Shishi Odoshi
This is a more complex version of the shishi odoshi or Japanese Deer scarer. The images are in swequence to show the stages in which it was created. The plans for the actual feature are a closely guarded secret however you can own one of these for a reasonable price. This feature is not yet complete as there are other items in the area that need work before it can be completed.
The location of the water feature is a critical part of the planning stages. If you are planning a funn sun water feature, you need gto consider the effect of the sun on the water and the possibility of algae. This can be reduced by the use of a ultra-violet (UV) light, but this option can be costly. From experience I have found that part sun works well, shaded areas work even better. You may even consider planting suitable shade plants around your pond but in doing this you really need to plan and think ahead.
The location I chose for this project is in shade for at least 75% of the day and in an area where it is a suprising feature when you enter the yard as it is not immediatealy visible from the roadside.
Firstly, the site had to be prepared to accept the base pond. This can be done a number of different ways depending on your requirements. In this case I chose to go for a concealed pond to give the illusion of the water disappearing into the ground.
The pond itself must be deep enough to give ample depth for the pump to operate efficiently yet shallow enough to allow you access to clean the pump regularly
This partcular pond is 50 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter.
Once you have the correct depth the pond insert can be put in place. As a trial I used a molded rubber bucket available from any good hardware store. This one has handles on the side that I chose to leave on in the event I need to remove the pond in case of a leak.
You need to make sure that the pond liner (AKA bucket) sits deep enough for any drainage to re-enter the bucket.
The top of the bucket can just be seen at the bottom of this image.
Now that the bucket is frimly in place, a pond liner will need to be placed over the area surrounding the pond bucket. This is to collect any splashes and excess water and return it to the pond bucket.
I used some feature rocks to hold the pond liner in place and a few old bricks at the front to keep the sheet firm but not too tight.
Cut a hole in the pond liner leaving enough overlap on the bucket. This should be no less than 50 m. It may be necessary to cut radial breaks in the liner but each case will be different
This is a good time to test the flow back to the bucket and if necessary build up the underlying surface to necessitate the water return. Ideally you will need a slope of no less than 10:1 to get a good return slope. (for every 10cm of distance a 1 cm drop from horizontal)
The feature now needs to be aligned with the pond. Because this particular feature is directional I am able to ploace it at the ege of the pond. It still needs to be over the pond for any leaks or spillage from the plumbing itself. The rocks provide a suitable mounting area for the feature as does the base of the deck. With the pump in place in the pond, and sufficient water in the pond base, turn on the power and make sure the water flows and any splashes are returned to the pond base.
You can see in this case I have temporarily put the hammer part of the feature in place to locate a suitable position for it.
Once you have the ideal position for the feature, you can now secure it in place. Make sure that there is no movement with the feature otherwise it may direct the water outside the pond collection area and drain the pump. The last thing you want is to drain your pond and burn out the pump.
The next stage proved to be a challenge for me as I needed a base to put the river rocks on. It needed to be strong enough to hold around 20Kg of rock yet light enough to be able to remove it for maintenance, and also had to be rustproof. Enter the salvage store!
I thought long and hard about this one and decided on n aluminium security screen. It was rustproof, lightweight and strong enough to withstand a shark attack (or so the advert claims.
Images of this stage are on their way
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