptible to clogging since water is not flowing through it. It is also easier to determine if it's working properly or not because it is in plain sight. However, these units may be louder and pricier than their submersible counterparts. Alternatively, submersible or in-line pumps are prone to clogging because of the particulates such as sand, gravel, algae, minerals and the like that frequently pass through them.

Ultimately, the choice is yours but one piece of advice is not to scrimp on your pond pumps because it might cost you more in the end. A beautiful pond without a working pump is nothing so you should invest in a product from a reputable brand like Alpine to make sure that your pond will be in a good running condition for an extended period of time.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Pond Pump

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Build a Disappearing Waterfall

!±8± Build a Disappearing Waterfall

If you are thinking of building a Disappearing Waterfall (sometimes called a Pondless Waterfall) you should set-up a step by step plan; having a plan in place will allow you to track your progress and build each stage of your waterfall in the proper order. Without a plan you may "get the cart before the horse" and have to take apart a portion of your waterfall to complete a step that should have already been finished.

Constructing a Disappearing Waterfall is an easy project for the do-it-yourselfer, and it can be completed in a weekend. With careful planning and an enjoyable weekend of work in your own yard, you can have a beautiful water garden. It will be the focal point of your yard, and a gathering place for family and friends.

What you will need: A Disappearing Waterfall kit, shovel, river rock 2-3 inches in diameter, decorative rock ¾ -1 ½ inches in diameter, landscaping stone, foliage and plants.

A Disappearing Waterfall kit is an excellent way to get started. These kits contain just about everything you will need, such as a pump, tubing, basin, colorful spillway, glue and other products for construction. Naturally the rocks, stones and plants choices are left up to you; that way you can use your imagination and make your Disappearing Waterfall unique.

Step 1: Dig a hole approximately the size of your basin. There should be a 4" space between the basin and sides of the hole and the top of the basin should be at ground level. Temporarily place the basin into the hole: check to make sure the basin is level with the ground and has the necessary 4" clearance on the sides. Remove the basin. (Use the excavated soil to partially build your waterfall mound.)

Step 2: Cover the bottom and sides of the hole with an EPMD pond liner and protective pad; be careful not to puncture your EPMD pond liner. (Place the protective pad next to the dirt and lay the EPMD pond liner next to the protective pad.) The size of the pond liner and the protective pad will depend on the size of the hole.

Step 3: Fill the hole about half full of water to keep the pond liner in place.

Step 4: Place the basin into the hole; be careful not to damage the pond liner.

Step 5: Place your submersible pump into the basin. Connect the tubing and electrical source to the pump.

Step 6: Fill the space between the pond liner and basin with river rock that is 2-3 inches in diameter. Fill to within 2 ½ inches of the top of the hole. Fill the hole with water.

Step 7: Build your waterfall to the height and width you desire.

Step 8: Install the waterfall weir.

Step 9: Run the tubing from the basin to the top of the waterfall and connect it to the waterfall weir.

Step 10: Establish the path that you want your waterfall to follow and cover the path with an EPMD pond liner and protective pad (underlayment). Place the pond liner and protective pad exactly as you did in step 2. Run the pond liner and pad all the way from under the waterfall weir down to and overlap the basin by about 5 inches.

Step 11: It's time to decorate your waterfall with rocks and plants. Choose rocks that are common to your area and use the rocks to direct and control the flow of the water. (Flat rocks work especially well to slow the flow of the water and create the sound of running water.) Select hardy plants that are native to your area and suited for a waterfall. Make your waterfall look as natural as possible.

Step 12: Now the final and best step. Cover the hole and top of the basin with about 3 inches of decorative rock, turn the pump on and enjoy the relaxing sound of running water.

Maintaining your Disappearing Waterfall should be an easy task. To keep your basin and waterfall algae free use an algae killing product that is safe for both children and pets. Last but not least don't forget to water your plants and periodically replenish the water in the basin.

Two of the nicest characteristics of a Disappearing Waterfall are; it will take up a relatively small area and it is safe for small children. Ponds can be nice but they may require a weekly or bimonthly regiment of maintenance, especially during the summer months, and an open pond can be an attractive hazard for small children. If you want the beauty of a waterfall, but don't want the maintenance and worry of a pond, a Disappearing Waterfall is the best water feature for you.

Build a Disappearing Waterfall

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!±8± V-Pump actuality acclimated to abandoned baptize bubbler at Dolder's Nursery, Baltimore, Ohio

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