Eco-Blox Reservoir Installation
Once you have determined the proper basin size for your project, decide on the shape of
the reservoir and the placement of the vault. The vault should be placed away from the
waterfall, where the lid can be accessed easily. Tailor the excavation to the shape of the
reservoir, making the excavation at least 6-8” larger on all sides, with vertical walls to make
installation and backfilling easier. Dig down 18” for the Eco-Blox plus another
2” -
4” for
gravel. Level and tamp the bottom of the excavation. The area under the Pump Vault will
need to be deeper depending on the Vault used. Test fit the Eco-Blox and Vault in the
excavation and mark where the Vault will be located. If using the PV1700 on the outside
of a rectangular reservoir, you may wish to notch into the sidewall of the excavation to fit
the Vault. The PV15000 exactly replaces one Eco-Blox to simplify installation. Following
the mark, excavate an additional 4” for the PV1700, extending the edges of the pocket
created a couple of inches to ensure the bottom of the Vault will sit down completely in the
recess. Tamp the bottom of the pocket. For the PV15000, excavate an additional 7 1/2” and
tamp. This additional depth will recess the Pump Vault lower than the rest of the reservoir,
ensuring that the pump in the Vault will stay submerged. Carefully line the excavation first
with underlayment, then install the EPDM liner. Another layer of underlayment may be
added on top of the liner for greater security before setting the Eco-Blox. The tops of the
Eco-Blox should be level.
NOTE: For best results, install the pump and optional Autofill before installing the Vault
in the reservoir following the instructions in the next sections.
Install the plumbed Vault in the excavation, ensuring it sits properly in the recess. Gather and
fold each layer of underlayment and liner on top of the Eco-Blox as if wrapping a gift. Backfill
the space around the wrapped Eco-Blox and Vault to lock them into place, using sand or
clean fill in 6” layers. Add and compact fill evenly all the way around to avoid pushing the
Eco-Blox out of alignment. Top the liner and basin with ¾” or larger gravel or decorative stone.
Smaller, more decorative gravel, landscape glass, etc. can be used to cover the top of the
basin, provided a mesh with smaller openings is installed beneath the material.
Eco-Blox Small / PV7500 Installation
Because the reservoir should accommodate at least three times the transitional volume,
we always recommend using the Eco-Blox for Pond-free reservoirs. However, there may
be situations where the Eco-Blox SMALL must be used with the PV7500 Pump Vault.
WARNING - Eco-Blox Small hold only half the volume of full-size Eco-Blox. With only half
as much water stored, there is a much greater chance of the pump running dry as water
splashes or evaporates.
4
Top of liner
Top of water
Transitional
Water
X
Improper Streambed Construction
Improper construction greatly increases the amount of transitional water. In the example
below stone, gravel and foam are used to create a waterfall. These barriers are never fully
watertight. When the pump is turned off, the water will drain down to the highest point
of the liner. When started, the system will require much more than 3-4” of water to cycle.
More transitional water means a much larger reservoir will be required.
