Try to be creative varying the width and depth, and adding some change of direction from top to bottom. This will do a better job of recreating nature in your backyard. Be sure and to cut the channel into the terrain. It's better to excavate out a little too much than too little. If you do too little, it will look like it's just set up and kind of mounded on top of the ground, rather than a real stream having been naturally cut into the terrain over time through natural erosion and water action.

If you aren't on a natural slope, and you need a little more elevation for the top of your stream, you can move the dirt from the channel bed and tank hole up toward the top area of the stream. The placement of the tank(s) and the hole will also need to be determined now. The tank system can be placed remotely from the water feature in a place best suited for the landscape and enjoyment of your waterfall stream.  

If your tank will be any distance from the base of the water feature, be sure that your pipe connecting the skimmer to the tank is well trenched and remains level, or only drops about 1/8" per foot of run between the skimmer and the tank. For the dimensions on the hole sizes, refer to the illustration below.

 

Make sure to eliminate the debris and rocks from the excavated channel and pool basin. Don't rely solely on your underlayment to protect your liner. You don't want rocks, especially sharp rocks to press up into the liner.

 

Placing underlayment, EPDM liner, and the rock, or hardscape.

Now that you have your stream channel excavated, you are ready to "liner up". First, stretch and place your underlayment onto the excavated areas and make sure you have enough to fully support the total area of liner. Then place your liner on top of the underlayment.

Make sure you get the outside edge of your liner well above were the water flow will be, especially around the edge of waterfalls. Don't trim the excess liner until your system is completely operational and then fold the excess under excess without cutting it unless there is an excessive amount. You don't want any chance of loosing water over the top edge of the channel. Make sure the two layers of material are well placed and spread onto the dirt making good soil contact to eliminate gaps or airspace between the soil and the liner.

It is a good idea to put fabric on top of the liner also for added protection!

If you have waterfall drops place a second section of underlayment on top of the liner directly under and in back of the stack of rocks. This will help prevent damage to the liner, plus it will prevent pooling in the area behind the falls when the feature is turned off. The water won't pool because it's allowed to wick down from behind and under the rocks, and then continue down the channel into the reservoir.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use some well-placed concrete or black foam at the top of your waterfall to ensure you are getting a good flow of water over the top of your rocks, and not loosing it in between the rocks. It is also very important to make sure the waterfall is set into the grade far enough so that the water will stay in the channel and not flow out the sides of the waterfall edge. Make sure you have adequate liner up the side of the channel so you don't loose water over the edge of the pool when the water is pooling up before it flows over the falls.

 

 

 

 

Make sure you are careful when placing your rocks on the liner so that you don't puncture it. Even if you have a layer of fabric on top of the liner, rocks can still puncture the liner if they are carelessly placed. Also, wait until the end to put the stream channel rock and larger exposed rock at the base by the skimmer and at the waterfall starter. This will make it easier to set these two pieces of Filtrific equipment.

Setting the Tank:

For setting the tank depth, you will want the shoulders of the tank to line up with the highest point or overflow flood point of the water in the feature. This also helps set the elevation for the skimmer and the intake port.

Put about 1/2" to 3/4" of construction sand at the bottom of the tank hole, or as much sand as you need to overcome any uneven area of the hole floor. This will help you settle and level the tank.

Connecting the Skimmer:

 

Click here for downloadable PDF instructions on how to connect through the liner with a collar kit, and to the intake port. As shown in the instructions, you will cut and stretch your liner over the length of PVC pipe you have, and put the skimmer on one end, and connect it to the intake port on the tank at the other end.

When connecting to 45 Mil EPDM liner allow an expansion fold below the pipe

 

Connecting the discharge assembly and the pump:

The kit contains a pump discharge assembly kit with all the fittings and pipe pieces needed to connect your pump to the discharge port and out through the tank. Easy to follow instructions come with the kit. Place the pump and the connected discharge piping into the tank, and out through the waterfall port to the outside of the tank.

 

Connecting the waterfall starter:

Place the waterfall starter at the top of the stream channel. The starter connects to the pump by a length of flex hose, or PVC pipe, running from the discharge pipe at the tank up alongside the channel up to the top of the feature.

 

 

Connecting the overflow pipe:

The overflow element of the system allows any excess water to run out the back port, or overflow port, and away from the tank. You can run pipe from the overflow port into a dry well, or use longer piping to take the water into your storm drain system if you want.

This backyard waterfall was built using the Cascade 2 Package available from berkeysupply.com The package includes everything that you need for a system like this excluding the rock. Click here to shop for VanishingWater packages online.

If you have any questions about installing a backyard waterfall call (800) 959-8353.