It’s our favorite day of the week, Tip Tuesday that is, and we have another A-O Pro Tip for you! This week, Rex McCaskill and Travis Whitaker give us some helpful tips when installing a Skimmer. Let’s dive right in and see what tips they have for us!
This tip comes from a demonstration build at Smith Turf Irrigation in Colfax, North Carolina. Contractors from Pond Professors Inc., Whitaker Waterscapes LLC, Atlantic-OASE staff and more all came to Smith Turf Irrigation to teach and learn some water feature installation techniques. During this 1-day training, the contractors installed an awesome pond and waterfall with Atlantic Spouts, a Copper Spillway and a Copper Bowl flowing into the pond!
A-O Pro Tip #7 – Installing a Skimmer with Pond Professors Inc. & Whitaker Waterscapes LLC
For the 7th A-O Pro Tip in our Learn From The A-O Pro’s series, Rex McCaskill from Pond Professors Inc. and Travis Whitaker from Whitaker Waterscapes LLC, show us some helpful tips to consider when installing a skimmer into your pond.
Watch the A-O Pro Tip here!
Both Rex and Travis explain how important it is to make sure your skimmer is level when installing. Travis also explains that you make sure the skimmer is installed on the opposite side of your waterfall for good circulation.
Travis and Rex also teach the contractors how to install their pond liner and rocks higher than the overflow of the skimmer.
Want to be featured in the next A-O Pro Video?
Do you have some unique and help tips and tricks on installing water features? We’re looking for the next A-O Pro to be featured in our video series and we want to visit you! Tell us what upcoming water feature builds you have planned and what A-O Pro tips you have for us and we’ll send someone from the Atlantic-OASE team out to video you and your work!
Contact your Regional Sales Manager to learn more on the A-O Pro Series. Not sure who your Regional Sales Manager is? Contact us at marketing@atlantic-oase.com.
Stay tuned for more A-O Pro Tips here on the blog and don’t forget to follow us on Instagramand subscribe to our YouTube so you don’t miss out on all the Learn From The A-O Pro’s videos!
Comment below for more questions on installing a skimmer or email us at info@atlantic-oase.com
About the Author:
Caitlyn Winkle
After graduating from the University of Akron, Caitlyn joined Atlantic-OASE in the fall of 2019. Caitlyn manages the social media and online content for the company. She also supports the Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractor (APC) Program and Marketing Departments in creating marketing and advertising strategies and plans.
Get your camera ready! In observance of Camera Day, June 29th, we will be doing a deep dive on the history of the camera. Got your quill and scroll ready? Well, you’ll need it for how far we are traveling back in time, to the very first camera. Welcome to the 11th century.
Ibn al Haytham was known for being the founder of the Camera Obscura, a box-shaped device that aided artists and later astronomers in their field. The word Camera Obscura translates to “dark room” which is where it would be placed when in use. It had a small pinhole on the side that light would pass through and reflect the image (upside-down) on a blank wall or canvas. Later a mirror would be placed inside the box to flip the image right-side-up.
Fast forward time and we arrive in 1888 Rochester, New York, where a George Eastman invents the Kodak camera and film. He wanted to make a camera that was easy to use and portable for on the go fun. The Kodak 1 was born, this led to the Kodak Brownie and then to the Kodak Hawkeye.
Put your dukes up Kodak, Polaroid has entered the ring. The year was 1948, Edwin H. Land had the idea to create a camera that could be portable, easy to use and, get this, print a photo! The Polaroid was born and so did the era of shaking it like a Polaroid picture, in all honestly don’t shake the Polaroids, it doesn’t help with anything.
Move aside Polaroid and Kodak, Sony is up next. 1981, leather was in, hair was big and Sony threw its name into the hat by creating the Sony Mavica. This revolutionized digital cameras by becoming the very first digital still camera! This paved way to Kodak’s first professional digital camera and then the famous camera phone in the late 1990’s to early 2000’s.
Even now, a camera is always within reach, which honestly comes in handy more ways than one. The camera has revolutionized the way we communicate and see things around us, it helps us share things that we may never fully be able to see, it’s not like we can just take a trip to Mars and snap a shot of the Red Planet. We aren’t Bezos or Musk. Cameras help us see the world through a different lens. Pun intended. And we are thankful the invention of these amazing contraptions because without it, I think it’s safe to say our world would be a little less developed. Alright, I’m done with these puns.
Go take a picture to commemorate the day! Happy Camera Day!
Like the elusive bigfoot, Leah enjoys the great outdoors. Hiking, biking, attempting to longboard, falling off said longboard, rollerblading, you get the picture. Leah attained a piece of paper from THE Ohio State University that states she can make drawings move on a computer. She is the Multimedia Coordinator for Atlantic-OASE, catch her work on the YouTube.
Happy Tuesday! Today’s A-O Pro Tip is a simple but, effective way to hide and conceal your Atlantic FastFalls! For the 6th A-O Pro Tip in our Learn From The A-O Pro’s series, Shane Hemphill, owner of Art of the Yard, gives us a quick tip for hiding FastFalls in your water feature!
This tip comes from the build in the Sandbox at Atlantic-OASE’s headquarters in Aurora, Ohio. Contractors from Art of the Yard, Alpine Custom Hardscapes and Demi Fortuna, from his own company, August Moon Designs, came to Ohio to dig in the dirt to kick off the start of this new series. After the 5-day building palooza, they created 3 incredible water features including a pond and waterfall feature with a custom copper bowl fire feature, a pond-free waterfall and a formal fountain hardscape.
A-O Pro Tip #6 – Hiding FastFalls with Art of the Yard
For the 6th A-O Pro Tip, Shane Hemphill shows us one of the ways you can hide a FastFall by planting flowers directly on top of the FastFall instead of placing rocks on top to conceal it. This is an easy and great way to hide your FastFalls with a natural look!
Watch the A-O Pro Tip here!
Although the Atlantic FastFalls can support the heaviest rock and stone (33,000 lb. to give you an idea), it was also designed to retain soil, gravel and mulch perfectly. For the most natural looking camouflage possible, plant ground covers or low growing perennials directly into the pockets on top of the FastFalls to blend the FastFalls seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.
Which would you prefer? Concealing your FastFalls with rocks or plants?
Want to be featured in the next A-O Pro Video?
Do you have some unique and help tips and tricks on installing water features? We’re looking for the next A-O Pro to be featured in our video series and we want to visit you! Tell us what upcoming water feature builds you have planned and what A-O Pro tips you have for us and we’ll send someone from the Atlantic-OASE team out to video you and your work!
Contact your Regional Sales Manager to learn more on the A-O Pro Series. Not sure who your Regional Sales Manager is? Contact us at marketing@atlantic-oase.com.
Stay tuned for more A-O Pro Tips here on the blog and don’t forget to follow us on Instagramand subscribe to our YouTube so you don’t miss out on all the Learn From The A-O Pro’s videos!
About the Author:
Caitlyn Winkle
After graduating from the University of Akron, Caitlyn joined Atlantic-OASE in the fall of 2019. Caitlyn manages the social media and online content for the company. She also supports the Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractor (APC) Program and Marketing Departments in creating marketing and advertising strategies and plans.
Happy Father’s Day AND happy Summer Solstice, aka the first day of summer! What better way to kick off the summer than to give your dad a new water feature to enjoy all summer long? Here are 8 great water feature options to gift your dad this year!
A Formal Spillway to add to your patio or existing hardscape
Check out Atlantic’s new Formal Spillway Project Bundles to create your very own formal spillway. Project Bundles include everything you need but the stone to create awesome water features!
His own custom fountain bowl or vase
Use our Fountain Systems to make any fountain come to life. Pick out a fountain topper of your liking (bowl, vase or pot) to put on an Atlantic Fountain Basin.
Find a contractor near you to help bring the sights and sounds of a waterfall to your backyard. Click here to find a contractor in your area.
A classic koi pond
You can’t go wrong with a classic koi pond in your yard! Spend hours outside watching your gorgeous fish swim by. Keep it clean and clean with the OASE BioTec Screenmatic².
Make some additions to your pool this year with Atlantic’s 316 Stainless Steel Spillways that are specifically made for chlorinated pools.
Spruce up your water garden with a new fountain
Already have a water garden? Drop in a decorative fountain feature with the OASE Filtral UVC. Choose between 3 different nozzles and also get the added bonus of built in filtration to help keep your water nice and clear!
It is the first day of summer after all. Give the Dad’s best friend the summer he’ll never forget with a pond to cool off in!
We’re wishing you a great Father’s Day and know good ole Dad will be so thrilled with his new water feature this year! Stay cool this summer!
About the Author:
Caitlyn Winkle
After graduating from the University of Akron, Caitlyn joined Atlantic-OASE in the fall of 2019. Caitlyn manages the social media and online content for the company. She also supports the Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractor (APC) Program and Marketing Departments in creating marketing and advertising strategies and plans.
More people are looking for some type of water entertainment for their yards or patios this year. And we don’t blame them! Who wouldn’t want the aesthetics and relaxation of running water in their landscape?
Hardscape fountains and spillways are becoming more prevalent due to the ease of installing them. You don’t even have to dig a hole. Fountains that have been built in the past years haven’t been installed with any form of filtration, but the times are changing. Keeping your fountain clean and clear is much easier to do with some added filtration.
Eliminating the hassle of keeping your fountains clean and clear
Throughout the years, I’ve heard and seen many different products used to help maintain fountains. We don’t recommended some of these cleaning methods for a variety of reasons. Putting products not designed for fountains into the water to clean or clear it up could have an impact on your liner, pump, lighting or could harm your pets or wildlife.
Fountains have traditionally been installed without filtration, thinking it should be easy to keep such a small body of water clean and clear. And if you do have to clean it out, it’s not that big of a deal. As we get more advanced in the types of fountains and hardscape water features, it becomes more important to look at filtration to protect your investment. By adding an OASE FiltoClear pressure filter to your fountain you are getting the best of both worlds.
FiltoClears are in-line pressure filters with mechanical and biological filtration and ultraviolet clarification (UVC). Available in three sizes (3000, 4000 and 8000), their high filtration capacity is perfect for Fountain, Formal Spillway, Pond-free and Water Garden applications.
FiltoClears are easy to install, not only on new installations but, to existing fountains as well. It hides well behind a hardscape water feature and its impact resistant body can also be buried up to the locking ring for optimal concealing. Leaving the locking ring accessible allows you to access the canister for cleaning.
What are the benefits of using the FiltoClear Pressure Filter on your fountain?
A FiltoClear will clean up any free-floating particles that can make your water cloudy or dirty. The built-in UVC helps combat green water.
If your pet drinks out of your fountain, you have nothing to worry about with the FiltoClear. Using unsafe chemicals that don’t mention being pet-safe in the water could be dangerous for any animals coming to your fountain for a drink. Because anywhere that there’s a water feature, you can be sure that wildlife will be attracted to it.
The FiltoClear is also part of the Clear Water Guarantee program when paired with the eligible OASE products. Using this type of filtration will keep your fountain or hardscape water feature looking great and will minimize time spent keeping it clean and more time enjoying it.
We installed a FiltoClear into the Formal Spillway Basin to show how easy it it to add to an existing water feature!
Learn more about the FiltoClear and more Atlantic-OASE products here! And don’t forget to follow us on social media for more news on blogs and water feature tips and tricks! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!
About the Author:
Todd Rosendahl
Todd has been in the water garden industry over 20 years. With extensive knowledge of water treatments for ponds and lakes he’s your go-to-guy for treating your ponds and water features!
It’s Tip Tuesday again and we’re coming to you with another A-O Pro Tip! For the 5th A-O Pro Tip in our Learn From The A-O Pro’s series, Shane Hemphill, owner of Art of the Yard, gives us some tips on leveling and placing control stones for your waterfall!
This tip comes from the build in the Sandbox at Atlantic-OASE’s headquarters in Aurora, Ohio. Contractors from Art of the Yard, Alpine Custom Hardscapes and Demi Fortuna, from his own company, August Moon Designs, came to Ohio to dig in the dirt to kick off the start of this new series. After the 5-day building palooza, they created 3 incredible water features including a pond and waterfall feature with a custom copper bowl fire feature, a pond-free waterfall and a formal fountain hardscape.
A-O Pro Tip #5 – Leveling & Placing Control Stones with Art of the Yard
In this 5th A-O Pro Tip, Shane Hemphill shows us how his team at Art of the Yard places their control stones and waterfall stones to help guide the water over the stones to create a great waterfall!
Watch the A-O Pro Tip here!
Shane explains how they make sure their waterfall stones level on all sides to give a good push off of the rock. They then foam in their control stones so that it pushes all of the water over the desired falls to create beautiful waterfalls!
Want to be featured in the next A-O Pro Tip Video?
Do you have some unique and help tips and tricks on installing water features? We’re looking for the next A-O Pro to be featured in our video series and we want to visit you! Tell us what upcoming water feature builds you have planned and what A-O Pro tips you have for us and we’ll send someone from the Atlantic-OASE team out to video you and your work!
Contact your Regional Sales Manager to learn more on the A-O Pro Series. Not sure who your Regional Sales Manager is? Contact us at marketing@atlantic-oase.com.
Stay tuned for more A-O Pro Tips here on the blog and don’t forget to follow us on Instagramand subscribe to our YouTube so you don’t miss out on all the Learn From The A-O Pro’s videos!
About the Author:
Caitlyn Winkle
After graduating from the University of Akron, Caitlyn joined Atlantic-OASE in the fall of 2019. Caitlyn manages the social media and online content for the company. She also supports the Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractor (APC) Program and Marketing Departments in creating marketing and advertising strategies and plans.
Can you recall a time when you’ve hiked through the woods a deer grazing just 500 feet ahead of you? Or have seen a butterfly perched precariously on a fallen branch? Maybe caught a glimpse of a fox scuttling through your backyard? These are moments that sometimes we wish we had a camera to take a quick picture so that we can savor that moment for years to come, i.e., post it on Instagram. Nature Photography Day embodies not only getting out your camera and getting your Ansel Adams on, but learning how to conserve the natural spaces around you so that wildlife can flourish and be enjoyed for generations to come. June 15th celebrates the photographer in all of us, whether you are a seasoned vet or a beginner, capturing nature at work through a lens is a whole new experience, and it’s closer than you think, try your backyard.
Attract Wildlife with Your Water Feature
So, what does Nature Photography Day have to do with water features? Well, where’s there’s water, there’s wildlife. This is a chance to incorporate what you already know about water features and extending that knowledge with conservation. It’s as simple as adding wildlife friendly plants to your water garden. So, if you’re looking to add a little National Geographic to your backyard, here are some helpful plants to get you started:
Arrowhead – Arrowhead is a great food source for deer, waterfowl and birds, this plant can grow up to 3ft tall and it also provides shoreline erosion protection.
Blue Lobelia – With spikes of blue flowers that bloom in late summer, it attracts hummingbirds in the fall. This plant does well in shade and can grow up to 3ft in height.
Coontail – Named after it’s raccoon tail like appearance, it’s a great plant for reducing problematic algae as it takes in phosphorus from the water. This plant does need to be managed so it doesn’t take over the pond.
Joe Pye Weed – As a pollinator attractor, this plant blooms in late summer and produces beautiful clusters of pink flowers. On cool September nights, you may be able to spot some bumblebees roosting on the flower heads. This plant can grow up to 6ft in height and tends to do better in full sun.
Marsh Milkweed – Milkweed is a common butterfly attractor so it’s no surprise that the Marsh Milkweed attracts Monarch butterflies and caterpillars! This plant blooms pink clusters of flowers with a delicate scent. Be prepared, they grow quick, and their blooming cycle is from June to August, they can grow up to 5ft in height.
For more information about what plants attract which wildlife, please visit the link here.
Capturing Wildlife Through a Lens
One of the best ways to capture nature is to just go out with your camera and start taking photos. It can start off being of the plants that surround your pond to the general landscape itself. Who knows, you may catch a few bumblebees in your shot or a cardinal or two. Those are what Bob Ross likes to call “happy little accidents”. Trust me, it’s hard to plan when nature will present itself to you especially when you have a camera in hand. But there are ways to help aid that. A sure way to see some action is to set up a trail camera, they are a great way to catch some of these hidden gem moments when you aren’t around. You can find an array of budget friendly options on Amazon here.
So how will you be spending Nature Photography Day? Happy snapping and share with us some of your favorite photos of nature at work!
For more tips on photography, visit our blog! Read our blog from National Camera Day last year: Capturing the Perfect Water Feature Picture and stay tuned for more photography and videography blogs coming soon!
About the Author:
Leah La Farciola
Like the elusive bigfoot, Leah enjoys the great outdoors. Hiking, biking, attempting to longboard, falling off said longboard, rollerblading, you get the picture. Leah attained a piece of paper from THE Ohio State University that states she can make drawings move on a computer. She is the Multimedia Coordinator for Atlantic-OASE, catch her work on the YouTube.
Welcome to another A-O Pro Tip! For this 4th A-O Pro Tip, Heath Webb, owner of Art of the Yard, shows us alternative ways to lift rocks. This week’s tip for our Learn From The A-O Pro’s series is a quick and helpful way to use your resources when you’re not able to get machinery into the space you’re building your water feature in!
This tip comes from the build in the Sandbox at Atlantic-OASE’s headquarters in Aurora, Ohio. Contractors from Art of the Yard, Alpine Custom Hardscapes and Demi Fortuna, from his own company, August Moon Designs, came to Ohio to dig in the dirt to kick off the start of this new series. After the 5-day building palooza, they created 3 incredible water features including a pond and waterfall feature with a custom copper bowl fire feature, a pond-free waterfall and a formal fountain hardscape.
A-O Tip #4 – Alternative Ways to Lift Rocks with Art of the Yard
In this 4th A-O Pro Tip, Heath Webb shows us how his team at Art of the Yard moves heavy rocks and boulders when their space isn’t big enough to bring their machinery in.
Watch the A-O Pro Tip here!
Heath explains how his team uses underlayment to carry all the heavy rocks to their waterfall when powered equipment is not available. They slide the rocks onto a piece of underlayment and utilize 3 to 4 team members to help carry the rocks into place. The underlayment acts as a sling to help lift and move the boulders without straining or injuring the team members’ backs.
Another great tool Art of the Yard utilizes during this build is a rock dolly to move rocks and boulders long distances. But, if you don’t have access to a rock dolly, the underlayment tip is an easy way to get around it!
Want to be featured in the next A-O Pro Tip Video?
Do you have some unique and help tips and tricks on installing water features? We’re looking for the next A-O Pro to be featured in our video series and we want to visit you! Tell us what upcoming water feature builds you have planned and what A-O Pro tips you have for us and we’ll send someone from the Atlantic-OASE team out to video you and your work!
Contact your Regional Sales Manager to learn more on the A-O Pro Series. Not sure who your Regional Sales Manager is? Contact us at marketing@atlantic-oase.com.
Stay tuned for more A-O Pro Tips here on the blog and don’t forget to follow us on Instagramand subscribe to our YouTube so you don’t miss out on all the Learn From The A-O Pro’s videos!
About the Author:
Caitlyn Winkle
After graduating from the University of Akron, Caitlyn joined Atlantic-OASE in the fall of 2019. Caitlyn manages the social media and online content for the company. She also supports the Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractor (APC) Program and Marketing Departments in creating marketing and advertising strategies and plans.
We’ve got another great tip to share with you from our new, Learn From The A-O Pro’s series! This is a video series hosted by Atlantic-OASE where our water feature contractors share their expertise in the field! We’re collecting all the helpful tips and tricks our contractors gave us while creating their water features and sharing them with you! This week’s A-O Pro Tip: Installing a Copper Bowl with a twist!
This tip comes from the build in the Sandbox at Atlantic-OASE’s headquarters in Aurora, Ohio. Contractors from Art of the Yard, Alpine Custom Hardscapes and Demi Fortuna, from his own company, August Moon Designs, came to Ohio to dig in the dirt to kick off the start of this new series. After the 5-day building palooza, they created 3 incredible water features including a pond and waterfall feature with a custom copper bowl fire feature, a pond-free waterfall and a formal fountain hardscape.
A-O Pro Tip #3 – Installing a Copper Bowl with Art of the Yard
The 3rd A-O Pro Tip of the series comes from Shane Hemphill from Art of the Yard. He explains how to install an Atlantic Copper Fountain Bowl with a unique illusion.
Watch the A-O Pro Tip video here!
Shane wanted to build his water feature with an Atlantic Copper Fountain Bowl flowing partially into the pond and partially on to the patio they created next to the pond. This illusion trick was done by over excavating the pond and creating a false wall inside the pond with wall block and Eco-Blox to set the Copper Fountain Bowl and the patio on top.
By creating a false wall, Art of the Yard was able to create a chamber to hide the Eco-Blox as well as all of the gas and plumbing lines for the Copper Bowl. The wall blocks also create the structure for the pavers or flagstone patio to cantilever over the pond edge. When installing the patio, they added a slight pitch back towards the Copper Bowl to ensure no leaks.
When creating this water feature, it’s possible to either tee off your existing waterfall system from the Skimmer to bring water to the Copper Bowl or install an AquaMax Eco Premium pump or a TT4000 pump into the bottom of the pond to supply water to the Copper Bowl. In this build, Art of the Yard used a TT4000.
This water feature is also unique in that Art of the Yard also attached a custom fire feature to the Atlantic Copper Bowl. The fire feature includes a check valve for protection in case rain or wind puts out the fire. It will automatically cut off the gas supply to create a safe installation.
This fire feature can be ran with propane or natural gas. Contact Art of the Yard to help you design a fire feature to enhance your Copper Bowl.
Want to be featured in the next A-O Pro Tip Video?
Do you have some unique and help tips and tricks on installing water features? We’re looking for the next A-O Pro to be featured in our video series and we want to visit you! Tell us what upcoming water feature builds you have planned and what A-O Pro tips you have for us and we’ll send someone from the Atlantic-OASE team out to video you and your work!
Contact your Regional Sales Manager to learn more on the A-O Pro Series. Not sure who your Regional Sales Manager is? Contact us at marketing@atlantic-oase.com.
Stay tuned for more A-O Pro Tips here on the blog and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube so you don’t miss out on all the Learn From The A-O Pro’s videos!
About the Author:
Caitlyn Winkle
After graduating from the University of Akron, Caitlyn joined Atlantic-OASE in the fall of 2019. Caitlyn manages the social media and online content for the company. She also supports the Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractor (APC) Program and Marketing Departments in creating marketing and advertising strategies and plans.
Create a water feature with ease with Atlantic’s Formal Spillway Project Bundles! You provide the hardscape materials and we’ve got the rest. Atlantic’s Project Bundles include all the Atlantic components you need, ready to be assembled into the water feature of your dreams. Build a beautiful Copper Spillway Bowl water feature using your choice of stone.
Formal Spillway bundles are customizable to your project! Choose your Copper Spillway Bowl from either the Round Copper Bowl or Square Copper. Then, choose the color of your Flexible Basin in either black, grey, or tan.
How to Install
The Copper Spillway Bowl Project Bundles, with two people, should take less than a day to install! We’ve created Quick Install Guides and how to install videos to help walk you through the process.
In our install videos, we show you how to complete this water feature, step by step: preparing the base, building the structure, installing the plumbing and capping the columns. The only exception to our videos is that we dry stack the block, you’ll be gluing your blocks together with construction adhesive according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Watch our how to install video here!
Tools You’ll Need
For the Layout
Markout paint
Tape measure
2-ft level
4-ft level
A straight 2×4
For the Excavation
Wheelbarrow
Shovel
Tamper
Most stone manufacturers recommend setting their stones on a 4″ bed of tamped sand, stone dust or screenings. You’ll need about 8ft³.
For the Stone
Lump hammer or mallet
Grinder or chisel
For the Plumbing
A large wrench (Channellock 16.5″ tongue and groove pliers)
Screwdriver or nut driver
Tubing cutters or PVC saw
For the Hardscape
You will also need your hardscape stone and the manufacturer’s recommended construction adhesive. Atlantic’s Flexible Basins are sized to accommodate the most common engineered stone dimensions. For this installation we chose 4 x 8 x 12 inch blocks, but there are many other options. Our feature took a total of 166 blocks, including 3 that needed to be cut.
Prepare the base according to manufacturer’s guidelines – most recommend a 4″ deep base of level, tamped sand or stone screenings. You’ll need at least a 5 x 6 ft area so there’s room to work. Level and tamp the base material until your footprints no longer leave an imprint. Then, go back and re-level the base.
Building the Reservoir
Lay out guidelines in the base material and start laying the blocks at the front and center. To make our feature more interesting, we set some blocks on edge, which required us building the first two courses simultaneously. We built the front and sides first, leaving the back wall to be measured and marked out before installing.
Measure between the side walls to make sure the walls are 48″ apart. Then, measure your front wall back to mark out a guideline for where your back wall will be placed at 24″. Use your marks as a guide and set the base blocks for the back wall, adjusting as needed. Measure and verify the space inside the walls is exactly 24″ x 48″, as that is how large the space needs to be to ensure the flexible basin will fit snuggly.
Finish the second course. Then, measure the diagonals. If the diagonals are equal, all of the corners are square. Check to make sure your second layer is aligned, level and plumb. Add the third and fourth courses of block next.
Cut a wall stone in half to make two 6″ pieces, set one in the corner of the third course and leave a 6″ wide space, centered 9″ from the corner for the plumbing to pass through the wall. Finish the fourth course by cutting a stone to 3″ and 9″ to allow a whole stone to span the space later.
Installing & Plumbing the Flex Basin
Ensure the base the flexible liner will be sitting on is clean, smooth and free of debris. The weight of the water could damage the liner if there are any sharp objects in the base material.
Remove the reverse-threaded nut on the bulkhead fitting, turning clockwise. Remove the rigid slip ring, leaving the soft rubber gasket in place. Then, insert the bulkhead fitting into the pre-punched cutout from the inside of the hole of the flexible basin. Slip the flange over the the threads of the fitting, then, re-install the reverse-threaded nut, turning counter-clockwise. Tighten by hand adjusting the nut so the points of the nut are vertically up and down. Use a wrench to give the hexagonal nut a final turn.
When fully tightened, the top and bottom of the nut should be parallel to the top of the block. This will lock the nut in place. If the nut isn’t aligned like this, the bulkhead fitting will not sit properly between the blocks.
Install the preformed Flex Basin in the reservoir. Ensure the bulkhead fitting assembly fits in the space between the blocks of the third course. Cap the space with one whole block and the 3″ cut block to finish the fourth course and set blocks on the flaps of the flexible basin to temporarily hold it in place.
Apply the silicone to the threads of the small tee assembly and screw it into the bulkhead fitting. Temporarily align the side-outlet of the tee sideways for easier access to the Cord Seal Fitting, which allows you to pass a pump or light cord through the plumbing and back out again without leaking. To install the Cord Seal Fitting, disassemble and slip the rubber gasket around the pump cord, smooth sides towards rubber and the halves with the molded-in nuts towards the tee. Be sure to align the inner and outer halves at 90° to each other and then start the screws. Push the Cord Seal Fitting into the tee.
For the neatest installation, slide the rubber coupling on the pump discharge over the tee and snug up the pump cord, pulling any excess cord back through the bulkhead fitting. Then, tighten the screws on the Cord Seal Fitting alternating from one side to the other for even tightening, firmly but not excessively. The gasket will expand around the cord and into the tee, creating a leak-proof seal.
Re-orient the side-outlet of the tee and Cord Seal Fitting downwards and tighten the rubber coupling to complete the inner plumbing.
Begin filling the basin with water, working out the wrinkles on the floor and corners. As the water rises, pull up on the flaps to eliminate any wrinkles on the walls and, test the flaps for fit by folding them down flush onto the top of the walls. Stop filling the basin when the water reaches the bottom of the bulkhead fitting, or it will spill over.
To eliminate wrinkles, set each block to overhang a little more to the inside and pull the liner tight as you slide each block back until they overhang evenly. The liner flaps leave the edge of the block uncovered so, you can apply a continuous bead of adhesive to secure the caps. Apply a blob of adhesive into each cut out to secure the flaps.
Continue building up the columns to the eighth course. Then move to the back side of the wall to finish the remainder of the plumbing work.
Slide a male thread adapter over the pump cord, apply silicone to the threads and install the adapter in the bulkhead fitting. Then, measure and cut a piece of pipe to extend from the male thread adapter to the back of the wall. Slide the section of cut pipe over the pump cord and glue into the male thread adapter. Next, slide a tee over the cord and glue that to the section of pipe, aligning the side-outlet of the tee towards the center of the back wall.
Glue a 4 foot section of flex pipe into the side outlet of the tee, oriented upwards. We will cut this pipe to the final length when we attach it to the Copper Bowl.
Check to make sure that the area behind your reservoir wall is still tamped and level to build the back of the double wall to conceal the pipe. Start by placing the end blocks next to the columns, turned 90° from the back wall to create a 4 inch space for the plumbing. Add a second block turned sideways under the bulkhead fitting to avoid making cuts to your block.
In the third course, leave a space for the cord and access to the Cord Seal Fitting for future pump replacement. Turn a fourth block sideways to accommodate the space you just created. Continue building the fourth course.
When you reach the height of the capped reservoir wall, cap the back wall as well. Use a cut stone near the center to allow the pipe to pass.
Carefully center 4 blocks on the caps of the double wall to create the back column around the pipe. Build up the second and third courses but, don’t glue down the front block in the third course. You’ll need to leave it loose to attach the Copper Bowl.
Cap all of the columns to overhang evenly on all sides but, do not glue down the caps for the center column. The center column will need a single block cut to 10 inches to accommodate the pipe.
Set the Copper Bowl upside down on a piece styrofoam or cardboard packing to finish the plumbing. Apply silicone to the threads of the included plug and install the plug in the off-center inlet at the bottom of the bowl.
If you would like to add a light to the inside of the Copper Bowl, silicone in a 1.5″ male thread adapter and a Cord Seal Fitting into the off-center inlet instead of the provided plug. Atlantic’s Color Changing Ring Lights make a great addition to the Copper Spillway Bowls.
Cut a 4 inch long piece of pipe and glue it in to a male thread adapter. Then, install the male thread adapter with silicone into the center inlet in the bottom of the Copper Bowl. Place the rubber coupling over the short section of pipe and tighten to secure. Remove the unglued stones and cut the pipe back to the bottom of the capped stones. Carefully set the Copper Bowl on the remaining caps and slide the rubber coupling over the supply pipe. Align the Copper Bowl and securely tighten the rubber coupling. Lastly, replace the loose blocks and top off the reservoir to complete your installation.
Plug in the pump and enjoy your beautiful new Atlantic water feature!
Be sure to check out our YouTube for videos on the other Formal Spillway Project Bundles and read more on the blog!
About the Author:
Caitlyn Winkle
After graduating from the University of Akron, Caitlyn joined Atlantic-OASE in the fall of 2019. Caitlyn manages the social media and online content for the company. She also supports the Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractor (APC) Program and Marketing Departments in creating marketing and advertising strategies and plans.
