Solar Powered waterfalls

[Gazzas pool]

As I only have a small start up pond at the rear of my already tiny garden, I thought I could get away with using a solar powered pump for my waterfall, whilst constantly running a 700 ltr/hr fountain. At peak, the waterfall supposed to move 1000ltr/hr and the pond volume averages around 950ltr.
We're having a proper summer at present with warm nights and I've noticed whilst turning on the waterfall after it's recharged there is a distinct but brief rotten egg smell, I'm presuming any good bacteria in the small 19cm waterfall madia has died off in the night with no waterflow and the water resting in the box below the hose line will be stagnant.
It proberbly amounts to about a pint of nitrite going in everyday, bad consequences? I'm guessing? This evening I've had a plan! I'm going to place my leaf net under the waterfall before I turn it back on, with a bin liner inserted of course, and catch the first couple of pints or so, then take a sample of that to my local aquatic store and let them tell me THAT IS FINE for my aquatic life in my pond or not! Either way I'll not be tipping it back in the pond

 

[mrsclem]

That's the reason for running your pump 24/7.

 

[Criscar]

I don't know how much you spent on the setup you have right now, but just thinking it might be better for the pond and make a lot more sense to have a pump that runs your waterfall 24/7 and then a solar powered fountain if you also want to have the look of a fountain. It would avoid the problems you are having right now.

Another reason you may want to consider getting a better pump and using it for the waterfall instead is oxygen levels in your pond go up over the course of the day due to photosynthesis, but at night those same plants and algae are now consuming oxygen right alongside your fish, whilst your fountain pump is significantly underpowered for your pond so you have inadequate filtration for half of the 24 hour cycle right now, which could lead to problems down the road.

 

[Gazzas pool]

I don't know how much you spent on the setup you have right now, but just thinking it might be better for the pond and make a lot more sense to have a pump that runs your waterfall 24/7 and then a solar powered fountain if you also want to have the look of a fountain. It would avoid the problems you are having right now.

Another reason you may want to consider getting a better pump and using it for the waterfall instead is oxygen levels in your pond go up over the course of the day due to photosynthesis, but at night those same plants and algae are now consuming oxygen right alongside your fish, whilst your fountain pump is significantly underpowered for your pond so you have inadequate filtration for half of the 24 hour cycle right now, which could lead to problems down the road.

Thanks for the reply.
I have considered the swap around and your concerns may well be born out in due course, I ain't got too many plants at present though with this warmer weather the algae is starting to emerge slowly, I missed my chance this morning to collect and get analysis from the waterfall sample so I just tipped it in my sunflowers. I must admit it didn't smell too bad this am even tho it was a warm night. My fall though is now turning a tad green, to be expected? To be honest it's only a small fall and I don't intend yet to upgrade the capacity of the flow, maybe when the box splits I may invest in a spillway though I ain't really got room to angle a disguised flow down the fall. Back to the oxygen levels, it did bother me when I constructed the pond back in February that there is lack of sunlight during the winter months, will this impact any fish if I have a pump running in the shallows

 

[Gazzas pool]

Thanks for the reply.
I have considered the swap around and your concerns may well be born out in due course, I ain't got too many plants at present though with this warmer weather the algae is starting to emerge slowly, I missed my chance this morning to collect and get analysis from the waterfall sample so I just tipped it in my sunflowers. I must admit it didn't smell too bad this am even tho it was a warm night. My fall though is now turning a tad green, to be expected? To be honest it's only a small fall and I don't intend yet to upgrade the capacity of the flow, maybe when the box splits I may invest in a spillway though I ain't really got room to angle a disguised flow down the fall. Back to the oxygen levels, it did bother me when I constructed the pond back in February that there is lack of sunlight during the winter months, will this impact any fish if I have a pump running in the shallows

I did ponder,,,, :-} the idea of a fountain upgrade that will cycle the water better at the same running cost, Gunna get the samples going and maybe after some evaporation check those samples again for benefits or instabilities

 

[Gazzas pool]

I don't know how much you spent on the setup you have right now, but just thinking it might be better for the pond and make a lot more sense to have a pump that runs your waterfall 24/7 and then a solar powered fountain if you also want to have the look of a fountain. It would avoid the problems you are having right now.

Another reason you may want to consider getting a better pump and using it for the waterfall instead is oxygen levels in your pond go up over the course of the day due to photosynthesis, but at night those same plants and algae are now consuming oxygen right alongside your fish, whilst your fountain pump is significantly underpowered for your pond so you have inadequate filtration for half of the 24 hour cycle right now, which could lead to problems down the road.

Hi Criscar, I'm expecting a delivery 2day of the pump upgrade, I suppose if there's an overload on the waterfall box, I could ad some extra media to slow it down, But I have a concern about water temp, that might not have a baring with a 22inch depth pond. After the really warm weather, will there be warmer water at the bottom of my pond which hasn't been cycled for the last few days due to the cold and dark weather, I've just had the fountain running 24/7 at 10 inch depth. Can I start the new waterfall pump 24/7 without stressing the fish or should I start it at a shallower depth to start with, I'll have to bring it higher at some stage before winter surely ;-)

 

[Gazzas pool]

I don't know how much you spent on the setup you have right now, but just thinking it might be better for the pond and make a lot more sense to have a pump that runs your waterfall 24/7 and then a solar powered fountain if you also want to have the look of a fountain. It would avoid the problems you are having right now.

Another reason you may want to consider getting a better pump and using it for the waterfall instead is oxygen levels in your pond go up over the course of the day due to photosynthesis, but at night those same plants and algae are now consuming oxygen right alongside your fish, whilst your fountain pump is significantly underpowered for your pond so you have inadequate filtration for half of the 24 hour cycle right now, which could lead to problems down the road.

Pump has arrived Criscar, I know you were correct, my fish don't look too unsettled at this horrible stage in our weather, cold and dank for the last few days but as you say, down the road, all the residence could have problems, oxygen wise at least, I've not even had the waterfall on for nearly 3days