The right choice of materials produces a project that is easy to install and maintain. The number of choices on the market is larger than ever before; therefore knowledge about the differences is important. In addition, your dream or plan may perhaps be easier than you expected.

Pools or Ponds

• Concrete
• Preformed Pools: fibreglass or polyethylene
• Liners: PVC, rubber, butyl, polyethylene, or clay

Protection Materials

• Geotextile: to protect liner from sharp objects underneath the liner or when placing medium sized rocks onto the liner.
• Newspaper: used as a substitute for geotextile, underneath the liner.
• Gravel and Sand: used to create a drainage area underneath and around the pond area, to protect the liner from frost heaving. Minimum of 4-6″ of material.
• Carpeting: used as a substitute for geotextile.
• Styrofoam: used as an insulator and protector for liners especially when pools are built above ground level.

PUMPS

Choose the pump after considering:

1. How high water will be lifted.
2. How many bends or elbows will be in the line.
3. How many functions the pump will perform, ie. will the pump operate a nozzle, waterfall and filter or just a sculpture.

Filters

• Consider the purpose of a filter ie. is the filter to keep a nozzle clean, or is the filter to keep a fish pond clear or is the filter to keep a fountain crystal clear like in a swimming pool.
• Submersible filters are available for most small pumps.
• Dry filters available to work in conjunction with medium to large volume pumps.
• Biological filters available for fish ponds.
• Filters are an asset in pools with spray effects and in fish ponds.

Nozzles

• Various spray effects available by attaching a nozzle onto the pump discharge.
• Some nozzles require more volume than others, the smallest volume pump required is 170 GPH .

Lighting

Underwater lighting produces a very different effect than lighting from outside of the pool. It creates a softer more relaxing effect. *it is best to light directly beneath a spray effect, a waterfall cascade, beneath a bridge, or a sculpture. It is not wise to light an entire pool- just the water feature.

Tubing

• Available in many sizes, the choice of tubing can greatly alter the effect of a waterfall.
• The smaller the diameter of the tube, the greater the water pressure. Control of the water effect could therefore become quite difficult.
• Construction of a medium size waterfall is best with 3/4″ to 1″ I.D. size tubing.

Fittings

• Many fittings are available to create proper manifolds which allow proper flow of water and ease of maintenance.
• Valves should be considered which control the amount of water moving through a nozzle or tube.