Pond waterfall

[michaelsf90]

I'm new to this forum and new to ponds. We inherited a pond when we moved in. A wildlife pond. Over the past couple of years I've made a feature out of it. Built a wooden wall around it and made a rockery and now I've made a stream/waterfall. Its all ready to go in the next few weeks. Empty the pond. Clean it out. Run the pump and filter.

My question is is it possible to make a waterfall quieter. Its only id say 8 inch wide and about a 4 inch drop into the pond. I have a funny feeling neighbours will complain about the water running at night and the pond is right near the back of the garden and its a back street so I don't want to advertise the fact I have fish etc. I know its impossible to make it silent. Just wondering if their is any way to quieten the noise as well as oxygenating the pond

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome! How big is your pond and why don’t you want anyone to know that you have fish?

Just how noisy is this waterfall? Can you post pictures? A four inch drop doesn’t seem like it would be an issue, and your wooden wall should block a lot of noise. I suppose you could break it up with a few well-placed rocks.

 

[brokensword]

I'm new to this forum and new to ponds. We inherited a pond when we moved in. A wildlife pond. Over the past couple of years I've made a feature out of it. Built a wooden wall around it and made a rockery and now I've made a stream/waterfall. Its all ready to go in the next few weeks. Empty the pond. Clean it out. Run the pump and filter.

My question is is it possible to make a waterfall quieter. Its only id say 8 inch wide and about a 4 inch drop into the pond. I have a funny feeling neighbours will complain about the water running at night and the pond is right near the back of the garden and its a back street so I don't want to advertise the fact I have fish etc. I know its impossible to make it silent. Just wondering if their is any way to quieten the noise as well as oxygenating the pond

you can make it as slient as you want by controlling what the wate hits and how high it does. For instance, if the water were to flow through a weave of cloth/string algae (it happens, trust me), there's not much sound at all. If you can have the flow drop into plants, that would soften the sound. Rocks too would work, depending on the base of your fall.

And of course, you can always put a valve inline to the wfall supply and cut the flow to whatever you want. I have two falls and thought it might be noisy too re neighbors, but haven't had any issue. I live in suburbia and found that there's plenty of other noises that compete with what I'm churning out. I actually LIKE the fact my falls is as noisy as it is as it DROWNS out those other sounds. YMMV

 

[michaelsf90]

I was thinking of putting a large rock underneath to hide the liner as well. But the water wouldn't create a splash as such. So would doing that still oxygenate the pond? I agree with noise in the day. Id rather hear that than cars. Its more at night when i expect people to moan. I want whats best for the fish first and foremost. The whole point is to make a feature and to create surface movement and oxygenation for the fish. I have slate and pebbles in the steam but its a small waterfall dropping into the pond

 

[michaelsf90]

The pond is 1500 litres. I plan on putting goldfish in. Its just a small wooden wall made of decking. I won't know how noisy it is properly until I get the pump running. Im guessing the flow rate at the minute through calculation and trying to simulate it

 

[brokensword]

I was thinking of putting a large rock underneath to hide the liner as well. But the water wouldn't create a splash as such. So would doing that still oxygenate the pond? I agree with noise in the day. Id rather hear that than cars. Its more at night when i expect people to moan. I want whats best for the fish first and foremost. The whole point is to make a feature and to create surface movement and oxygenation for the fish. I have slate and pebbles in the steam but its a small waterfall dropping into the pond

the rock will deaden the sound but as you're guessing, not as much aeration as fully plunging into the pond proper. Most people think aeration is from the bubbles forced into the pond below the surface when it's actually surface aggitaion that is the key. So, more aggitation, more oxygenation. You might just try out your current plan and gear everything toward pond/fish health and see if any neighbor has an issue. You can always put in the valve and lessen the flow. I think you might be surprised--your neigbors might actually appreciate the sound!

 

[brokensword]

The pond is 1500 litres. I plan on putting goldfish in. Its just a small wooden wall made of decking. I won't know how noisy it is properly until I get the pump running. Im guessing the flow rate at the minute through calculation and trying to simulate it

just include a valve somewhere and do an eye/ear test; you'll know without worrying about any calculations. And it'll change as systems age and get partially clogged, stuff grows on your falls, etc

 

[michaelsf90]

Do fish enjoy swimming around the falls as well. I know the pump will create movement and I know just having a stream will oxygenate but will.it be enough is the question. I'm guessing until my pump comes and I get it running. I just wanted some ideas as to what could help should i need to quieten it down. I've been told cling film helps if anyone has heard that before? Dangle cling film over the edge

 

[michaelsf90]

The trouble is with putting a valve on is the filter is at the top of the falls. So if i stop water flow I'm getting less filtration. Its a 2500 litre pump. With the head height flow rate should be around 2000

 

[brokensword]

Do fish enjoy swimming around the falls as well. I know the pump will create movement and I know just having a stream will oxygenate but will.it be enough is the question. I'm guessing until my pump comes and I get it running. I just wanted some ideas as to what could help should i need to quieten it down. I've been told cling film helps if anyone has heard that before? Dangle cling film over the edge

Yes, though I'm relaying anecdedotes as my fish don't generally care one way or the other. A stream, esp if rather swift and noisy, is one of the best for aeration. You'll lknow if you have enough aeration if the fish don't continusously gasp at the surface. Or, you can get a DO meter.

The valve will quieten to any level you want.

You will soon have your own version of 'cling film' as string algae likes to set up shop on wfalls. I generally have to clean mine off once a month when the buildup gets too unsightly, even if it IS another 'filter' for the pond.

 

[brokensword]

The trouble is with putting a valve on is the filter is at the top of the falls. So if i stop water flow I'm getting less filtration. Its a 2500 litre pump. With the head height flow rate should be around 2000

can you separate the two? I have two leads from my pump--one to my falls, one to my prefilter which outpours into my bog/upflow wetlands filter. This way, you can have a valve on each. Of course, it would be better to have as much filtration as possible. It's also better to have the water supply to your falls be filtered first but it's not necessary. Mine is not, though I've been thinking about how to achieve this with my current setup.

 

[poconojoe]

Instead of just adding one valve to restrict the pumps flow, add a wye fitting. Have a valve on each of the two branches coming out of the wye. Have one branch feed the falls and the other go directly into the pond for surface disturbance oxygenation. Each of the two valves can be operated separately for desired distribution between the two. This will let your pump flow freely and not restrict it's output.
Don't worry about slowing the water going through your filter. I don't think it will make much of a difference. It might even help.

 

[poconojoe]

can you separate the two? I have two leads from my pump--one to my falls, one to my prefilter which outpours into my bog/upflow wetlands filter. This way, you can have a valve on each. Of course, it would be better to have as much filtration as possible. It's also better to have the water supply to your falls be filtered first but it's not necessary. Mine is not, though I've been thinking about how to achieve this with my current setup.

Ha! We think alike! You beat me to it! You posted while I was typing!

 

[brokensword]

Ha! We think alike! You beat me to it! You posted while I was typing!

must be our decades long experience showing, hey?

 

[poconojoe]

must be our decades long experience showing, hey?

And our mechanical minds always ticking.