Atlantic Water Gardens Pro Series PS4600 - Manual (Page 9)

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Attach the liner flange to the FilterFalls, starting with the center screw first, and then work
out toward the sides of the spillway. It may be necessary to first pierce the liner with a nail or
an awl before inserting the screw. Do not fully tighten any screws until all the screws have been
installed. Once completed, trim away any excess liner as needed.
Tighten flange screws with a hand held screwdriver only. Over tightening the screws
could strip out the inserts or crack the liner flange. The screws need only to be snug
for the silicone to make a seal.
POND-FREE
Pond–free features exchange the open water of the pond for a gravel-topped excavation,
maximizing visual impact while minimizing headaches and maintenance. Typically, a pump
placed in a protective vault inside a lined reservoir continuously recirculates water over a
stream or waterfall. A bed of gravel hides the basin, vault and plumbing from view, leaving only
the stream and waterfall visible.
ECO-BLOX vs. GRAVEL BASIN for a WATERFALL or STREAM
Eco-Blox basins consist of 10% Eco-Blox and 90% water. Gravel basins consist of 70% rock
and only 30% water. As a rule of thumb, your pond-free basin should hold three times
the amount of water as the waterfalls and streambeds above it. It is critical to calculate
the water volume that the basin can hold before you begin construction of the waterfalls
or streambed.
Why should the basin be three times the size of the stream? Upon start-up, the pump
sends water from the bottom reservoir to the top of the waterfall and/or streambed. The water
must then fill, from top to bottom, the waterfalls and streambed until it eventually re-enters the
basin and the water levels equalize. During this filling process, the water level of the bottom
reservoir is continually dropping.
If the streambed is built improperly, or is built too big, the water level of the bottom
reservoir may drop below the top of the pump before the water levels equalize. This would
result in the top of the pump being exposed to air. Pumps must be completely submersed
in water or they can overheat causing damage to the pump. Refer to the streambed
construction section on page 5 for more detail.
STREAMBED VOLUME
Multiply (in feet) the average length x the average width x the average depth to find
cubic feet of streambed volume
2” DEEP = 0.16’
3” DEEP = 0.25’
4” DEEP = 0.33’
BASIN VOLUME
For Eco-Blox: Multiply the cubic feet of the streambed x 3 = cubic feet needed for the basin
Cubic feet ÷ 4.2 = the number of Eco-Blox
For Gravel: Multiply the cubic feet of the streambed x 9 = cubic feet needed for the basin
Cubic feet ÷19 = the number of tons of gravel
Don’t forget that the thickness of your rocks will add extra depth to the water.
(e.g. if you have rocks 1” deep covering the bottom of your stream, be sure to
incorporate that 1” into your total depth)