Understanding The Difference Between A Pond Waterfall Spillway And Waterfall Filter

Both waterfall spillways and waterfall filters are similar in that each produces a waterfall that flows into water features or ponds, but their similarities end there. Each has a distinct purpose and design, and below is a detailed description of how they work and the benefits you’ll gain from using them.

Waterfall Spillways

The waterfall spillways such as Elite Cascade offer a starting position for waterfalls which pour evenly, but their basin will usually be smaller and won’t offer sufficient space for the filter media. However, since it produces movement which enhances the surrounding environment, along with a flowing water sound, it is still a great addition to water gardens or ponds that already have filtration. Furthermore, it is outstanding for waterfalls which are pond less and those situated in areas where there is little space for work.

Waterfall Filters

Waterfall filters such as Clear Spring have two primary functions, which is to produce the waterfall while housing the filtration biological system. It acts as the starting position for waterfalls while the water collects within the basin and then pours out on the spillway evenly. However, unlike a spillway, its basin has much greater space, which means that it can hold lots of filter media that contains bacteria which is beneficial. This is the filtration biological system and after installing it you will need to ensure the media is seeded using PL Gel.

What is PL Gel?

PL Gel is a product designed to combat murky pond water while maintaining clarity. It is a mixture of bacteria which has bio polymers which occur naturally, and which assist the beneficial organisms in connecting to the filtration media which in turn results in a startup filter feed which is 80 percent lower. This means that the helpful bacteria have sufficient time to expand on the filter media once it has been cleaned, which means a fresh start at the beginning of each season. PL Gel is extremely helpful in ponds that have excessive solids which need to be regularly cleaned by filtration. It lowers pond maintenance by speeding up organic material breakdown and has been proven safe for both fish and other forms of wildlife.

How To Customize The Flow

Regardless of whether you decide to install the spillway or filter, both have the ability to be used alongside a skimmer. A skimmer box is popular in ponds that receive an excessive amount of leaves, especially when your pump is high volume. The top skimmers are capable of filtering as much as ten thousand gallons. These units are the best option for mechanical style filtration and come with big debris nets. To get the best outcome, it should be put just across from a waterfall so the water circulates correctly. Another benefit of using spillways or filter is that aquatic plants and rock covers can be used to conceal them, giving your pond a more natural look.