A customer recently posed an interesting question: how to cover an unsightly area where there was an old diving board and a power box. The area looked like this:
The Pondmeister accepted the design challenge! He suggested using an Aquascape Patio Pond to cover the diving board area and a faux log cover for the electrical box.
But why stop with one good idea? We reached out to our experts at Blue Thumb Ponds and Easy Pro for their suggestions. They had lots of good tips to offer.
Brandt at Blue Thumb wrote:
One of our old Oasis Aqua Boxes may work for her area. The Oasis is tall enough that it could go over the power box and long enough to cover both. The customer would be able to choose any vase, fountain, triple column, or GFRC Boulder to go on top of the box as it will hold up to 3000 lbs with the aluminum grates.
The customer would want to enclose the box with patio blocks, or other stone to hide the black box. If they don’t cement the blocks in, they would still have access to the power box if needed.
Easy Pro responded:
Of course, hiding electric with water is not ideal, but if it were my patio, this is what I’d do.
Any of our statuary vase kits or the two small basalt kits – Bevel Sided Basalt Fountain 16″ or Set of 3 Keyed Spillway Basalts 6″, 12″, 18″ that come with the RBH29 or RBH23 basins. Then just frame around it to hide it, and everything else they want hidden, leaving access of some sort to the power outlet should they ever need to access it, it’ll be convenient to do so. Basically, instead of burying the basin in the ground, they’d just frame around it to hide it.
Have you ever noticed that your pond water is clearer in the fall? This is typically due to cooler temperatures and full, lush plants. To keep your pond looking its best throughout the fall and winter season, follow our helpful, easy-to-follow fall and winter pond maintenance tips.
Fall and Winter Pond Maintenance – Prune yellowing leaves off all of your plants. Your lilies – tropical and hardy – should still be going strong, at least until the first heavy frost.
Stop fertilizing plants when the weather becomes cooler. This lets the plants know the season is coming to an end.
When the water temperature is around 50 degrees F, stop feeding your fish. If you continue to feed them, you might create health problems for your finned friends, since their digestive systems are beginning to slow down for the winter.
As leaves falls from nearby trees, you’ll need to empty your skimmer’s debris net every day to keep up with the influx of leaves. Some leaves will undoubtedly sink to the bottom of the pond; try to remove as many as you can. However, a few left in the pond will give insects and frogs a place to over-winter.
If you leave too much organic matter in your pond, the water may turn brown. If this happens, remove the excess debris and add activated carbon to clear the water.
As the temperature gets colder and your plants expire, cut back the dead plant material and remove the tropicals. Cut back the cattails above the water level, or better yet, leave them up to see how magnificent they look in the winter.
If you’re fortunate enough to live where it stays warm all year-round, you’re set for the winter. If you live up north where the surface of the pond freezes, you’ll need to prepare for winter by deciding whether you want to keep your pond running or shut it down.
To shut your pond down, first unplug your pump and pull it out of the water. The pump should be stored in a frost-free location, submerged in a bucket of water to keep the seals from drying.
If you have fish, a small re-circulating pump or pond aerator that bubbles at the water surface is necessary to oxygenate the water. In all but extremely low temperatures, the bubbling of the pump will also keep a hole open in the ice to allow for a gas exchange, keeping your fish alive. It is not necessary to oxygenate the water or keep a hole open in the ice if you don’t have fish.
If your area experiences long periods of extremely cold weather, you may consider adding a floating pond heater and de-icer. Controlled by a thermostat, the unit only runs when the water temperature is at or below freezing, heats the water to just above that, and then shuts off again. Ask your installer or local supplier for products to help your pond during the winter.
If you use a floating de-icer, place it away from the bubbler. The movement of the water from the bubbler can move the heated water away from the de-icer, making it run more than necessary.
You can also choose to keep the waterfall running. This will require a little babysitting to make sure an ice dam does not form, which could cause water to run out of the waterfall’s basin. You will also still need to replace water loss so the pump can continue to function properly. This extra effort during the winter will reward you with the most beautiful ice formations and patterns around the falls and stream beds.
The most important thing is to have fun with your water feature all year long. Keep some of these key maintenance issues in mind, and it will be smooth sailing.
Please watch Aquascape’s Brian discuss Winter Issues
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I’ve been watching a neighbor’s landscaping project over the summer. They have done a lovely job with pavers, plantings, and lighting. The final touch was addition of stone bubbling fountains, one in front of the house and one on the back patio. As I walk by ( and peek!) I am enchanted by the sight and sound of the running water. I stopped to compliment them on their project, and they told me they are delighted that the water attracts more birds and butterflies. They used a landscape team to set up their fountains, but it is possible to install a simple fountain yourself. Once in place, these fountains and bubblers are easy to maintain.
We have recently added a lot of new fountain kits from Blue Thumb Ponds. Take a look at all their items here. Easy Pro Tranquil Fountains are also a great choice, offering affordable fountains in many styles.
Fountains work by pumping water contained in a large, in-ground reservoir up and through your fountain, allowing the water to flow back into the reservoir.
Fountain kits come complete with the decorative stand, basin, pump, and plumbing kit.
Pond pumps and plumbing make up the circulatory system of a water feature and are key to the aesthetics of your pond. More importantly, they supply the system with necessary oxygen levels and keep the water circulating.
Familiarize yourself with these terms as you get to know more about your pump.
GPH: The term “gallons per hour” represents how many gallons that pump is circulating every hour and can also be referred to as “rated flow.
Shut-Off Height: (Maximum Head Height): The higher a pump has to lift water, the less water it can deliver. I always define it as the height at which you will get out one drop of water on a good day with the wind at your back!
Head Height charts or graphs tell you exactly how much volume a pump will deliver at any given Head Height. You may see 2000 gph @ 5′ of Head. Please keep in mind that for a solid curtain of water coming over a ledge, you typically need about 1500 gph per foot.
Also as a general rule-of-thumb, the water needs to be “Turned” a minimum of once per hour but many prefer 1.5 to 2 times per hour. So a 2000 gallon pond requires AT LEAST a 2000 gph pump but many would use a 3000 or 4000 gph pump.
TDH: Total dynamic head refers to the pressure on a pump caused by the interactions of flow rate, pipe diameter, pipe length, elevation, and pipe material. Basically, it takes all those things into account and lets you know the limitation of your pump. TDH is usually calculated by a pond professional.
Operating Costs: The bigger your pump, the larger the operating cost per month. Pumps with high-efficiency motors can save money and deliver plenty of power. Aquasurge Pumps are a great choice for high quality and efficiency. For example, an Aquasurge 3000 which takes 160 watts to operate, at 10 cents a Kilowatt Hour will only cost about $11.68 a month
Plumbing Options: Using the wrong pipe can cause friction, hindering the performance of your pump and affecting the power of your waterfall. We recommend flexible PVC Pipe for pond projects. Please see chart below for the maximum amount of water that can physically fit through each size pipe regardless of the size and power of the pump:
Check Valve: Check valves help prevent water from draining back into the pond when the power to the pump is cut. You have to keep water in the biological filter so that the beneficial bacteria can continue to grow. Without the water, the bacteria can die and throw off the balance of your ecosystem.
About a third of the time people call us about their pumps being dead, it is actually the check valve that has failed. Most check valves have a little flapper that lets the water go up but slams shut when the pump is turned off. The little flapper in the check valve assembly is supposed to be loosely attached. When they fail, they break off inside the elbow and lodge themselves in the throat of the check valve. Your water flow will start to really slow down and if left will ultimately wedge itself in the throat and shut down the pump.
Try putting the pump in the water and turn on WITHOUT the check valve assembly attached. If the little flapper has broken loose inside the elbow, you can remove it using needle-nose pliers and a hacksaw blade held in your hand with a towel.
The Pondovac 5 is the latest in pond vacuum products from Oase. It offers full power without interruption, thanks to separate suction and pump function. It provides maximum suction depth of 8 ft (2.5 m).
The multi-function PondoVac 5 vacuum thoroughly and effortlessly removes debris and silt from ponds or pools, or from wet floors of any type.
Cleaning plant debris, sludge and waste from fish that accumulates in your pond is a necessary task of regular pond maintenance. If left unchecked, the decomposing matter often creates an unwanted odor. Fish waste that collects in the the bottom of the pond increases the risk of nitrates forming in the water and depletes oxygen.
The sludge vacuums of the PondoVac series are optimally suited for this task, and your pond will thank you with healthy, clear water. A pond vac operates much like a regular household vacuum cleaner. Use on the surface of the pond to remove sludge and brown algal growth.
WASTEWATER DISCHARGE PUMP The suction pump runs simultaneously, allowing for non-stop vacuuming. Integrated waste pump empties the container continuously during use.
DRAIN WITH QUICK CONNECTION On the outlet side, the PondoVac 5 has a plastic quick connect for a reliable and watertight seal, and easy removal for storage
HAND REGULATOR For adjusting the suction power, based on water depths.
RE-FILTER BAGS Larger particles such as pebbles or leaves are retained in the Pre-Filter bag. The zippered bag makes for easy emptying.
LARGE COMMERCIAL WHEELS Larger wheels (6 in.) ensure stable movement through rough terrain as well as low-noise when in operation
For clarity issues, Rapid Clear, a flocculent that is 100% safe for fish, plants or wildlife, can be used. This product is a fast acting treatment that can solve cloudy water in just a few hours by physically causing the particulates floating in the water to clump together into larger particles that can be filter out.
There are several other effective products that you can use to help clarify the water. A combination of our Beneficial Bacteria, EcoBlast and SAB is the ultimate way to have perfectly balanced, clear water. The Beneficial Bacteria for Ponds/Dry and SAB both help consume excess nutrients in the water, break down decaying organics and reduce sludge and odor issues. SAB also includes a powerful phosphate binder that locks up this nuisance nutrient. These two products can be used as often as once a week.
The new Aquascape UltraKlean pressure should be place beside the pond (not inside the pond!). A pump sitting inside the water will push the pond water through the UltraKlean, exposing the water through biological filtration, a high-output UV bulb, and then back into the pond. Using this method, the UlteaKlean will allow you to have clear water and the low maintenance water feature you have always wanted!
The Aquascape UltraKlear® UV Clarifier is ideal for eliminating green water on new or existing ponds up to 5,000 gallons. Learn about the features and benefits from Scott Rhodes, The Product Guy, and what separates Aquascape’s UltraKlear® apart from the rest.
There are many other factors that may be the cause to these water clarity issues. Temperature (Has the temperature fluctuated in your area lately?), the location of the pond (direct sunlight/shaded) and the surrounding environment (mulch, trees, plant life, etc.). If you continue to experience problems with your water, please feel free to call The Pondmeister.
While fish certainly bring joy to any pond, they can also bring headaches to water quality if you go overboard when stocking fish. Too many fish creates an imbalance in the pond’s ecosystem so you’ll want to make sure you know about the number and size of fish in your water garden.
Obviously, the pond needs to be large enough to support fish and their growth. Pond fish generally need 10 gallons of water for every inch of their length, and you have to be ready for them to grow larger, so be careful not to overstock no matter how tempting this may be! Some pond experts go so far as to recommend only one-half inch of fish per 10 gallons of water as a maximum stocking density.
On occasion, you may encounter ponds crowded with 2 or even 3 inches of fish per 10 gallons of water and the fish seem to be fine. However, the density and ecological strain of this loading turn these ponds into fragile systems. The pH tends to sag, the fish tend to grow more slowly, and disease can become a common occurrence.
It’s very difficult to salvage sick fish in a pond that’s overcrowded. Most likely, Mother Nature will eliminate some of your fish to achieve the ideal stocking density based on the system the fish are in, and then the remainder may recover.
One of the common misconceptions consumers have today about pond ownership is that maintenance is tedious and time consuming. This simply isn’t true when proper steps are taken to create an ecosystem pond that works with Mother Nature, not against her.
In addition to plants, fish, aeration, rocks and gravel, a low-maintenance ecosystem pond requires adequate filtration to help keep the water crystal clear. Three types of pond filters are available on the market and include biological, mechanical, and sterilizers. Biological filters use bacteria to break down pond wastes, converting them into less harmful compounds that can be used as aquatic plant fertilizers. Mechanical filters trap and remove debris and sediment. Water sterilizers pass water through a tube that houses an ultraviolet bulb, killing living microscopic particles in the water.
A good biological filtration system, teamed with a proper mechanical filter to remove solids before the water enters the biological filtration unit, is the most effective way to filter water. With adequate biological and mechanical filtration, the need for sterilizers is eliminated altogether, thereby ensuring a natural ecosystem pond.
The Job of a Skimmer
The main function of mechanical filtration, or skimmer, is to remove debris before it sinks to the bottom of the pond and decays. The skimmer also houses and hides the pump and plumbing from view, as opposed to being placed directly in the pond where they become an eyesore. The skimmer won’t drain the pond if a possible leak occurs in either the plumbing or waterfalls.
There are two main types of skimmers: box skimmers and floating skimmers. Both types filter the water by removing floating debris and waste before it’s had a chance to fall to the bottom of the pond. The box skimmer is the predominant type of skimmer on the market today because it’s easy to maintain.
Box-style skimmers come with either vertical or horizontal filter mats. Horizontal mats prove to be the most effective, while providing the least amount of maintenance. In addition to frequent cleaning, vertical mats need to be constantly monitored to make sure there is enough water in the pump chamber for the pump to operate properly. An advantage of horizontal filter mats is that they lay flat so there is no sagging and they don’t lose their shape. They also never clog to the point of preventing water from passing through, so the pump chamber does not run dry.
As water enters the skimmer, the large debris is removed and the water is then further filtered through the horizontal mat. The pond water then travels through the plumbing buried underground, up to the biological filter where it’s further treated before re-entering the pond.
Biological Filtration Goes to Work
The biological filter receives water that has already passed through the mechanical filter, or skimmer, typically placed on the opposite side of the pond. The water enters the biological filter via flexible pipe located near the base of the unit. The water then flows from the bottom to the top of the filter, traveling through filter media housed inside the unit. The filter media helps with the removal of fine to medium-sized particles. The larger debris was already removed by the skimmer.
As the biological filter fills, it will overflow and cascade over its waterfall lip, cascading down rocks that have been set to create a beautiful and preferably natural-looking waterfall. The waterfall creates aeration for the pond, assisting in the circulation and health of the water. If a slower, stream effect is preferred, the unit simply needs to be sunk lower into the ground.
Biological filters on the market today range in size. For larger ponds, multiple biological filters can be incorporated into the design.
The Science Behind the Design
Mechanical and biological filtration are critical to processing the many types of nutrients found in a water garden system, including fish waste, uneaten fish food, leaves, and runoff from lawns to name a few. High levels of ammonia (a form of nitrogen) are highly toxic to fish and are a major contributor to prolific algae growth, and so they need to be carefully controlled. In water gardening, the primary nutrient that biological filtration utilizes and renders usable is nitrogen.
In biological filtration, nitrifying bacteria, known as facultative bacteria, absorb ammonia, and turn nitrites into nitrates, which are less dangerous. These bacteria require oxygen to live, so it’s important for the pond’s pump to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If the pump isn’t running, the waterfalls aren’t flowing, and aeration is eliminated from the necessary equation to maintain an ecosystem pond. Keep in mind that if the pump shuts down, the bacteria will quickly use up all of the oxygen and die. This isn’t a good thing.
Nitrates are then removed from the pond by another biological filtration method known as de-nitrification. This process occurs only in anaerobic (without oxygen) areas of the pond. That’s why it’s not necessarily bad for some areas of the pond to experience minimal water flow (such as on the bottom of the pond, under an inch or so of gravel). The bacteria that live in this area of the pond turn nitrates into nitrogen gas, which is released into the atmosphere. Nitrates are also absorbed by aquatic plants and algae during their growth processes. A pond without aquatic plants will prove to be a maintenance nightmare.
For any biological filtration to work, there literally needs to be billions of bacteria working to purify the water. They prefer to anchor onto things, which is why surface area is so important. More surface area means more bacteria, and more bacteria means better biological filtration. Surface area is provided by filter media, rocks, and gravel. A pond with gravel on the bottom will contain more surface area for bacteria, as opposed to a pond with exposed liner on the bottom.
The Role of Aquatic Plants
Another important component to pond filtration is the use of plants. Many gardeners add a pond to their landscape for the variety of aquatic plants available, and while their beauty is certainly an aesthetic asset; a critical benefit is the work these plants do to help filter the water. Plants help purify pond water by reducing nutrients, filtering out sediments and absorbing toxic compounds through the process of phytoremediation.
If these excess nutrients are not removed, algae will feed on them, resulting in green water, string algae, or both. Algae control is not the only way plants help create a low-maintenance ecosystem pond. Submerged and marginal plants also provide food, shade, and protection for the fish and other wildlife that live in and around the pond.
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Oxygen is one of, if not the most vital element on the face of this Earth. Read any science journal you can find or even look it up on the Internet. You’re not going to find anyone that will dispute that fact. The truth is that oxygen is vital to many different organisms on Earth, not just humans.
Our watery friends are no different. They just get the oxygen from a slightly different source than we do. Fish and aquatic plants get oxygen from the water, so your pond is bursting with life because of the oxygen in and around it.
How Does It Get There?
Yes, the formula for water is H2O, but the formula’s oxygen contribution alone isn’t the only oxygen present in your pond. Just because oxygen is a part of the formula, doesn’t mean there’s enough of it to sustain aquatic life. The oxygen actually comes from several different sources, but the most common is good old-fashioned absorption. Oxygen from the atmosphere is absorbed into the water. Agitation at the surface and splashing (as in a waterfall or pond aerator) increases the absorption of that oxygen into the water because of the expanded surface area created.
Another way that oxygen gets into the water is through aquatic plants, but you certainly can’t rely on aquatic plants to do all the work. It’s a double-edged sword, really. Lots of folks know that plants with submerged foliage can produce massive amounts of oxygen. When the sun shines on them, they use carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. But plants don’t grow much by day, so they store that energy. When they grow at night, they use that stored energy, producing carbon dioxide and using up oxygen. In other words, when nighttime hits, submerged plants (a.k.a. oygenators) are not your fishes’ friends.
Some of the best oxygenators (also known as submerged aquatics) are fast growing plants with lush foliage that grows under the water line, including anacharis, elodea, and cabomba, as well as a not-so-favorite plant, algae.
Oxygen is Essential
Once the oxygen is present in the water, it is used by aquatic plants and animals for respiration. Respiration is a key to their growth and survival. Oxygen is even used by bacteria to help break down dead plant material. So how much oxygen is needed for fish to survive? Minimum levels should be at 5 parts per million (PPM), allowing the fish to live a few days, but levels of 8 PPM would be more desirable. Levels of 11 to 14 PPM are the best. Keeping fish means maintaining a suitable oxygen level. It’s certainly as important as the very water in which they live … water is not enough.
Keeping Your Cool
Pond owners in colder climates always seem to get the short end of the stick in other areas of water gardening, but in the case of oxygen levels in backyard water features, they’ve got a bit of an edge. In case you don’t remember from Chemistry 101, colder water (under 60° F) dissolves (or carries) more oxygen.
Regardless of whether you’re in a warm or cool climate, you’ll want to be careful with your fish during clean-outs. Putting fish in a tank or tub in the heat of summer for a clean-out can be risky. If you don’t aerate or agitate the tank or vat, or the tank or vat is in the sun and heating up, your fish may be in danger due to low oxygen levels. You can simply aerate or agitate water that’s over 75° F. An air stone makes this task simple and easy. For a little extra help from Mother Nature, pick a nice, shady spot for the fish to hang out while you do the dirty work!
Where Does It Go?
Hot weather isn’t the only villain in the dissolved oxygen saga. There are a few common ways that oxygen levels get reduced. The most obvious is fish and plant respiration, which is why it’s so important to make sure you don’t overstock your pond. One inch of fish per square foot of pond is the recommended stocking number, keeping in mind that fish grow and you need to save room for them.
Bacteria are also culprits in oxygen respiration, and beneficial bacteria have especially voracious metabolisms when it comes to consuming oxygen. Your pond’s bacterial flora consumes more oxygen than your fish could ever attempt. So basically, the very things you need and want in a pond consume the most oxygen. Isn’t that ironic?
Less common ways that may cause dissolved oxygen levels to fall include decaying algae, treating with chemicals, and the depth of your pond. Algae eats up oxygen as it rots away, consuming massive amounts of the precious element. If your fish are sick, you may also want to keep an eye on the oxygen level of the water. The use of certain chemicals in the pond for treating fish diseases can consume a lot of oxygen. It’s a good idea to agitate the water while treating the fish.
Also, the depth of your pond plays a role in the available oxygen in the pond. Ponds over five feet deep, for example, will have low dissolved oxygen levels at the bottom. This will be true unless there is a means to bring the bottom layer of water to the surface.
Testing One, Two, Three
If you catch fish gasping for oxygen at the water, you may want to look into the oxygen level. There are a couple test kits on the market that can help you find out if your pond is up to par with oxygen.
Finally, don’t forget that ponds are meant to be a relaxing oasis, providing relief from the troubles of the day. Running out and testing a pond every day is not relaxing. If the oxygen level in the pond is good, there’s no need to try to improve the levels. The fish and plants in the pond get used to their surroundings and have probably already adjusted to the pond’s chemistry. Just remember that favorite pond pets are just like you, living and breathing the same air … just a little bit differently!
In the fall, water is almost always very clear because of the cooler temperatures and the full, lush plants. Enjoy the good water quality! Here are some things that you can do to keep your water garden looking good. Note: Several of the steps do not apply to Pondless® Waterfall systems.
There may be an increasing numbers of yellow leaves this time of year, so prune them off all of your plants. Your lilies – tropical and hardy – should still be going strong, at least until the first heavy frost.
Stop fertilizing when the weather becomes cooler. This lets the plants know the season is coming to an end.
When the water temperature is around 55 F? (10? C), stop feeding your fish. Continuing to feed them could cause health problems or death for them, since their digestive systems are beginning to slow down for the winter.
As leaves falls from nearby trees, you’ll probably have to empty the debris net every day to keep up with the influx of leaves. Some of them will undoubtedly sink to the bottom, try to remove as many as you can, however a few left in the pond will give insects and frogs a place to over winter.
If you leave too much organic matter in your pond, the water may turn brown. If this happens, remove the excess debris and add activated carbon to clear the water.
As it gets colder, your aquatic plants will have all but died for the season. Now you can cut back the dead plant material and remove the tropicals. Cut back the cattails above the water level, or better yet, leave them up to see how magnificent they look in the winter.
If you’re fortunate enough to be where it stays warm all year round, you’re set for the winter.
If you live up north, where the surface of the pond freezes, you’ll need to prepare for winter by deciding whether you want to keep your pond running or shut it down.
To shut your pond down, first unplug your pump and pull it out of the water. The pump should be stored in a frost-free location, submerged in a bucket of water to keep the seals from drying.
If you have fish, a small re-circulating pump that bubbles at the water surface is necessary to oxygenate the water. In all but extremely low temperatures, the bubbling of the pump will also keep a hole open in the ice to allow for a gas exchange, keeping your fish alive. It is not necessary to oxygenate the water or keep a hole open in the ice if you don’t have fish.
If your area experiences long periods of extremely cold weather, you may consider adding a floating de-icer. Controlled by a thermostat, the unit only runs when the water temperature is at or below freezing, heats the water to just above that, and then shuts off again. Ask your installer or local supplier for products to help your pond during the winter.
If you use a floating de-icer, place it away from the bubbler. The movement of the water can move the heated water away from the de-icer, making it run more than necessary.
You can also choose to keep the waterfall running. This will require a little babysitting to make sure an ice dam does not form which could cause water to run out of the Pondless® Waterfall/ Pond basin. You will also still need to replace water loss so the pump can continue to function properly (see “The Water Level” above). This extra effort during the winter will reward you with the most beautiful ice formations and patterns around the falls and stream beds.
The most important thing is to have fun with your water feature all year long. Keep some of these key maintenance issues in mind, and it will be smooth sailing. In the meantime, stay warm!
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