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.
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 Stainless Steel Spillway using your choice of stone.
Formal Spillway bundles are customizable to your project! Choose your Spillway color from either the Stainless Steel or Copper Finish Spillway. Then, choose the color of your Flexible Basin in either black, grey, or tan.
How to Install
The Stainless Steel Spillway 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 208 blocks, including 4 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 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 the walls and columns. For our installation, we made a framed panel of contrasting block set vertically, edges front and staggered. At the top panel, in the fifth course, set the 24″ Stainless Steel Spillway in place of the two center blocks. Use silicone, not adhesive, to adhere the Spillway to the blocks to allow removal in the future if desired.
Build the columns up one more layer, to 11 courses, then cap the top of the back wall, the Spillway and the columns with contrasting colored stones.
Completing the Plumbing
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.
Dissemble and reassemble a Cord Seal Fitting around the pump cord into the end of the tee. Once the Cord Seal Fitting has been installed, the pump cord will have successfully passed through the wall of the reservoir, inside the plumbing, then out again, leak-free.
To finish installing the plumbing, apply silicone to a male thread adapter and install it into the Spillway. Measure and cut a short section to extend out from the male thread adapter to the back of the wall. Glue the short section of pipe into the male thread adapter and then glue an elbow, pointing downwards, to the end of the short section of pipe. Glue the remaining long section of pipe to the elbow, measure the length needed to reach the tee and cut the pipe to length. Lastly, glue the end of the pipe into the tee to complete the plumbing.
Plug the pump in 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.
The day has come around again to celebrate and raise awareness for our yellow and black buzzing pollinators. Today is World Bee Day, the fourth observance of the holiday, and we’re trying to do our part to help the bees where we can!
With the threat of extinction for bees rising, it’s important to take note of the things we can do as every day people to help protect our pollinators. How can we do more to help the bees you ask? The United Nations lists out so many great and simple ways we as individuals, as beekeepers and farmers and higher-up decision-makers on how we can help keep the bee off the extinction list.
What Can I Do To Help The Bees?
As an individual, here are a few things you can do to “bee” engaged and help protect the bees:
Plant a diverse set of native plants that flower during different times of the year to give bees more food sources
Purchase raw honey from local farmers
Avoid using pesticides, fungicides or herbicides in your personal garden
Protect wild bee colonies when possible
Make a bee water fountain/pollinator fountain
Yes, you read that last one right! Building a fountain in your yard is a great way to help protect the bees.
Foraging honeybees collect water to dilute honey, regulate humidity and cool their hive. You can read more about creating pollinator fountains using the OASE Quintet or by creating shallow rocked areas in a Pond-free waterfall to give bees a perfect spot to rest and get a drink in our blog: Add a Water Feature and Save the Bees.
Because fountains and pond water is chlorine free, bees will choose your water feature to get the clean water they need to survive. If there’s a source of water that stays constant, they might chose to make their hive nearby.
This year, because of COVID-19, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is organizing a virtual event under the theme “Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees” to help prioritize the protection of bees. You can see information on the virtual event at fao.org/world-bee-day.
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.
Continuing our new series, Learn From The A-O Pro’s! We have a new A-O Pro Tip video for the series 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! Our second A-O Pro Tip: hiding Atlantic FallsFoam in your water features!
Today’s tip is another great video from the build here in the Atlantic-OASE Sandbox with contractors from Art of the Yard, Alpine Custom Hardscapes, Demi Fortuna, owner of August Moon Designs. Ryan Winter from Alpine Custom Hardscapes is the star of the tip today!
A-O Pro Tip #2 – Hiding FallsFoam in Water Features
Our second A-O Pro Tip of the series comes from Ryan Winter, owner of Alpine Custom Hardscapes in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He shows us a great tip when using Atlantic FallsFoam.
Watch the A-O Pro Tip here!
Ryan explains a simple but great tip for hiding the FallsFoam in your waterfall. He tells us to let the foam get a little tacky after spraying it down, then spread and pat down dirt over top of the foam to get the dirt to stick to the foam. When the waterfall is turned on, the water will wash away the excess dirt and leave a natural look of dirt in the waterfall stream.
*Reminder* Be careful while using FallsFoam – ALWAYS use eye protection and WEAR GLOVES! Foam Gun Cleaner LF1325 will dissolve foam only while foam is still wet. Once dry, FallsFoam is VERY difficult to remove from skin and clothes! Also, be sure to clean your Foam Gun with Foam Gun Cleaner when you remove the empty foam can. This will prevent the foam from drying inside the gun which would render it unusable.
Want to be featured in the next A-O Pro Tip Video?
Do you have some unique and helpful 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.
Welcome to our new series, Learn From The A-O Pro’s! 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! Our first A-O Pro Tip: hiding a skimmer on the edge of a pond in a unique way!
Kicking off our first Learn From The A-O Pro’s series set of videos, we’ll show you tips from the build in our new Sandbox at Atlantic-OASE’s headquarters in Aurora, Ohio. Contractors from Art of the Yard, Alpine Custom Hardscapes and our very own blog-writer, Demi Fortuna, owner of August Moon Designs, came to Ohio to dig in the dirt. After the 5-day building palooza, they created 3 incredible water features including a pond and waterfall with a custom copper bowl fire feature, a pond-free waterfall and a formal fountain hardscape.
A-O Pro Tip #1 – Hiding a Skimmer
Our first A-O Pro Tip of the series comes from Demi Fortuna, Director of Product Information at Atlantic-OASE and owner of August Moon Designs. He shows us a tip on how to hide an Atlantic Skimmer on the edge of a pond.
Watch the A-O Pro Tip video here!
Demi explains that he would rather not see the skimmer anywhere in the pond so, he shows us how he likes to hide a skimmer by turning it sideways. He turns the skimmer so it’s perpendicular to the viewpoints from the pond, directing the water to come into the skimmer from the side. By doing this, you can accelerate the water coming in the skimmer due to the narrower channel.
When you install a skimmer sideways, it’s important to make sure you have enough liner to go around the skimmer. Once positioned, you can start rocking around the skimmer. Then, Atlantic Rock Lids come into play. Place the Rock Lid on top of the rocks that have capped the skimmer. Atlantic Rock Lids look great when placed on top of other rocks to blend in better. With this tip, you’ll never see the skimmer face at all!
Want to be featured in the next A-O Pro Tip Video?
Do you have some unique and helpful 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.
You have so many options to choose from when it comes to adding plants to your pond and in honor of today being Iris Day, consider adding these iris-istible flowers to your pond! These beautiful flowers come in a range of colors and varieties that make for an eye catching addition to any pond!
Types of Irises
Water irises are semi-aquatic or bog plants that grow best in shallow water. Several types of irises will also grow in wet soil along the edge of the pond or in wet soil as well.
I’ve listed some of the different varieties of irises below! If you’d like to learn more about each variation of the beautiful irises I picked out to share in this blog, visit the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox website here!
Rabbit-Ear Iris(Iris laevigata)
Yellow Flag Iris(Iris pseudacorus)
Siberian Iris(Iris sibirica)
Lousiana Iris(Iris Hexagonae)
Kermesina Iris(Iris versicolor)
Plant Care
True water irises grow best with water over their crown throughout the year and irises love full sunlight! Irises bloom in the spring or early summer, depending on the climate.
And the great thing about irises is that they’re a perennial and will bloom again the following year! What better plant to add to your water garden this year? (Or to gift your mom for Mother’s Day tomorrow.) I know if I had to choose one, I really love the bright purple irises like the Siberian Iris!
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.
Introducing the latest project happening at Atlantic-OASE: The Learn From The A-O Pro’s Series! In this new series we meet with some of our most valued contractors to learn how they work. We get to see the behind the scenes, in-action, tips and tricks for how they build their water features!
What is The Learn From The A-O Pro’s Program?
The Learn From The A-O Pro’s series is a new video program at Atlantic-OASE where contractors share their expertise in the field. Once a year, we will be selecting contractors to come build in our new SandBox to show us how they create beautiful and unique water features.
Throughout the rest of the year, we want to visit you at your builds! Tell us what awesome projects you have planned and we’ll send someone from the Atlantic-OASE team to come visit you! Big or small water features, we want to video all your tips and tricks for how you build.
Together in a 5-day long demonstration of building techniques, our APC’s (Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractors) created 3 incredible water features. A unique designed hardscape area with combined Atlantic and OASE products. An outstanding Pond-free feature and a one-of-a-kind pond and waterfall showcasing a Copper Bowl with custom fire feature.
We videoed the entire event and grabbed some helpful water feature tips and tricks to share with you! Watch the introduction to our series below. We gathered some of those tips in our first video but, the full version of each tip will be in coming soon in other videos! Visit our Instagram and YouTube for more coming soon!
Want to be an A-O Pro?
Are you a pro at installing Atlantic-OASE products? Do you have some great tips and tricks to share with other contractors? We want you to be an A-O Pro and feature your projects in our next Learn From the A-O Pro’s video! Tell us what upcoming water feature builds you have planned and we’ll send someone from the Atlantic-OASE team out to video you as you work and get some great A-O Tips along the way!
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.
What To Expect?
We want to come out and film you and your team at the job site! What will you expect when a member of that Atlantic-OASE team comes to visit? This is what you can expect for each A-O Pro’s event:
We’ll film video of you and your team working on your water feature project
Film your A-O Pro tips while your project is underway
Shoot photos of the completed water feature
Film a fireside chat with our Atlantic-OASE staff about your business
Along with the photo and video content, which we’ll give to you after we’ve edited it, contractors will also receive:
A complimentary TT-Series Pump or your choice (TT7500 or lower)
A Learn From The A-O Pro’s Series custom jacket
Photo & video content from your build
Social Media exposure for your business
Stay tuned for more blogs on the new Learn From The A-O Pro’s Series and read more great water feature articles here!
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.
April 11th is National Pet Day and we’re celebrating the best way we know how – by showing the internet the cutest furry friends loving their water features!
This pup parading through his new pond
Liquid Landscapes Inc. wrote an article in POND Trade Magazine about building a water feature for his client, Stella, to play in! Read it here.
Because who are we kidding? The real reason we install ponds are for our pets!
Art of the Yard creates ponds for all wildlife, pets included!
Hawksley loved visiting Atlantic’s water garden at the old building in Mantua!
Waterfall loving dogs
Big or small, all of our contractor’s dogs love their waterfalls!
Our Atlantic-OASE Staff have some water feature loving pets too!
Tyson & Moose are some happy and hydrated hounds!
Cooper loves playing in his mini fountain and pond!
Bailey is always hanging by the pond!
Thor treats his fountains as his own personal drinking bowls!
Brewster loves his bubbling fountains!
We hope you celebrate National Pet Day with your furry family members! And if you don’t have a water feature for your pet, give your pet the best National Pet Day gift and install one for them!
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.
