Yes, normally I wouldnt be into a spillway such as these but in the front yard it does make sense and I def think it would grow on me. I am leaning toward a large bowl, if I can find one for less than ~$500 dollars Aquascape inc is selling them for. They make great videos but their products are way overpriced for what they are and its honestly starting to turn me off to them all together. I have even started to cringe when i hear their Aquascape Lifestyle catch phrase.
Pond Design Feedback?
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I don't know how you can say the products are overpriced when they are literally the only company that makes them. Without competing products, what are you evaluating their prices against? And not only do they make and sell them, they field test them in the hundreds of ponds they, and their CACs, build every year. We put a stacked slate sphere in our front yard two years ago and added a ton of impact for under $1500 and we know that it will last a lifetime.
And no, I don't work for Aquascape and they do sell products that I wouldn't buy - there are others who do it better in several areas of pond building. But for innovation and sheer creativity, you can't beat 'em.
Well, the products i have looked at purchasing from them, there are many much cheaper options out there. You can easily spend 1k on their bog system, when its something you can build for a fraction of that price. Their pump vault is twice as much as the competitors and I doubt it works any better. Their spillway bowl is $500 for basically a big plastic planter with a hole cut in the bottom. There are lots of companies that make a skimmer and bio falls for much more competitive prices. I wouldnt have a problem with buying any of these products, if i saw the value but when I can easily make or buy a competing product at a much lower price I cant justify paying the premium.
I will continue to support them when I watch their videos but I have yet to find one of their proprietary products as the only option and worth the price they are charging.
OK - comparing them to DIY is hardly fair. Obviously you can build just about anything yourself cheaper if you're handy and willing to try. Will it last as long? No clue. Who's pump vault are you comparing them to? They may be more expensive, but I don't think they're twice as much.
And I can guarantee you that the spillway bowls are more durable than a "big plastic planter". If other companies are making those, or stacked slate urns and spheres for that matter, I haven't seen them.
My utmost thanks though goes to Aquascape for being a leader in the field. They were the first to introduce products to the pond market like skimmers and pump vaults - who knows where we'd be right now without their innovation and dedication to the art of pond building?
And I can guarantee you that the spillway bowls are more durable than a "big plastic planter". If other companies are making those, or stacked slate urns and spheres for that matter, I haven't seen them.
My utmost thanks though goes to Aquascape for being a leader in the field. They were the first to introduce products to the pond market like skimmers and pump vaults - who knows where we'd be right now without their innovation and dedication to the art of pond building?
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Ya’ll have some interesting opinions about Mexican people. And on a thread about pond design feedback…
Damn it girl you never posted a pic of that not that i've seen anyways
I became a front porch sitter when this went in...
Sweet ..... Did you add a light? ... what size pump is in that ?
See now i can't believe this has not caught on how every home doesn't have a water feature of some sort. I'll never be without one again
The best staked slate urn i ever saw was on a video and they had the whole thing covered in algae it was wayyyyyyyyy cool
sissy
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I have a major problem because my easement is not valid . When lots were divided up somehow by my house the road for the developement was moved over more onto my property and before I bought the lots it was not taken care of . Seems like 7 times they changed lot sizes here and where the road should go . first was all 5 acre lots and the 4 acre lots then 3 acrea lots and the 1 acre lots and some reason road in front of my house was moved my way into my lots by 15 feet , so I own half of the road . There is also a culvert pipe that runs under my lot to no where . County cannot figure it out either . I just get money off my taxes every year to compensate me 3 acres and a thousand dollars in taxes and then when hubby and i turned 65 we got a seniors tax relief .I also for some reason on tax bill it says I have a view lot . I do see cows pooping is that considered a view from my hill lot to Marty's farm 
It does have lights - three bullet spots that light it up and a color changing puck in the water flow. When it's set to orangish-yellow, you'd swear there were flames coming out of it.
We bought the kit - sphere, basin, pump and plumbing. The included pump was a 1500 GPH. We bought a bigger one, thinking we would upsize it, but this turned out to be perfect.
Unfortunately a view tax can be anything the regulators put down as one there should be a criteria list . but that can be a verey hard egg to crack.I have a major problem because my easement is not valid . When lots were divided up somehow by my house the road for the developement was moved over more onto my property and before I bought the lots it was not taken care of . Seems like 7 times they changed lot sizes here and where the road should go . first was all 5 acre lots and the 4 acre lots then 3 acrea lots and the 1 acre lots and some reason road in front of my house was moved my way into my lots by 15 feet , so I own half of the road . There is also a culvert pipe that runs under my lot to no where . County cannot figure it out either . I just get money off my taxes every year to compensate me 3 acres and a thousand dollars in taxes and then when hubby and i turned 65 we got a seniors tax relief .I also for some reason on tax bill it says I have a view lot . I do see cows pooping is that considered a view from my hill lot to Marty's farm
The easement not where it supose to be happened to me years ago i fought, got no where needs of the many out weigh needs of the few bull s. Your close to coal country it very well could be abandoned, all i can say from hear say is there is a heavy duty beach ball that fits up to a 35 inch pipe that will plug up the line. though ive only heard about such a thing . and the dumbazz who poked the ball from inside the pipe . can anyone say shot out like a rag doll
Pond update: I have decided to cancel my original plan for my front yard pond (beginning of thread) I realized as the snow melted that in order to have any slope from the bog to the pond i would need to have a grade slope down toward my foundation, which I would rather not do. Actually, I also realized the current landscaping slopes back towards the house which I am planning to change.
Below, is the current plan. Slightly raised bog with two small water falls back into the pond. At the end closest to the house will be either an intake bay or Helix skimmer. Leaning toward intake bay more to save any small critters that make their way to into the pond. Based off experience with my IG swimming pool and how any small animals end up in the skimmers with floating weir doors, I have ruled out the traditional pond skimmer for now. This location will get very few leaves. I mainly want a skimmer to keep the surface clear of debri and hide the pump.
My only concern at the moment is the main water line coming into my house from the road which is buried 5-6 feet. The pipes are copper and only about 15 years old. I know I could probably just build part of the pond over it and it would never be an issue, however, I would rather not just to be safe. I called 811 and will have the utility companies coming this week to mark all the various lines coming into the house. Hopefully, depending on the exact location of the water line I will still be able to stay within my 15x15 pond dimensions.
For electrical I am planning on using the post light wire and adding a receptacle box, with GFCI if doesnt already have one on the circuit.
Below, is the current plan. Slightly raised bog with two small water falls back into the pond. At the end closest to the house will be either an intake bay or Helix skimmer. Leaning toward intake bay more to save any small critters that make their way to into the pond. Based off experience with my IG swimming pool and how any small animals end up in the skimmers with floating weir doors, I have ruled out the traditional pond skimmer for now. This location will get very few leaves. I mainly want a skimmer to keep the surface clear of debri and hide the pump.
My only concern at the moment is the main water line coming into my house from the road which is buried 5-6 feet. The pipes are copper and only about 15 years old. I know I could probably just build part of the pond over it and it would never be an issue, however, I would rather not just to be safe. I called 811 and will have the utility companies coming this week to mark all the various lines coming into the house. Hopefully, depending on the exact location of the water line I will still be able to stay within my 15x15 pond dimensions.
For electrical I am planning on using the post light wire and adding a receptacle box, with GFCI if doesnt already have one on the circuit.
That is what I was thinking! This is just a pond template in the program I am using, so will not be the exact shape most likely. Also was planning to make the deepest section along the walkway.
What do you think of the municipal water line and building over it? Bad idea or acceptable if part of the pond is over it?
Sitting area will be toward the middle far side of driveway. Was planning on that being deeper too. But, might make that be the focus of the deep section.
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current line is about 15 years old. There would still be a clear path. Where the line leaves the house it would miss my current layout for the pond but where the meter is it makes me think it goes at a slight angle toward the pond layout. It’s almost 150’ away so may be some “wiggle” room if it ever needed replacement?
It’s a good question though. What happens if the line fails? Do you replace the entire pipe? If so then I could probably go around the pond. I was thinking if it sprung a leak and needed to be dug up for repair, that would be an issue if The leak were under the pond. Now I am wondering if that’s even a valid concern? Do this happen with a copper waterline?