Just bought a Savio standard Skimmer and waterfall bio filter with 22 inch weir. Got the skimmer and plumbing done. Need to install the falls and need advice on the best way to hide the unit and still be able to service it easy. Want to learn from others and their suggestions.
The box you see if the old homemade skimmer. The new Savio 8500 is at the other end. Will keep the old system and cover it with a rock.
This message was edited Apr 27, 2009 3:55 PM
Here's my exact same Savio system. I built a rock conifer garden up around both sides of the waterfall. It is completely accessible from the back. You could consider adding a couple of sections of privacy screening fence both as a backdrop and to screen the rear plumbing from view. Add some boulders on either side with some dwarf shrubs, trees or whatever suits your gardening tastes and works in your climate.
The unit on my pond was surrounded by a rock wall, raised bed . I then planted it with a small myrtle bush and other plant. My filter tub has a plant shelf which helps hide the unit.
closer look at the falls
snapple..very pretty pond!
TA good luck, looks like you have a nice start. Please post pix when it's complete!
Snapple and BeaHive you both have beautiful ponds!
I would post a pix of my falls but it won't help you TA because mine is all DIY.
First: BeaHive - I love your pond. The wide plant variety makes it very lush and inviting.
BonnieIN - My pond is a DYI. I have the scars from the bashed fingernail while building the rock conifer garden to prove it! So you have no excuse. Let's see the DYI!
DG'rs are THE most clever and inventive water garden people you could ever find. If we keep posting pics, TA will find one or two that will inspire. Let's keep those photos coming folks.
Really like both falls. Guess I had better order a pallet of rock to start with.
Finaly got back to work on the waterfall. Decided to build the base form out of concrete blocks.
Ran out of rock thlough. The cost of rocks is really high. 480.00 per pallet.
Right now I am going to plant something in all the blocks to hid it a little until I can afford to finish.
Another view. Thought of covering everything with metal lathe and stucco. Do not know if I could make it look like rock though. LOL
This message was edited May 14, 2009 4:51 PM
The falls looks great. What a cleaver idea to use the blocks. I bet if you plant it with trailing type of plants
it will look great! Collect rocks where ever you visit and before you know it you could cover the block
with stone for free!
That's TERIFFIC! You have the soild, structural bones of a beautiful, beautiful waterfall. I'm impressed. Please continue to post as you work on it.
Today while the ground was wet. Electrical line to the pump skimmer unit.
The trench does not look like much fun. Lots of lemonade for the one digging the hole! Your pond is looking very nice.
TAR-nice pond! there is a place on Daves where they discuss the homemade making of cement rock or faux rocks and the pictures are amazing. I believe it's in the area called "Hypertufa and Concrete". I have some ambitious plans for this summer making rocks as well!
Playing around with it. Covered the whole thing with metal lathe. Tried to make it look like rock, but did not like it.
Ordered some imitation stone from Lowe's. Will stucco them to the wire mesh.
I cetainly admire your efforts. I've seen that imitation stone at Lowe's. It's some good looking stuff.
snapple45 I like your waterfall. I checked into the price of stone and was I shocked. LOL
Around here they want 480 dollars for a palate full. you have a lot of them. LOL
Have mine going 24 7 and the water is still pea soup.
Working on getting the PH down now. Going to Lowe's in the morning and get another gallon of muratic acid.
I have 32 square foot of the imitation stone coming in on the 19th.
Going to strip all the sand stone off the pond edges, as I think that is causing all my PH problems.
Ted
That could very well be what's aggravating the pH. I've known of some ponders who had limestone rocks in their pond and had to take them out. That's smart of you to recognize that.
I've think I've got half a mountain of rock for my pond. I do have the invoices but I've never had the courage to add them all up. I did not do it all at once. It stretched out over 2-1/2 yrs. Plus I bought about the cheapest stuff per lb. they had on the lot. It actually wasn't my first choice but cost made it look a whole lot better. LOL
When you get that muriatic acid drop a drop or two on one of the rocks that you suspect are the culprits. If it fizzes that's your problem. If it doesn't fizz, break a rock and try the acid again on the surface of the fresh break. Fizzing indicates carbonates and carbonates raise pH. Im sure your careful with that stuff - right?
The rock I bought is a biotite schist and doesn't cause any Ph reaction. Plus we sloped it back to keep runoff from getting into the pond. I use a lot of fertilizers in the gardens around the pond and runoff from those could cause some ugly problems.
I'm looking forward to the stone work on the waterfall. Keep posting!
Used a shelf around mine to help hide the liner with the bottom layer of rock. Then added the sand stone on top. Of course any rain on them goes right into the water. I am sure that is where it is coming as the PH of the water being added with the auto float is 7. I searched this part of Oklahoma and found no flat rocks. LOL
Yep you definitely have a mountain of rock.
Got a surprise this morning. The waterfall had stopped working and what I found was a snake had crawled into the pump intake. Had to remove the pump and then remove the dead snake.
Yuck! That's a surprise all right. I had to saw out a dead toad piece by piece once. It actually made it to the impeller. I thought that was bad, but a snake? Do you know what kind?
No but probalility a black snake.
As I had seen him before. He made it into the impeller and then some. Had to take the pump apart. About three foot long as he had shed his skin along the rocks the day before.
The head was gone but I know what you mean to have to dig it out. LOL
Well most of it rocked and just received three more boxes of stone.
Beautiful! Do you have any rivers or lakes nearby? While we got 4 palates of flagstone (ours are only $150 a 1/2 ton), I get rocks whenever we hit the James River or any of the nearby lakes. That might be away for you to supplement the stones over time.
Great job!
Tar-you made great progress! The plantings look great as well as the falls. As far as the price of rocks, I found that going through a contractor was cheaper because they get 40% or more off the rock and add that percentage back in for the labor. Even if a contractor buys the rock and dumps it at your place-it would be cheaper. Also, consider getting a license as a landscape contractor and then applying for discounts at garden centers/wholesalers.
