Water Feature / Wall Wall - Any ideas???

Fr_303 · #1 6th Dec 2007, 11:43 AM

I'm in the process of building a water feature -

Does anyone know of some good sites/forums on water features???

Or has anyone got any pics that they would like to share???

Eli · #2 6th Dec 2007, 12:35 PM

What kind of water feature? Pond, fountain, wall?

Fr_303 · #3 6th Dec 2007, 12:38 PM

Water Wall.

Fr_303 · #4 6th Dec 2007, 12:49 PM

Similar to this but a stacked stone back and no second reseivor

mirz · #5 6th Dec 2007, 02:58 PM

looking nice, may be i should add this to my backyard project too. lol

will be keeping eye on this thread

Bleedin Thumb · #6 6th Dec 2007, 03:04 PM

Fr 303,

I admire your enthusiasm, but these things are not easily built. Its not what you see above ground that is necessarily the hard bit, but sometimes whats underground that's important.

I'm talking about the filtration, chemical injection etc. Even the shell will need to be 32 mpa with Xypex added, fully steeled to engineer specs. The cladding is the easy bit.

BTW I would not be surprised if that water feature that you displayed cost the client $150- $200K. a few years back I did 2 similar ones that cost $280K each. Having said that - these are in the public domain and hence are covered by more stringent safety guidelines.

The weird thing is that in a public place a water feature where people may come into CONTACT with the water requires about $10k + of filtration equipment.

A swimming pool in a backyard - where people actually SWIM in the water requires about $2K of filtration.

But you can have a rainwater tank where people actually DRINK the water and you don't need anything!

So if your building it at home with a submersible pump in the reservoir the trick is to make the shell watertight 250 -300 thick 32 mpa concrete done in one pour preferably,- if two pours use the correct membrane on the join.

mirz · #7 6th Dec 2007, 03:22 PM

[quote=Bleedin Thumb;639307]BTW I would not be surprised if that water feature that you displayed cost the client $150- $200K. a few years back I did 2 similar ones that cost $280K each. quote]

280K for water wall only

my whole house is not worth that much

should better stay away from this idea

Fr_303 · #8 6th Dec 2007, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleedin Thumb

Fr 303,

I admire your enthusiasm, but these things are not easily built. Its not what you see above ground that is necessarily the hard bit, but sometimes whats underground that's important.

I'm talking about the filtration, chemical injection etc. Even the shell will need to be 32 mpa with Xypex added, fully steeled to engineer specs. The cladding is the easy bit.

BTW I would not be surprised if that water feature that you displayed cost the client $150- $200K. a few years back I did 2 similar ones that cost $280K each. Having said that - these are in the public domain and hence are covered by more stringent safety guidelines.

The weird thing is that in a public place a water feature where people may come into CONTACT with the water requires about $10k + of filtration equipment.

A swimming pool in a backyard - where people actually SWIM in the water requires about $2K of filtration.

But you can have a rainwater tank where people actually DRINK the water and you don't need anything!

So if your building it at home with a submersible pump in the reservoir the trick is to make the shell watertight 250 -300 thick 32 mpa concrete done in one pour preferably,- if two pours use the correct membrane on the join.

Jezz I'm building it in my backyard not the grounds of the royal palace.

Why would I need a filtration system???

I was planning on using a large Poly or fibreglass trough then bricking around it.

There has got to be people that have done it A LOT LOT cheaper then that??

Eli · #9 6th Dec 2007, 04:09 PM

I think your enthusiasm and a poly tub will get you through fine. You put it in, you rip it out when your wife gets sick of it. No worries. Nothing lasts forever.

Fr_303 · #10 6th Dec 2007, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli

I think your enthusiasm and a poly tub will get you through fine. You put it in, you rip it out when your wife gets sick of it. No worries. Nothing lasts forever.

Bleedin Thumb · #11 6th Dec 2007, 07:01 PM

Yep it looks especially attractive when the water turns to green slime.

OK you can do it on the cheap...but it wont look like the one in the photo.

Its like those backyard blitz makeover shows...... a few screws...a bit of silicon...you'll be right mate .......... as long as it last for the length of the show that is.

Yep your right Eli....nothing lasts for ever.

Eli · #12 6th Dec 2007, 09:13 PM

Obviously he isn't going for the design services, water tight concrete with membrane and two pours and 10k or even 10 bucks worth of filtration.

As you said, without those, there will be slime. There are still two choices from there. Rip it out because the wife is sick of green slime, or balance the water with plants and fish. It is possible, and not even that hard, to have a body of water without too much engineering and filtration, that doesn't have that much slime in it, especially when you're adding the aeration.

There has been something suspiciously like this going on for several thousand years in open bodies of water all over the world. For the most part it's worked out pretty well except when humans started messing with it to improve the clarity of the water.

I'm not saying your view is wrong BT, I'm sure you're more than qualified to offer opinion on the subject. But leave a little bit of room for a fella to muck around in a little pond or something before you crush him. He's game, help him out.

This will provide plenty of reading for the enthusiastic. And it's a LOT LOT cheaper. And they are most definitely not afraid of green slime

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/portal.php

Fr_303 · #13 7th Dec 2007, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleedin Thumb

Yep it looks especially attractive when the water turns to green slime.

Life is not that complicated fellas, some chlorine in the water will keep it clean.

In a few years I propbably will rip it down anyway so if the pump last till then all is good.

You guy's know how to boost a guy's confidence hey.

Eli · #14 7th Dec 2007, 11:35 AM

I thought I was boosting your confidence!

mirz · #15 7th Dec 2007, 11:50 AM

i am sure you can do it without spending thousands of dollars, its just a matter of some research.

a backyard water wall is totaly different in $ terms from a commercial one accessible by general public.