CREATING A WATERFALL


Even though still ponds have their own quiet charm and can create the most exquisite reflections, you will most likely want to add movement and sound to your Koi pond with a waterfall.  Not only does the waterfall create sound and movement it also offers features
such as aeration of the water and oxygen for your Koi fish and other pond life.

What type of waterfall you add to your Koi fish pond will depend largely on its overall style as well as your terrain.  If your Koi pond is informal, then design your waterfall to emulate those found in nature.  You can edge them with local rocks that range in size from large boulders to small stones and pebbles.  With a steep natural slope on your terrain, you can build a crashing waterfall.  If, for instance, the area where you live is flat, a waterfall that is more than 2 to 3 feet high will look artificial.  Instead, consider building a meandering stream.  My Koi pond has a waterfall which pours into a small pond with a small meandering stream connecting to the main pond.  If you have a more formal Koi pond, consider a straight-sided canal or water "stairs" that incorporate landscaping tiers.  Also, masonry blocks or bricks, poured-concrete slabs, or even ceramic tiles will work.

 With both formal and informal Koi fish ponds, a waterfall will usually be made up of a series of small pools or catch basin connected by low cascades.  If your space is limited, a single raised pool above your Koi pond can be installed.  You can connect it by one waterfall, or you can be creative and have a waterfall flow springlike from a crevasse in a rock wall or even build a ledge above the Koi fish pond.

If this is your first project, you might want to consult an expert rather than tackle it yourself.  Building a successful waterfall is mostly trial and error.  You will need to experiment with different sizes and shapes of  rocks to create  the effect you are looking for.  You will also need to experiment with their placement  in and around your waterfall.  Before you begin, do your homework.  What type of effect are you trying to create?  View photographs of creeks and waterfalls.  Take a hike on some nature trails and observe and take notes of the various shapes, sizes and textures of the rocks and how the  water moves around them.  You might want to take a trip to a public garden, or perhaps even an amusement park, or a friend's garden to get some ideas.If possible,LiveAquaria.com ask questions of their owners about how the waterfall was built.  What type of hardware did they use to obtain the effect they were looking for.  What type of pump and what size was the pump they used.  Creating  a successful waterfall does not just happen. But, with the right combination of engineering and art you can create the right waterfall for your Koi fish pond.