~ jan JJsPond. us wrote:
If you are referring to the wax ring on the toilet base, that is a
static gravity seal and not subject to constant pressure.
A filter set-up to AKCA recommendations is also via gravity, not
pressure.

Incorrect. A wax toilet base seal has only momentary water flow through
it when you flush the toilet. There is thousands of pounds of water
weight (pressure) sitting on top of the seal, constantly expanding and
shrinking as the temperature changes in your pond. This expansion and
contraction will result in a leak in the bottom drain fitting to pond
liner connection over time and make your life complicated.


There is nothing more aggravating that to drain your pond for spring
or fall
cleanout and find that a leaking bottom drain has saturated the
earth
with water.

With a bottom drain to filter, there is no need for spring or fall
drain
and clean out of the pond. All muck is pulled into the pre-filter and
is
removed from there. No need to disturb the fish, plants, beneficial
bacteria and fuzz algae.

This is not true. Even with a perfectly operating bottom drain you WILL
get an accumulation of muck and debris. That is unless you have NO
gravel or rocks on the pond liner bottom. If your pond liner is just
that, slick as a baby's butt, then a bottom drain that doesn't leak
will do what you say. However, most people have rocks and gravel in the
bottom of their ponds and there is no way in a heck a bottom drain is
going to keep your pond muck free. You need to perform spring and fall
maintenance. (Start-up and Winterization)


That water then causes the rubber liner to have huge
pockets of trapped water that bubble up the liner and cannot be
fixed
without pulling the entire liner out and pumping the water out of
the
hole and resealing the drain and fitting the liner again. DO NOT USE
BOTTOM DRAINS WITH LINERS

The above is Aquascape Mantra. Those of us schooled in koi ponds try
our
best to inform water garden hobbyists, that the infra-structure
recommended
in koi ponds, make water gardens all the more low-maintenance.

So who do you believe? The marketing rep. or the certified KHA,
schooled
and tested on AKCA recommended way? ~ jan

1. I am not a marketing rep. I am a 55 year old retired engineer from
the Federal Aviation Administration. I built the website for my
daughter and son-in-law at www.pondkoi.com. Go down to the opening
page, and look for their signatures (Wes and Melissa) and you will see
a link to a picture of my brand new granddaughter less than 1 month
old. "Sorry, 1st grandchild and couldn't help the shameless plug to
have you look at the most beautiful child in the World." This is a
family effort from educated and experienced people.

2. Wes (my son-in-law) has been building ponds for years and was
Aquasquapes #1 installer in the state of Michigan, and I think in the
top 10 in the USA before he decided to stop using some of the marginal
products they sell and ended his affiliation with them and went on his
own way. Yes, Aquascapes is the largest pond supplier and educator in
the business. Their growth has been phenomenal. Their 20 steps to
building a pond does not even suggest a bottom drain. However, as they
have grown, they are competing in the marketplace by cheapening the
quality, and offering some products that just won't work no matter
what you do with them.

3. We do not say that ALL bottom drain applications are bad. "Just
the ones using a pond liner." We even have a section devoted to other
people's ponds and we feature one with a bottom drain that belongs to
the President of the Midwest Pond and Koi Society.
http://www.pondkoi.com/opp_0001.htm Bob's system is very nice.

4. Basically, you are an Aquascapes trained clone and in time you will
learn on your own with trial and error how to do things right as you
mature in the business. Wes also started out like you, believing
Aquasacpes was God.

5. For the average home pond or watergarden you should not use a bottom
drain. If you want to use something other than a pond liner, then go
for it. Also be prepared to spend lots more money to get the job done.

Regards,

Paul
www.pondkoi.com