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Video: Aquascape Ecosystem Pond Kit

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Aquascape Ecosystem Pond Kit

Length: 13:18 Added: Oct-8 Views: 337

Video featuring products available on Costco.com.

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Video featuring products available on Costco.com.

[MUSIC PLAYING] Decide on a location for your pond. It should, ideally, be placed near the home, or patio, where you will get the most enjoyment out of its sights and sounds. Layout a garden hose, in a naturally curving shape, to define the pond's edge. When you have finalized the shape of your pond, use a can of marking paint to outline the perimeter. This will be your guide when you start digging. [MUSIC PLAYING] After marking out your pond, you should now choose the placement of your MicroFalls and MicroSkim. The falls usually faces the main viewing area, either at the end of a stream or on the edge of the pond itself. The skimmer should be placed at the pond's edge, opposite the waterfall, to achieve maximum water circulation. [MUSIC PLAYING] By laying out the plumbing before you dig, you save yourself the trouble of having to dig up the berm to trench the pipe later. Simply bury it in the berm area with the excavated dirt from the pond, and dig a trench for the remainder of the pipe run to the skimmer inlet. [MUSIC PLAYING] To attach the plumbing to the MicroFalls, you will need to install the bulkhead fitting and the male pipe thread adapter. Insert the bulkhead through the inlet in the back of the filter. Be sure the rubber gasket is on the inside, to ensure a water-tight seal. Use a pair of channel locks to tighten the seal. One or two turns past hand tight should be sufficient. Place a bead of silicone around the threads of the barbed hose adapter to ensure a leak-proof connection. Thread the fitting into the bulkhead and give it a few turns to secure it. Again, be sure not over tighten. Set the MicroFalls and dig it in. The MicroFalls needs to be on level ground, so mark out the area where it will sit. Be sure to tamp the area thoroughly to avoid settling. The unit should be level, side to side, and pitched slightly forward from front to back. Before you connect the kink-free pipe to the barbed hose adapter, slide the provided clamp over the pipe. Firmly attach the pipe to the barb fitting, and secure the clamp around it. [MUSIC PLAYING] With the MicroFalls properly connected, you can now begin to excavate the pond. Your MicroPond should be dug somewhere between 18 to 24 inches deep. The best way to achieve this is to dig the pond in shelves. Using your paint markings as a guide, dig the first level approximately one shovel head deep. As you dig the first shelf, you should also begin to work out a rough whole where the micro skim will be set. Once the first shelf is excavated, use your marking paint to outline the second. Be creative, and avoid mimicking the contour of the first shelf. Repeat the process on the third and final shelf, until you've reached your two-foot maximum depth. Now is the time to hook up the MicroSkim. Place the unit in the rough whole you have prepared for it. Your skimmer should be level, both front to back and side to side. It is important to determine the water level of your pond before completing the installation of your MircoSkim mechanical filter. Use a laser level, transit, or a simple string level to assist you with this important step. Your water level should be set so that it comes to about 3/4 of an inch below the top of the face plate opening. [MUSIC PLAYING] After you have completed the excavation, and removed any sharp rocks or debris that you may have unearthed, you will be able to install the fabric underlayment and fish-safe EPDM liner. First, unfold the underlayment, and lay it out over your pond. Starting in the lowest tier, remove the slack from the fabric by conforming it to the shape of the shelves. Repeat this process with the EPDM liner. Make certain there is enough extra liner around the edges of the pond to avoid low edges. [MUSIC PLAYING] Before installing the face plate, remove the underlayment that covers the skimmer face, as you will be attaching the liner directly to the skimmer opening. With the underlayment out of the way, you are ready to affix the MicroSkim face plate. Lay the liner against the front of the skimmer. Use an awl, screwdriver, or marking tool to draw the opening from the inside. Once you have this mark, etch a second box approximately 1 and 1/2 inches inside the outline. Cut out the second box. This will leave an opening large enough to insert the face plate with a snug fit. To make certain the face plate screws line up with the MicroSkim, temporarily install the top two corner screws. Once it is lined up, loosen the screws, but keep them attached to the face plate and liner-- as you will pull the face plate away from the skimmer. Apply a generous bead of silicone around the opening on the skimmer. Make sure the silicone covers all of the screw inserts to ensure a waterproof seal. Once you have applied the silicone, put the face plate back on using the screws you have already lined up. Finish the installation by threading in the bottom two corners, and the remaining screws after that. Be sure to allow at least an hour for the silicon to cure before adding water. Assemble the pump and plumbing assembly by following the instructions provided in the kit. Next, lower the pump into the MircoSkim, and connect the plumbing assembly to the trenched pipe by way of the union provided. [MUSIC PLAYING] It is both functional, and aesthetically pleasing, to cover your liner with rocks and gravel. Rocks and gravel protect the liner from ultraviolet rays, and provide surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize. Begin by placing larger boulders around the edges of the shelves. Start at the bottom to hold the liner in place as you move upward. For a more natural appearance, use a mix of small and large rocks. Having built up a secure wall around the shelves, you may now fill in the cracks and flat surfaces with gravel of varying sizes. Cover all of the exposed liner and back fill behind the rock shelves for added stability. [MUSIC PLAYING] If you will be including the optional underwater lights in your pond, it is easiest to position them now, so that they can be hidden amongst the rocks. Face them away from the viewing area for the most dramatic lighting effects. Wrapping excess cord around the fixture will allow you to bring the lights above water level, if maintenance is required. [MUSIC PLAYING] For a head start on great water clarity, clean off the rocks and gravel to remove dust and small debris. If you have a spare pump, you can place it in the bottom of the pond to suction out the dirty water, or simply use the pump that came with your kit. [MUSIC PLAYING] You are now ready to add water to your pond. As your new water garden fills for the first time, take the opportunity for a well-deserved break. [MUSIC PLAYING] It is time to work on the most visually-important part of your feature-- the waterfall. The waterfall will start at the MicroFalls' biological filter, and can either meander through a stream, or fall directly into the pond. Note that a stream liner is not included in the MicroPond kit. If you're adding a stream, it should be about six inches deep, and between two and four feet wide. The wider the stream, the more gentle the water flow will be. After excavating the stream, install the 10-foot wide stream liner. In order to overlap the liners, the project must have a minimum three-inch grade change between the stream and pond water levels. Seaming is rarely necessary. The liner should overlap the main pond liner by at least one foot. Before assembling the snout of the MicroFalls, clean the face of the unit, and the liner, with a damp cloth. Attaching the snout is much like installing the MicroSkim face plate. Lay the liner over the u-shaped opening of the falls. Be sure to leave enough slack at the base of the falls for the placement of the large waterfall boulders. With an awl, pierce the liner through the top two holes of the snout. Temporarily install the snout by placing the screws in these two holes. Remove the snout, keeping the liner connected to the piece with the two screws. Liberally apply a thick bead of silicone around the spillway of the MicroFalls. Using the two screws as a guide, reinstall the snout. Complete the process by screwing in the remaining screws. With the snout in place, it's time to lay the filtration media in the MicroFalls. All of the filtration materials will rest at the base of the MicroFalls. Place the filter pads in first, and rest the bags of filter media on top. Take special care when building the stream and waterfall, as this will be the most eye-catching part of your pond. Please larger rocks along the edges as normal. You can also use boulders in the stream bed itself to divert the water in interesting ways. Fill the remainder of the stream with gravel. If you have any drop-offs in the course of your stream, you will need to use the waterfall foam to fill in the areas behind the rocks were the fall occurs. This will ensure that the water flows over these rocks, rather than underneath where it will not be visible. Disguise any visible foam with gravel and rock dust for a more natural look. The MicroFalls should be framed by two impressive character boulders, placed on either side of the snout opening. The middle area should be built with a variety of different sized rocks, with a flat surface. Crowning this collection of stones should be a lip for the MicroFalls. You can use the optional fake waterfall stone, or a thin piece of slate stone. Make sure the lip fits securely, and will be level from side to side so the water will flow evenly over its surface. Adjust any surrounding rocks as necessary. As with any stream drop-offs, use the black waterfall foam behind these stones so that you will be able to see the rushing water. [MUSIC PLAYING] And if you happen to fall short, and don't have enough material to build a suitable berm around the MicroFalls, bring in some extra topsoil. Fresh soil also provides a nutrient-rich base for landscaping. A nice-flowing berm gives the impression that your waterfall was there all along. [MUSIC PLAYING] If you have limited space behind the MicroFalls, or prefer not to extend the berm out into your yard, build a retaining wall to secure the mound. This will also help slow the process of erosion. [MUSIC PLAYING] Now for the moment you've been waiting for. Turn on the pump. For the first time, you'll be able to see water flowing freely over your new creation. You will need to refill the main reservoir, as filling the MicroFalls and stream will lower your water level. Take this opportunity to make small alterations to the falls and stream areas, to adjust the water flow. You'd be surprised how minor adjustments, or the addition of small rocks, can make a big difference to your waterfall. [MUSIC PLAYING] When you have reestablished the correct water level, trim the extra liner from the edges of the pond. Leave at least six inches of extra liner all the way around. This extra liner can be covered with gravel, or folded behind the rocks, above the water level, and back filled with dirt. [MUSIC PLAYING] To beautify the exterior of your pond, cover the berm and edges of the pond with a natural mulch. You may also wish to incorporate landscaping at this point. [MUSIC PLAYING] You're done with all of the hard stuff. Just take a moment to clean up the area, removing any excess dirt, mulch, rocks, and other debris. [MUSIC PLAYING] Included in your MicroPond kit is a manual on the upkeep and maintenance of your new ecosystem. The first thing you'll want to do, is add the recommended dose of beneficial bacteria to start your system on the right foot. [MUSIC PLAYING] Now sit back and enjoy your new natural water feature. [MUSIC PLAYING]