Readers have come a long way with us from studying the most common mistakes made in the construction of reservoirs, to the rules for creating a pond in a natural style. The continuation of the topic will be especially interesting for those gardeners who prefer not only rough water, but its movement and sound. I remind you, this is a continuation of the article titled Step-by-Step Technology of Arrangement of the Stream on a Country Site (Part 1).
Water devices and finishing works
In parallel with the device of the flow channel, work is being done on the device of the tank, in which the pump dives. Be that as it may, the pump is installed at a depth of at least 50 cm (1.6 ft) from the water surface, but if it is a landscape pond, then not at the bottom, in order to avoid clogging the filter with turbidity and silt, but on a specially prepared horizontal platform.
As we have already said, the volume of the battery is determined by the length and width of the flow and the power of the pump. One end of the hose is rigidly attached to the pump socket. If the section of the hose does not match it, you will have to use special adapters-fittings. The hose rises to the surface and is imperceptibly decorated with stones or plants. Then it should be carried out in the immediate vicinity of the channel to the highest point of the flow.
Print the amount of hose needed to design the source, and the entire hose along the shallow edge of the stream, marking it on the diagram or taking a picture. If necessary, it can be easily found and disassembled (for example, for repairs) and not damaged, for example, when planting plants.
Take care of where you will turn on the pump plug. The waterproof electric pump cable with plug has a length of 5 or 10 m (5.5-10.9 yard), depending on the model. Your task is to provide a dry and safe place to connect the pump to the mains. If there are buildings near the pond, such as a gazebo, then the problem is likely not to arise, but if it is not, you may have to make a special box-shield and take care of its decoration.
Even before you start finalizing the flow, you need to conduct a trial run, make sure that the system is working, has reached exactly the parameters that you wanted to achieve. After that, proceed to the final design .
All base and drainage stones must be firmly fixed in cement mortar (1 part cement to 4 parts sand) or cement-based glue, and then allowed to stand for at least 12 hours to solidify the mortar. Only then can you continue to work on the decoration . Additional edges of the film can be cut off, the remains are buried either at right angles, or placed horizontally 1-2 cm (0.4-0.8 in) above the water level and decorated with gravel, pebbles, stones and plants.
To avoid the capillary effect, which was mentioned above, you can lay a cement strip along the shore with a width and thickness of about 8-10 cm (3.1-3.9 in). In this case, the edge of the film and the ground are separated by a tape of cement. When the cement dries, loose fractions and individual stones of different sizes can be fixed on top. Gradually, some of the finishing material will be covered with moss that has grown in a humid environment, and the creepers and the stream will make a completely natural impression. The plants planted at the last stage of finishing will make the right accent, and the jet will get exactly the artistic “sound” that you wanted.
A little about pumps
In conclusion, I will tell you more about how to choose a pump and use it. First, never use drainage and home-made pumps. Secondly, buy pumps for decorative ponds in a specialized store. There is a wide range of products for every taste and wealth, as well as guaranteed quality. Select the brand and modification of the pump together with the store manager, who needs to be informed about the parameters of your water device: its length, width, depth of the channel or height of the fountain, the power of the flow or jet of the fountain, the volume of water in the tank, the difference in height between the upper point of the channel and the edge of the water in the lower tank.
If there is no pump on the site for a long time, it is better to turn off the power grid. Not because it is unreliable, but rather because the power grids often fail. In autumn, before the onset of persistent cold weather, the pump must be disconnected from the mains and the hose, removed from the drive, washed all removable parts, dried and put away for winter storage. The hose is not dismantled for the winter, it remains in the ground, but it is better to close the ends with plugs so that nothing extraneous gets inside, which can damage the pump.
Many models of pumps have multifunctional purpose and, changing the nozzles, you can use the same ones for the flow (waterfall, cascade); for the fountain; for the simultaneous activation of both the fountain and the flow; for connecting the filter system. But before you use the pump at all, that is, the coil, think about whether it is good? A cheerful, ringing stream that jumps over rapids and flows into a pond, but a fountain is a typical sign of a classic, regular style?
It should be added that the variety and availability of modern materials for the manufacture of decorative tanks allows you to easily and quickly perform a variety of water devices of any size and complexity. We have offered you a proven technology. Perhaps you will find simpler and more effective methods. But after you have followed with us what the stages of the work on creating a landscape pond and stream are, I think you will not have any problems with the construction of other water devices.