Waterfall construction advice needed

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Hello everyone

I've constructed a two pond system for my ducks, so I can have water plants in the upper pond filtering water (otherwise ducks would eat all the plants). I'm at the stage where I need to figure out how to do the waterfall.

The upper pond wall is roughly 2 feet high and the waterfall opening (where a green rock is sitting in the photos) is 11 inches wide. I'm not sure if, in terms aeration, it's better to have water falling straight in or cascading on rocks. There is very little space to build cascading rocks, as the lip between the wall and lower pond is only 6 inches... This may be.a limiting factor for building any cascading waterfall.

One more thing I'm not sure how to do, is how to connect any type of spillway with the pond liner, so that there are no leaks. Any pointers greatly appreciated.

Thanks much!
Lidia
 

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ROCK ON A ROLL is about the easiest way I can see with your limitations. hat rubber install a similar product

You could build a wall in front of all use a similar product like wonder board something that is not effected by water and will not rot then you could use the multitude of thin glue on and stack rock concrete colored rocks etc what many homes are using today .
 
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ROCK ON A ROLL is about the easiest way I can see with your limitations. hat rubber install a similar product

Thank you for a quick answer and all the info!! Forgot to mention, I have scrap pieces of marble and plan to cover walls in a mosaic. I was thinking of somehow making a waterfall from marble as well, but the products you mention are far easier to shape. It would be very difficult to make it NOT look rigid and square using marble. I would love to see some photos, if anyone made a steep spillway/waterfall with flat rocks like that.

You could build a wall in front of all use a similar product like wonder board something that is not effected by water and will not rot then you could use the multitude of thin glue on and stack rock concrete colored rocks etc what many homes are using today .

What kind of glue can I use that's safe for water life (ducks and mosquito fish)? If I used marble and mortar (no liner underneath), would that be ok or would the mortar let water through? It seems that no matter what way I go, I have to have liner underneath the spillway, is that right?
 
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Thank you for a quick answer and all the info!! Forgot to mention, I have scrap pieces of marble and plan to cover walls in a mosaic. I was thinking of somehow making a waterfall from marble as well, but the products you mention are far easier to shape. It would be very difficult to make it NOT look rigid and square using marble. I would love to see some photos, if anyone made a steep spillway/waterfall with flat rocks like that.



What kind of glue can I use that's safe for water life (ducks and mosquito fish)? If I used marble and mortar (no liner underneath), would that be ok or would the mortar let water through? It seems that no matter what way I go, I have to have liner underneath the spillway, is that right?
any quality mortar mix You want have that much water leaching onto the mortar will it would make a difference
 
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It looks like you have a lot of liner under the main fall. Possibly you could pull the liner back and attach a few brackets to the cinder block wall. Then put a shelf on top of the brackets and cover it back up with the liner. Then put a thin rock on top of the liner to make the second spillway. As far as connecting the spillway to the liner it isn't necessary. Water may go under the rock but that doesn't matter as long as the liner doesn't leak. To make the waterfall you can use PVC pipe with holes in it and pump the water into one end and close the other end off. If need be you can also add small pieces of pipe to each hole for the water to come out. They can be attached with silicone. A hole every 6" should be enough.
 
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It looks like you have a lot of liner under the main fall. Possibly you could pull the liner back and attach a few brackets to the cinder block wall. Then put a shelf on top of the brackets and cover it back up with the liner. Then put a thin rock on top of the liner to make the second spillway. As far as connecting the spillway to the liner it isn't necessary. Water may go under the rock but that doesn't matter as long as the liner doesn't leak. To make the waterfall you can use PVC pipe with holes in it and pump the water into one end and close the other end off. If need be you can also add small pieces of pipe to each hole for the water to come out. They can be attached with silicone. A hole every 6" should be enough.
I can build shelves under the liner to make a spillway - thank you for the idea. I initially thought liner would end high up and water would flow down a rock spillway without liner, hence my question on how to attach the two. A friend of mine had a another great idea of attaching small pieces of marble sideways in a mortar, then standing it up to create a cascading spillway/waterfall. That should look nice, but I don't know how this would be attached to the liner. I guess in the end, liner needs to be underneath any kind of solution and the only thing that can cover the liner that would look any good is rock on a roll or some such product.
 
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What ever gets placed under the liner at the falls will need to be water resistant If you have ever pulled up your liner even without a leak its exactly like leaving a sheet of plastic out on your lawn first all the moisture gets trapped under the plastic or in this case the liner and it will quickly rot out a light duty metal bracket for a shelf and be careful as the shelf will need to have any sharp corners rounded
 
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I was just searching online again if mortar can stick to epdm and found someone talking about using veneer mortar (post number 16 in this thread. The link they provide to the product no longer works. Has anyone tried it? I would totally use it to attach horizontal pieces of marble to the vertical mortar wall attached to the liner. Not sure this would hold in a waterfall/spillway though.
 
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What ever gets placed under the liner at the falls will need to be water resistant If you have ever pulled up your liner even without a leak its exactly like leaving a sheet of plastic out on your lawn first all the moisture gets trapped under the plastic or in this case the liner and it will quickly rot out a light duty metal bracket for a shelf and be careful as the shelf will need to have any sharp corners rounded
Thank you for the pointers. I may use wood as a temporary structure to see how the water flows. I guess I would replace it by steps made of mortar/concrete, once I'm happy with the flow.
 
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The issues with concrete on rubber is if the concrete is less than 2 inches thick then it can break and when it does it can now be a sharp edge . there are many modified adhesives out there that will grab to rubber but rubber bends easily which can then easily break ad bonds. the thicker the more it is never going to move the better.
 

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