AquaScape Micro Series Service manual

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MicroSeries
Installation Instructions & Owner’s Manual
• Step-by-step installation
instructions for MicroPond®Kits,
MicroPondless®Waterfall Kits,
MicroSkim®and MicroFalls®
• Helpful Guide for Maintenance
and Seasonal Care MicroPond®Kit
MicroPondless®Kit
Made in U.S.A.
Aquascape, Inc.
St. Charles, IL 60174 • Brampton, ON L6T 5V7
www.aquascapeinc.com
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2
MicroSeries
Installation & Maintenance Instructions
We’ve scaled down the professional
version of these filters in order to
meet the needs and desires of the
do-it-yourself pond enthusiast. The
MicroSeries pond filtration systems
work in harmony with Mother Nature,
and never against her.
This means that ‘low-maintenance’
will characterize your water gardening
experience because Mother Nature
will be doing 98% of the maintenance
work for you. If you have further
questions, feel free to check out
www.aquascapeinc.com.
This booklet contains the instruc-
tions for all MicroSeries units. The
MicroPond®system is designed to
have a waterfall and pond, while the
MicroPondless®system is designed
to have a waterfall disappearing
into a bed of gravel, i.e. “Pondless.”
You’ll find that many of the steps
are the same for both styles of water
gardens. Follow the step-by-step
instructions in the order they are
listed. Skipping steps or changing
the order will create extra work in
the long run. We want to make this
experience as easy as possible,
allowing you to concentrate on the
creativity needed to design your
waterfall. In other words ... stick
to the plan and your water garden
project will turn out to be a beautiful
addition to your landscape!
Congratulations on the purchase of Aquascape’s MicroSeries Pond Filtration system.
Applies to
MicroPondless®Kit System
PD/PL Applies to both MicroPond®
and MicroPondless®kits.
CAUTION. Step varies between kits.
Applies to cases where steps vary between
MicroPond® and MicroPondless®kits.
PD
PL
!
Applies to
MicroPond®Kit System

3
• We suggest
that you
use a
plain, old
garden
hose to
define the
shape of your
new water feature. The
hose is flexible, and can be pushed
and pulled in various shapes. Step
back, evaluate and modify your
design until you have something
that you really like.
• The MicroPond®Kit is available
in three sizes (4’x6’, 6’x8’, and
8’x11’) and the MicroPondless®
Kit is available in one size (4’x6’).
Double check to make sure the
length and width of your layout
does not exceed the amount of
liner required for the pond.
• Be sure to locate your new water
garden close to a patio, deck,
porch, or other hardscape, so
you can sit and relax close to
your pond. Also, keep in mind
viewpoints of the water garden
and waterfalls from inside. Try to
make it visible from the kitchen,
family room, or bedroom for year-
round enjoyment.
• Once you have the water garden
shaped and defined with your
hose, take a can of brightly
colored, highly visible spray paint
and outline the shape (around
the hose) on the grass.
(See fig. 1)
Place MicroSeries lters into position
Lay plumbing
• To eliminate the need for trench-
ing, lay the kink-free pipe in a
place around the perimeter of the
MicroPond®or MicroPondless®
basin. This should be completed
before you begin your excavation
so the soil you remove from the
pond can cover the kink-free pipe,
disguising it from sight.
(See figs. 2 & 3)
Fig. 1 Use a highly visible spray paint and outline the shape on the grass.
STEP 1
Locate & mark out your basin area
• Since the MicroFalls®filter is typi-
cally the main waterfalls, it should
be positioned so it’s facing the
main viewing areas.
• Make sure it is placed close
to the edge of the MicroPond®/
MicroPondless®basin so you
can use the pond liner to con-
nect up to the MicroFalls®filter
– unless you’re adding a stream.
Adding a stream will require the
MicroFalls®to be set further away
from the MicroPond®/MicroPond-
less®basin and will require an
extra section of stream liner. Your
local Aquascape supplier can
help you determine the additional
products required to build longer
streams and waterfalls.
MicroPond®Only: In order to
maximize circulation, the Micro-
Falls®and MicroSkim®are ideally
placed on opposite ends of the
pond, directly across from each
other. (See fig. 2)
Fig. 2 & 3 Ideal placement
for MicroFalls®, MicroSkim®
and plumbing.
PD/PL
STEP 2
PD/PL
STEP 3
PD/PL

4
Fig. 4 Attach bulkhead fitting.
Fig. 5 Bulkhead assembly.
Barbed
Fitting
Nut
Plastic
Washer
Rubber
Gasket
Bulkhead
Fig. 6 Level the MicroFalls®side to side as well as front to back.
Fig. 7 Finished bulkhead assembly.
• The rst step is to install the bulk-
head fitting in the hole provided
in the back of the MicroFalls®. The
rubber washer should be located
on the inside of the MicroFalls®.
Tighten the nut on the outside until
the rubber washer begins to bulge.
This should only be approximately
one turn past hand-tight. Be
careful not to over tighten the
nut, which could possibly crack
the bulkhead. Please note that
the bulkhead fitting is reverse
threaded. So, in other words,
turn the nut counterclockwise to
tighten! (See figs. 4 & 5)
• Now install the barb tting
included with your kit into the
bulkhead fitting. A PVC slip fitting
has also been included in case you
are using flexible PVC pipe. Use
some of the silicone sealant to coat
the threads of the fitting, in order
to help provide a watertight seal.
• Now it’s time to position the Micro-
Falls®in the desired location.
• The MicroFalls®should be set at
or slightly below the grade of the
yard. Simply remove a section of
sod or a few inches of soil in order
to create a firm foundation for
the MicroFalls®to sit. Design tip
- Keep the waterfall to the scale
of the yard! The goal should be to
create the perception that Mother
Nature herself has constructed
the waterfall. Avoid creating a
“volcanic look” by trying to raise
the MicroFalls®in a flat backyard.
• Be sure to compact the area
beneath the MicroFalls®box using
a hand tamper or some other heavy
flat object that can be pounded
onto the soil. This will help prevent
any future settling.
• Use a 2’ bubble level in order
to make sure your MicroFalls®
is properly set into position. Your
MicroFalls®should be level from
side-to-side and tilt forward ¼ of a
bubble on a 2’ level. This will make
sure the water comes over the front
of the MicroFalls®and covers the
entire spillway.
(See fig. 6)
• The lter is now ready for the
kink-free pipe and hose clamp to
be slipped onto the pipe fitting.
The connection is designed to be
tight and it may take some force
to get the pipe on the barb fitting.
Twisting the pipe clockwise may
help thread the pipe onto the
fitting. Have someone hold the
MicroFalls®in place in order to
prevent it from shifting out of level.
Once installed, the hose clamp can
be tightened to secure the pipe on
the fitting. (See figs. 5 & 7)
• Double check to make sure the
MicroFalls®is still level after
installing the plumbing.
Hook up and level the MicroFalls®
STEP 4
PD/PL

18”
18”
6”
24” Deep Area for MicroSnorkel™Vault and
MicroCentipede™Module
5
Fig. 10 Soil backfilled around the MicroFalls®helps hide the filter
and creates a planting berm.
Fig. 9 Excavate the deep area of the basin.
Fig. 8 First, dig entire basin to 18” depth.
Excavate your MicroPondless® basin
The shape and depth
• Digging is very labor-intensive,
so pace yourself and get some
friends and family to help you.
• We suggest excavating the basin
no more than 24” deep. This
depth provides the proper water
volume in the basin to operate the
waterfalls. (See figs. 8 and 9)
• All of the soil removed from the
excavation can be spread and
compacted around the Micro-
Falls®, creating a berm. The filter
should be completely surrounded
by soil by the end of the project.
(See fig. 10)
Leveling the edges
• One of the most important parts
of the excavation is getting the
perimeter of the basin level. An
excellent tool for this is a 2x4 set
across the basin. Set a 4-foot
bubble level on the 2x4 to make
sure the perimeter of the basin
is level. We recommend using a
transit or sight level on larger
projects. Check your progress
several times while digging.
• Re-check all your measurements,
including length and width of ba-
sin, plant shelf depth, and overall
basin depth.
STEP 5
Excavate your MicroPond®basin
The shape and depth
• Digging is very labor intensive,
so pace yourself and get some
friends and family to help you.
• We suggest excavating the pond
no more than 18-24” deep. This
depth provides the proper water
levels required for aquatic plants
and is deep enough to keep
fish alive during winter. See the
maintenance section for more
information on caring for fish.
• The excavation should be dug with
a series of shelves. The shelves
will add stability to the walls of
the pond and will also create
planting beds for different types
of aquatic plants.
• The rst shelf should be about
8-10” down (See fig. 11), or the
height of a standard shovel.
• The second is typically down
another 8-10”. (See fig. 12)
• The third shelf (if desired) will be
excavated down another 6”
(See fig. 13), reaching a final
excavation of 24”.
Fig. 12 Dig second shelf one shovel depth
and start excavation of skimmer hole.
Fig. 11First, dig entire pond one
shovel depth.
STEP 5
Fig. 13 Dig the pond to its max depth and finish
excavation of the skimmer hole.
0
PD
PL
!
!

Viewing Area
(Patio, Deck or Lawn)
2” to 3”
6
• All of the soil removed from the
excavation can be spread and
compacted around the Micro-
Falls®, creating a berm. The filter
should be completely surrounded
by soil by the end of the project.
(See fig. 10 on previous page)
Design spaces for plants
• Design your shelves wider in areas
where you wish to place aquatic
plants. (See fig. 14)
• Marginal and bog plants require
a water depth up to about 10”,
so the top shelf is a perfect
location for these plants.
(See fig. 14)
• Water lilies will vary according to
species, but a depth of 12-24” at
the crown works best, so the sec-
ond shelf or bottom of the pond
will work great for the lilies.
(See fig. 14)
• To make planting lilies easier, add
a few ‘lily pockets.’ These pockets
are simply depressions or bowls
cut into the soil 6-8” deep and
10-16” in diameter. The goal is
to create a natural looking pond,
and this is possible only if plant
pots are eliminated or completely
hidden. (See fig. 14)
Leveling the edges
• One of the most important parts
of the excavation is getting the
perimeter of the pond level and
setting the level of the water. An
excellent tool for this is a 2x4
set across the pond. Set a 4-foot
bubble level on the 2x4 to make
sure the perimeter of the pond
is level. We recommend using a
transit or sight level on larger
projects. Check your progress
several times while digging.
• It is typical to set the water level
2- 3” below the main viewing
area (patio, deck, etc.). This will
bring the water level of the pond
up close to the edge of the pond
without going over the sides.
(See fig. 15)
• Rough out an excavated area for
the MicroSkim®. Simply dig a hole
18” wide by 21” long (the outline
of the skimmer) and 18” below
the desired water level.
(See fig. 13)
• The skimmer should be excavated
down to a depth so that the pro-
posed water level in the pond is
approximately ¾” below the top of
the opening of the skimmer.
• Re-check all your measurements,
including length and width of
pond, plant shelf depth,
and overall pond depth.
Fig. 14 Pond excavation - side view of plant pockets.
Fig. 15 Set water level 2” - 3” below viewing area.
Excavate your MicroPond®cont...
1st plant and rock shelf: shelf
varies 8” or greater wide, 1” to
12” deep
Set 6” to 12” size
cobblestones on verti-
cal edges. Gravel on
all horizontal surfaces
2nd plant &
rock shelf: 16”
to 20” deep
Plant pocket 6” to 8” deep,
10” to 16” diameter
Water line
Marginal plants should be
removed from containers and
placed directly into the gravel
Liner ends 1” to 2”
outside of pond
Mulch

Ideal Water Level
3/4” Below
7
Fig. 17 Place The MicroSnorkel™Vault and MicroCentipede™
Module on top of the liner.
• Remove any sharp objects from
the excavated hole that may dam-
age the liner.
• Unfold the underlayment fabric
and place it into your excavated
MicroPondless®/MicroPond®
basin. Starting from the bottom,
remove the slack from the under-
layment, making sure it conforms
into all of the elevations.
• Now place the EPDM sh-safe
liner on top of the underlayment.
• The installation process is the
same as the underlayment,
starting at the bottom and
contouring the liner up and
out of the MicroPondless®/
MicroPond®basin. (See fig. 16)
• Try to get the large folds out, but
the main goal is to make sure
that it’s lying flat and going into
all corners. Don’t try to get it
perfect—you will hide the liner
with rocks and gravel later.
• Make sure the liner is high enough
around the edges of the Micro-
Pondless®/MicroPond®basin.
This should not be a problem if
you measured out the pond and
excavated it correctly. Problems can
be fixed by readjusting the liner into
the excavation, backfilling (making
the MicroPondless®/ MicroPond®
basin smaller) in areas where there
is not enough liner, or simply buying
a larger liner.
Install underlayment and liner
Fig. 16 Place the liner on top of the underlayment, following the same
installation procedures. Make sure liner is positioned in such a way that
allows it to extend and completely cover the opening on the MicroFalls®.
You’re getting off easy on this
step if you are installing the
MicroPondless®system. Simply
place the MicroSnorkel™Vault and
MicroCentipede™Module back into
their proper positions on top of the
liner. (See fig. 17)
Installing the MicroSnorkel™ Vault
and MicroCentipede™ Module
Set up and level
the MicroSkim®
• You’ve already roughed out a hole
approximately 21”(l) x 18” (w) x
18” (h) deep during the excavation
phase. Use a 2’ bubble level in
order to make sure your MicroSkim®
is properly set into position. Your
MicroSkim®should be level from
side to side and front to back.
• Install the bulkhead tting into the
overflow hole. Refer if needed back
to the steps under the “Hookup and
Level MicroFalls®” section for details
on installing the bulkhead fitting.
(See fig. 4 & 5) THIS NEEDS TO BE
DONE BEFORE THE SKIMMER IS
SET INTO PLACE, OTHERWISE YOU
CANNOT TIGHTEN THE BULKHEAD
FITTING.
• Make sure skimmer is set so the
desired water level in the pond is
approximately ¾" below the top of
skimmer opening. (See fig. 18)
Attaching the
MicroSkim® faceplate
• Position the liner against the
MicroSkim®opening, making sure
there is slack below the opening.
This will help reduce tension on the
faceplate when placing boulders in
front of the unit.
• Mark the outer perimeter of the
MicroSkim®opening on the liner,
then mark a second box 1.5” inside
of it. This insures that you don’t
cut too much of the liner, which
would result in a possible leak.
(See fig. 19)
• The hole located in the back of the
MicroSkim®is for the overflow. The
overflow will help maintain the
maximum water level in the pond
after rainfall, ensuring that your
skimmer works properly and water
does not travel over the edges of
the liner and cause problems with
hydrostatic pressure.
Installing the MicroSkim®
Front of Skimmer
Soil Level
on 1st
Shelf
Fig. 18 Cross section
of ideal water level viewed
from front of skimmer.
STEP 6
PD/PL
STEP 7
PL
STEP 7
0
PD
!
!

8
Add rock and gravel
Rocking in the
Pondless®Waterfall
• Add 1 ½” to 2” size gravel into the
basin up to the side of the basin.
(See fig. 25)
• A nishing layer of decorative
gravel can be added to the top
if desired.
• Set larger boulders (6” – 18”)
around the perimeter to sup-
port the edges of the basin. The
plumbing from the MicroFalls®
filter should be brought over
a slightly lowered edge of the
liner and to the location of the
MicroPondless® Vault. Boulders
and gravel can be used to hide
the plumbing. (See fig. 26)
Fig. 26 Placement of MicroSnorkel™
Vault and MicroCentipede™Module
within basin.
Fig. 20 Place skimmer faceplate
through liner and place into
skimmer for alignment.
• Cut the inner box using a pair of
scissors, and insert the skimmer
faceplate into the hole.
(See fig. 20)
• Make sure MicroSkim®faceplate
is in the upright position.
(See fig. 21)
• Temporarily install the faceplate
and liner to the skimmer using
two screws in the upper corners.
Using an awl or nail poke the
first hole in the liner all the way
through to the inside of the filter
box. Be careful not to dam-
age the threads on the nut
inserts when punching the
holes with the awl! Remove
the awl or nail while holding the
faceplate and liner in place and
begin threading one of the
screws into filter. Repeat this
process for the other screw.
(See fig. 22)
• Now remove the faceplate from
the skimmer, keeping the screws
installed through the faceplate
and liner.
• Apply a bead of sh-safe silicone
sealant around the skimmer
opening, over the nut inserts.
Pre-installing the two screws in
the earlier steps will make it easy
to line up the skimmer faceplate
after the silicone is applied and
will keep the silicone in as thick
of a bead as possible.
(See fig. 23)
• Replace the skimmer faceplate
and the two corner screws, and
then proceed with the bottom two
corners (See fig. 24). Make sure
the holes in the faceplate that
the weir flap clicks into are on
the bottom.
• With the 4 corners secured, you
may now punch the remaining
holes with your awl and thread in
all the screws. Again, be careful
not to damage the threads on the
nut inserts.
• Let dry for at least one hour before
introducing water!
Note: Power tools are not recom-
mended for installing the screws
and may strip the nut inserts.
Fig. 22 Using an awl, poke holes
through the liner at screw holes; tem-
porarily screw top corners into place.
Fig. 24 Carefully replace the
skimmer faceplate into the silicone
lined opening.
Fig. 23 After alignment remove face-
plate and apply silicone sealant.
Installing the MicroSkim®cont...
Fig. 25 Add gravel into the basin.
STEP 8
PL
Fig. 21 Skimmer faceplate is
properly placed when hinge is on the
bottom.
!
Fig. 19 Mark the skimmer opening
on liner and cut an area 1.5” inside
that mark.

9
• You can expect to use several tons
of stone and gravel for your water
feature. Talk to your Aquascape
dealer for help choosing the
quantity and sizes of stone
and gravel.
Rocking in the pond
• Start from the bottom and set the
largest character boulders first
against the vertical walls, then
stack the smaller boulders on top.
(See fig. 27)
• Be careful when placing any large
boulders so you don’t damage
the liner.
• The opening on the front of the
MicroSkim®can be hidden by
placing boulders on either side
and bridging a stone across,
creating a cave effect.
Note: Make sure the boulders
do not block the waterflow into
the skimmer.
• Cover all remaining at surfaces
with a couple inches of decora-
tive gravel. This will help lock the
boulders in place, as well as cover
the remaining liner, protecting it
from ultraviolet rays, and giving
bacteria a place to colonize, not
to mention it just looks better.
• This is also a good time to add
lilies to the plant pockets. Remove
the lily from the pot and place it
into the lily pocket. Top-dress the
lily with a layer of gravel to hold
the soil into place. Lilies, if not
on hand at this time, can be
added after the pond is filled.
(See fig. 28)
Fig. 28 Loose gravel should be
placed in around the lily to keep
the soil from being stirred up in the
pond after the water is added.
Fig. 27 Starting at the bottom set the largest character boulders first then
fill in with the smaller ones.
Wash rocks and gravel
Wash the rock and gravel down in
order to remove the dust and dirt.
Use the pump provided with the
kit attached to a scrap section of
kink-free pipe. The pump can be
temporarily set in the MicroSkim®or
MicroSnorkel™Vault, and the water
discharged to a drainage area in
the yard.
STEP 8
0
PD
STEP 9
PD/PL
!

10
Hooking up the pump and plumbing
The MicroPondless®and MicroPond®
utilize the same style pump and
plumbing fittings. Connect the
pump plumbing kit to the pump and
tighten all clamps before lowering into
the MicroSkim®or MicroSnorkel™Vault.
The plumbing assembly includes a
threaded union disconnect that
will allow you to remove the pump
when needed.
MicroPond®- The following steps are
specific to the MicroSkim®. Skip down if
you are hooking up the pump in a
MicroSnorkel™Vault.
• The MicroSkim®has two holes on ei-
ther side of the unit for the plumbing
to travel to the MicroFalls®. Choose
the plumbing hole that is most
convenient. The pipe simply passes
through the opening on either side
of the MicroSkim®.(See fig. 29)
• The pump’s electrical cord can be set
in the slot located in the back, top
edge of the skimmer.
Fig. 30 Overow detail
Fig. 29 Plumbing exit holes
Overow
Exit Hole
Fill up the MicroPondless®or
MicroPond®basin with water. The
MicroPond®should be filled just
below the level of the overflow in the
MicroSkim®. The MicroPondless®is
typically filled to a point just below
the gravel.
Note: We recommend adding EcoSys-
tems®EcoStarter™to dechlorinate
and properly condition city water prior
to introducing fish to your MicroPond®.
See owner’s manual section for tips on
adding fish to the pond.
Add water
MicroPondless®- The kink-free
pipe from the MicroFalls®can
be trimmed to proper length and
inserted through the slot on the
side of the MicroSnorkel™Vault.
Insert the barbed fitting on the
end of the plumbing assembly into
the kink-free pipe and tighten the
clamp. The cord from the pump
can be buried just beneath the
stone and gravel and run over to
the electrical supply.
STEP 10
PD/PL
STEP 11
PD/PL
Overow Installation
• Now install the barb tting and
clamp included with your kit into
the bulkhead fitting. Use some of
the silicone sealant to coat the
threads of the fitting, in order to
help provide a water-tight seal.
A PVC slip fitting has also been
included in case you are using
flexible PVC pipe.
• Attach and trench a section of kink-
free pipe into place (3’ minimum).
Create a drainage area at the end
of the pipe by excavating a small
pit, roughly 16” in diameter and
at least 12” deep. Fill the pit with
excess gravel. This will allow water
in an overflow situation to flow
through the pipe and drain away
from the pond. (See fig. 30)
• A layer of scrap underlayment
fabric, soil or sod can be added to
cover the drainage area.