Thanks Kenny! You gave me some great explanation and advice. I actually had wondered about making a tiny pool in the back of the scoop too. There's a You Tube video about making your own waterfall box with a certain storage container that he got from Lowes. It has a front on it that is lower than the other walls on it. I may consider that too, since it's pretty cheap. I can't remember if he made a slanted shelf in the front though.....which I'm thinking you need, or it just flows down the front of the box.
Can you think of anything else I could put on the end of a hose that would spread out the flow? I have all this sitting on a very large, flat stone hanging over the edge of the pond......so if I could spread out the flow of water onto that flat stone, I think I might get the effect I want. (Now I have to figure out how to keep that big stone from growing moss/algae like crazy. It looks awful.......but it does act as a great filter!)
Necessity IS the mother of invention! :)
Thanks for your input Kenny. I really appreciate it.

What about a pvc pipe, the width that you need with end caps and a central tee that the water tubing fits onto? You take a drill and a small bit and drill holes in a straight line across the pvc, spaced regularly. That pipe should be hidden under another flat rock (or a few) and would disperse the flow across the length of pvc.

I saw an episode of Yard Crashers that used this method above a vertical mosaic to disperse the water.

I found a few features that use this method. All from Yard Crashers. You can Google for 'Yard Crashers Water Features' to see more.

This one really shows how the water is dispersed.

http://www.diynetwork.com/outdoors/yard-crashers-water-feature-wonderland/pictures/page-21.html

Thanks PKponder! I hadn't thought of that idea, but it's a good one. I was thinking of those flatter/longer sprayers for the ends of hoses that people use for gentleness on some plants, but it wasn't wide enough.
I would probably have to experiment with a couple small sections of PVC pipe and what size holes would work best. Hmmm.....just thought of another idea.........how about a section of a soaker hose?? I don't know if that would put out enough water though.

Catherine, we just place the hose on top of a rock, then place

another flat rock on top of the hose....it flattens out the hose

somewhat and makes the water flow wider...you need to

get just the right weight on the flat rock by experimenting with

different rocks...

look at my videos, the little waterfall in the dog leg was made

with a flat rock on top of the hose.

Thanks Cliff and Joann, What size is your hose? My problem with my hose is that it's probably too small. It's just 1/2". I'll definitely try this if I buy a much bigger pump. What size is your pump? I've seen your pond pics, and they are absolutely gorgeous! Sounds like that's a great solution with a larger hose though! Isn't it funny all the things we do that can be easy, cheap and work really well?! Thanks again.

Catherine, we use 3/4" hoses. I found a video of the dog leg section of the pond. I'm not totally sure but I think the pump is 500gph. We have so many pumps 7, 8, or 9... anyhow they are all cheap pumps. Check out harbor freight.... The head groundskeeper is always buying pumps with his 20 percent off coupon. :) I think he gets the 500gph pumps for under 20.00...and the 250 GPH pumps for about 12 to 15 dollars.

Here is the video...Notice is not a high waterfall...I prefer several small waterfalls over a big roaring waterfall. So do the fish, they love swimming in and around the waterfalls we have.

Just remember the rock that you put on top of the hose can't be to heavy or you'll squish the hose too flat, thus restricting the water flo.

Thanks C and J! I always feel so good when I look at your pond! :) Do you have an external pump? I have recently bought a pump that will take a 3/4" hose. I'm used to the 1/2" very rigid hose, so I think this is very do-able with the more flexible 3/4" hose. I've never used those corrugated hoses...........is that what you use? Since I only have a 300 gallon stocktank pond with a lily and marginals, I too don't want a huge amount of water coming down......more like what you have in your video.
While I have you here.....do you have to clean your pond out very often? If so, do you use any of the pond vacs or one of the non-electric ones? I hope you don't mind......but now I refer to DH as the head groundskeeper here, after hearing you talk about yours. :)
Actually......he's the brawn and I'm the brains, so it works out great.

Here is the pump we use...264gph...the best part is it's only 16watts..

we run it 24/7 .... very cheap to buy and very cheap to run.

We the 20 percent coupon it's only about 15.00.

you don't have to spend big bucks on pumps.

http://t.harborfreight.com/264-gph-submersible-fountain-pump-68395.html

Our pumps are submergible pumps...the hoses are not flexible.

We have a bottom drain gravity fed system. We don't have to vacuum.

The head groundskeeper goes in once in the spring to pick up all the

rocks that fell in during the winter. All the rocks on the rocked shelves are not cemented in, so some will fall in the pond. He also will scoop up any leaves that fell in during the winter. The Rest of the time the bottom drain removes all the leaves and tree tannins and fish waste in the pond.

BTW ... my head groundskeeper always points to his chest with his thumb

and tells me "he's the boss out here!" Ha....

Oh well Joann.....let him have the fantasy..... ;)

If I had a "real" pond, I would have a bottom drain. Unfortunately, the older I get and the more crooked my knees/feet/hands get, the more I try to be happy with my little stock tanks. We have another 300 gallon stock tank that is a lotus bog. We've had it for about 8 years. It didn't bloom at all last year, but put out tons of leaves. We probably should have dug it all out and replaced the soil, but instead we (and by "we", I mean my head groundskeeper......I did the directing....hahaha) tore out the roots/tubers on the top foot or so. I'm still trying to figure out what to fertilize this big (little) bog with and I think it will be fruit tree spikes. Any better ideas? It sure will be nice to see those lotus blossoms again. Seems like forever since it's been nice out.

No input on fertilizer...we only keep our lotus pots supplied with the

gunky water he takes out of the filter tubs -- which is loaded with fish waste.

Thanks Joann.

you should have a larger diameter pipe coming from your pump.a 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inch diameter would be better.with a small diameter hose you are loosing too much head pressure.the pump is working too hard to push the water thru too small pipe.if you increase the diameter of the pipe and still dont get enough flow you can still get a larger pump and dont have to change the pipe

The PVC idea is the way to go.

I haven't had much time to play with it. I thought I had bought 3/4" flexible tubing to see if I could smash it enough (like you explained, Joann), but I only had 1/2". I did hammer down the end of a 3/4" corrugated tube, but I'm not sure it will work for me. I've tried out the spillway I bought, but I'm not sure about that either, so I rinsed it out and am keeping it with the sales receipt. We do have a bunch of PVC pipe and connectors around, so I think I might try that next. I did attach the new 3/4" corrugated tubing to the pump and it's flowing in a nice stream into the pond for now. I do like that increased flow, compared to the 1/2" flexible tubing I was using.
I just need several days of nice, dry weather, with nothing else to do but play with my ponds! (And a few days afterwards to just take tylenol and ice my knees!) ;)
But it sure is fun, playing with our ponds, isn't it?
I really appreciate everyone's suggestions.

I have a waterfall with a very large head water pond (tub) . There are four outlets that service the waterfall via 1-1/2" pvc. I want to eliminate the tub and run the 1-1/2 inch pvc directly to the waterfall. Is there any reason why this is not a good idea?

I've seen the idea of attaching your hose to a dust pan! Make sure it's sealed well, of course, but apparently it serves well as a "fan" to fan out the water! Haven't tried it myself though.