One of the fastest growing sectors of water feature installation is the pondless waterfall. It is easy to understand why so many potential pond builders are opting to build a pondless water feature instead of the traditional pond. From the safety of not having a pond to the ease of maintenance to the cost and ease of installation, pondless waterfalls are often the obvious choice for the would-be pond builder.

As the father of six young children, I am always concerned for the safety of them and their friends. A traditional pond is a hazardous place for small children. Their curiosity will draw them to it. The most obvious hazard is, of course, drowning. Most ponds are not too deep, but they generally have rocks that could easily render a child unconscious if the child were to slip and fall. Ponds normally do not have the cleanest of water making infections another concern. The skimmer and pump are beacons that must be played with by small children and could pose various obvious threats on their own. Pondless waterfalls are safer than standard ponds.

Pondless waterfalls are far easier to maintain. There is no pond; therefore there are no fish to keep. No pond to keep wild (or even domestic) critters out of. The only real maintenance is to occasionally clean the filter so the pump does not have to work too hard, and add water occasionally to compensate for evaporation. One of the benefits of not having a pond with fish is that the pump does not need to run constantly to provide aeration. It could be placed on a switch or timer to be used only when needed. The pump will therefore last much longer and cost less to use than it would in a traditional pond application. Pondless waterfalls are easier to maintain than traditional ponds.

Ease of installation makes the pondless waterfall the ideal water feature for the DIY builder that may not have the desire or time to build a complete pond. The waterfall filter must be placed and the pit must be dug. Design considerations are not as important on the pit as they would be with a pond although the waterfall/stream portion would be basically the same. Line the pit and waterfall to prevent water from seeping into the ground. Place the filter apparatus with the pump in the pit and cover with rocks. Regular ponds require planning of shape for water flow to avoid stagnant areas and also for aesthetic reasons. The skimmer needs to be placed at the surface of the pond, making it a possible eye-sore that must be dealt with. Pondless waterfalls require less effort to install than do ponds.

The joy of the pondless waterfall is that it gives the sound and beauty of a waterfall without the many problems associated with the pond. As this option is becoming more common, more watergarden companies are producing kits to create these beautiful water features.

Jon Loewy is the Owner of Pondless Waterfall, a water feature store that specializes in pondless waterfall supplies, kits, and installation.

Pond Pump and Fountain supplies pond kits and pond accessories.

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