Concrete Pump

Concrete Pump

Pondless Waterfalls: Concrete Vs. Pond Liner

The get-rich-quick factor in the pond liner industry has forced up the price of pond liner kits to equal the cost of concrete construction. If you search for the truth about concrete ponds and waterfalls from reading the literature of the greed-driven liner pond industry, you will not find it. Why? Because if the truth be known, no one in their right mind would invest good, hard-earned money in a pond liner!

The pond liner track record speaks for itself:

More than 37% of all waterfalls have serious structural damage within 3 years of construction.

57% of homeowners say they are rather unsatisfied with the way their waterfall came out after the project was completed.

One in three waterfalls and ponds are leaking water within nine months of completion.

63% of “do-it-yourselfers” say they wished they had the proper information from the “get go” or that they had hired someone.

These statistics are from the pond liner industry itself (Bob Wilder, 48-Hour Waterfall). I can confirm and attest to these figures myself. I have built over 1,900 concrete and rebar waterfalls and ponds over the past 26 years. I have ripped out and replaced dozens of defective liner ponds and replaced them with concrete ones with lifetime warranties.

Pond liner guys will not attach more than a one-year warranty. They make no guarantee against rats, mice, ground squirrels, gophers, tree roots and sharp objects.

Let’s compare apples to lemons … First, let’s talk about apples (concrete waterfalls). We will construct a pondless waterfall that is 20 inches wide at the top by 20 feet long, becoming 24 inches wide at the bottom, to create a spillway 3 feet tall. At the bottom is a catch basin 4 ft. x 6 ft. x 3 ft. deep. The costs of excavation are as follows:

To dig a waterfall and basin takes two men 4 hours @ $20 per hour = $160.

The flexible PVC pipe is 35 ft. @ $1.25 per ft. = $44.

Concrete (3500 psi with stealth fiber)): 2 ½ yards = $250.

20 pieces of 20 ft. x 3/8 inch rebar = $100.

One 1/3 HP high efficiency pump, 2800 GPH, 356 watts = $429.

One anti-vortex drain = $10.

Four 2 x 4 ft. heavy plastic corrugated or galvanized plans to cover the collection basin = $35.

Setting the rebar: 3 man-hrs. = $225.

Pumping and finishing 2 ½ yards of concrete: 4 man-hrs. @ $75/hr. = $300.

Applying thoro-seal, 1 sack + 1 hour = $43.

Rock work + 8 sacks mortar mix: labor - 8 man-hrs. @ $75/hr. = $600.

Mortar: $40.

TOTAL EXCAVATION COST FOR A CONCRETE POND = $2,236.

With this type of construction, no filter is needed. The water in the basin is not exposed to sunlight, so there are no algae. Plus the top layer of rock and the planks are easily removed for cleaning out debris about once a year. If a plastic screen is placed over the planks before the rock layer, cleaning is reduced by 90%.

Now let’s talk about the lemons (the liner folks). The pondless waterfall liner kit advertised by all the disciples of the “liner messiah” on their websites is $1,940 + tax & shipping, or $2,176.

And now for the math: One concrete/rebar construction pondless waterfall completed with high-efficiency pump = $2,236. One pondless liner kit to build a pondless waterfall of the exact same dimensions = $2,176. If I did the math correctly, the completed concrete pondless waterfall costs $60 more than the pondless waterfall liner kit; however, it is still in the box!

Concrete and rebar pondless waterfall has a lifetime warranty. Liner pondless waterfall: 1 yr. warranty on labor, lifetime warranty against factory defect. But there is no warranty whatsoever against holes caused by rats, mice, ground squirrels, gophers, tree roots, sharp objects, etc. Sorry Charlie!

Concrete and rebar pondless waterfalls use a high-efficiency above-ground pump that is easy to service (it has a 3 yr. warranty). The 1/3 HP pump is small, very quiet, and easily hidden behind a couple of rocks or plants next to the falls, or piped to another part of the yard. The liner pondless waterfall uses a submersible sump pump that is placed in the bottom of the basin, and then buried with hundreds of pounds of rocks. To service this pump (only a 2 ½ yr. warranty), all the slimy, stinky rocks have to be removed from the basin first.

The concrete and rebar pondless waterfall pump produces 5,800 gallons per hour at only 356 watts (retail $429). The liner pondless waterfall kit comes with a sump pump (they advertise as “the best pump on the market”). It produces 5,700 gal/hour (100 gal. less) at a whopping 911 watts of power (over twice that of the above-ground pump). You will pay $525 more per year for electricity (at $.12/kwh) for that extra 555 watts. Their pump costs $600 retail ($171 more than the above-ground). Oh, did I mention “the best warranty in the industry” is only 2 ½ years, compared to 3 years for the above-ground?

The concrete and rebar pondless waterfall’s rocks are all mortared in place. So anyone, especially small children, can climb on the rocks without them moving, with possible serious injury resulting. With liner pondless waterfalls, rocks will move and shift on their own without help. After a few months, the ugly liner is exposed in the falls and around the pond.

While building the concrete pondless waterfall, design liberties can be taken, such as altering the length, width or shape of the feature. With a liner pondless waterfall, the parameters have already been set by the manufacturer of the kit.

The concrete pondless waterfall can utilize the large, open basin to install an Aquafill automatic water leveling device. In addition, the basin can be made smaller because the space for water is not taken up by rocks as it is in the liner pondless waterfall basin. The only rock that exists is on top of the galvanized or plastic plank cover.

Wow! Concrete waterfalls are stationary, permanent, lifetime life-expectancy, cheaper to build, cheaper to operate, easier to clean, easy to maintain, longer pump warranty, safer and more natural looking! Apples or lemons? You be the judge!

I am sick and tired of these amateurs giving my life-long profession a bad name by their exaggerated, dishonest and sensational claims – only to be backed up by a nebulous warranty and, at best, shoddy workmanship. My disclaimer: There are professionals installing liners that do take measures to prevent rodent or root attacks by placing a think layer of mortar under and over the liner. I found that if you are going to go to all that extra work and expense, just build it with 3500 psi concrete to begin with!

Happy koi, peace and joy … no koi, no joy.

About the Author

Concrete $10 Concrete - Drake

2007 Utiform V1 Concrete Pump $2000 Single Axle Unit, 3 Phase electric Motor, CE Certificate available from seller - CE label on machine

Water Pump, Sander, Air Scaler, Air Hammer, Concrete Vibrator, & Boring Tool $450 Not operationally checked. Seller Comment: Lot of (1) Essex Silver-line 1218R Orbital Sander & (1) Edco ALR-BS Air Scaler & (1) Sullair MPB-30A 35lb Hammer & (1) Wacker M3000 Concrete Vibrator & (1) Vermeer RTM003 3" Boring tool, (1) Multiquip QP-4TH 4" Trash Pump

Concrete Galoshes $10 Concrete Galoshes

Concrete Shoes $6 Concrete Shoes

Concrete Cow $13.49 Concrete Cow

Concrete Blues $11.49 Concrete Blues

Concrete Jungle $7.49 Concrete Jungle

The Concrete Twin $9.49 The Concrete Twin

Concrete Catalyst $9.99 Concrete Catalyst

Concrete Disappointment $15.49 Concrete Disappointment

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Concrete Slabs $420 Concrete Slabs

Orinoco Bowl 30in Weathered Concrete $275.83 Orinoco Bowl Lightweight Handcrafted Elegance Our lightweight planters are hand crafted through an exclusive eight-step process. Using only the highest-grade resin and innovative technology makes these planters lightweight and incredibly durable. The exclusive Anti-shock manufacturing process provides years of enjoyment. The beauty of this bowl is its versatility. It can be used as an elegant planter or perfect for a small water garden even adding a water pump. The 30" and 40" bowls include a full rubber stopper for the purpose of feeding pump cables through the bottom. (The 22" does not have a stopper, but can be drilled to allow for drainage.) Weatherproof & UV-Protected Lightweight and incredibly durable 10 Year Warranty Never Fade, Crack, or Chip 22" bowl has a 71 lb. weight capacity 30" bowl has a 222 lb. weight capacity 40" bowl has a 485 lb. weight capacity Colors: Caviar Black (Black) Old Bronze (Darker Brown) Rust (Lighter Brown) Weathered Concrete (Gray) Weathered Terracotta (Light Red) About Crescent Crescent Garden recreates the fine detailing of hand crafted garden ornaments and planters in an ultra resistant lightweight resin. With designs from the romantic Mediterranean classics, to the clean lines of contemporary design, there is an accessory available for every garden. Crescent Planters are easy to handle and convenient to install. Manufactured with an extremely resistant resin, our crack proof planters provide years of enjoyment. They will never crack in winter or fade in summer. Our pre-drilled drainage holes save you time, and Crescent Garden backs up all of its products with a 10 year warranty.

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1997 M.A.N. 41 463 T/A Concrete Pump Truck $65000 Day Cab, MAN Engine, Engine Brake, Manual Transmission, Heater, Remote Control, Water Tank, No CE certificate available from seller - CE mark on machine,

Concrete Girl $10 Concrete Girl - Switchfoot

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Mixing Concrete $24.99 Mixing Concrete - Photographic Print

Pump $10 Pump

KCP KCP60SZ200 Concrete Pump on a 2007 Mack MR688S Truck w/ Liebherr Boom Tower $250000 Cabover, Mack AI-427 Engine, 427 Rated Horsepower, Engine Brake, Mack 18 Speed Manual Transmission, Double Frame, Air Suspension, 20,000 lb. Front Axle Capacity, 46,000 lb. Rear Axle Capacities, 66,000 GVWR, Tag Axle, A/C, Heater, KCP KCP60SZ200 Model Pump, 150 yd/hr Pump Capacity, 196' Vertical Boom Reach, 200' Horizontal Radius, 40' Unfolding Height, Remote Control, Water Tank, 160' Boom Tower, Hydraulic Outrigger Base, Counter Weights. ***See Additional Information Attached Below*** Seller Comments: Seller will assist with loading for an additional fee.

Concrete II $39.99 Norman Wyatt Jr. Concrete II - Art Print