Aquascape Improves their Aquatic Patio Ponds

March 21st, 2011 PondMeister

Aquascape recently made improvements to our popular Aquatic Patio Bowls. The top of the shelf now contains a hole so that a power cord and/or water hose coming from a pump can easily be attached to a spitter or ornamental water feature.

The portion of the Aquatic Patio Pond where the waterlily goes has been opened up so that fish can have a place to hide and there is a place to put a pump/filter so all of the water in the bowl can be easily circulated.

The interior surface of the Aquatic Patio Pond now has a thick black coating that remains flexible to protect the bowl from cracking or developing water leaks if the customer were to shift or move the Patio Pond when it’s full of water (obviously not recommended). It also gives the interior of the bowl a nice, uniform color and prevents gauging and scratching.

Finally, we changed the portion of the bowl that allows for the addition of the power cord in order to increase maximum water level to just under the inner lip of the Patio Pond.

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New 1-Watt Pond & Landscape Light Kit!

March 11th, 2011 PondMeister

Dave Kelly, Aquascape’s Tech Guy, introduces the new 3 Light – 1 watt LED Lighting Kit which comes with it’s own Photocell, Transformer, 15′ cord to 1st light, 5′ of cord in between lights which at 3500 Kelvins matches up to old-style 10 watt Halogen lights. These are NOT the dimpled whitish-blue “solar lights on steroids” LED’s that you may have seen elsewhere. Only 3 watts for the whole Kit and the bulbs last 10 times longer!

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Using Gravel in the Pond

February 23rd, 2011 PondMeister

Should you use gravel in your pond?  “Absolutely Not!” is what some of the hardcore Koi people will tell you… but we are big fans of gravel.

I originally had softball sized rocks on the bottom of my 6,000 gallon pond but had a bit of a problem with too much crud building up under the rocks creating water quality problems. Several years ago I removed the rocks on the bottom and replaced with gravel. Wow – big difference. No longer did debris build up but instead was swept away through the filters.

Above is a video “Pond Myth #14”  from Platinum Ponds  in Greenville, South Carolina discussing the virtues of gravel.

Below is a discussion of gravel from Aquascape:

Gravel and the Ecosystem

Over the years, ponds have been constructed with a variety of materials. Some are made out of concrete, while others use pre-form shapes or exposed liner. One of the main reasons we advise the use of gravel is because it plays an all-important role by providing a natural habitat for beneficial microorganisms. It’s also a cost-effective way to cover the liner and enhance the ecosystem.

The rocky bottom of a pond is alive and brimming with activity, covered in algae, microscopic invertebrates, and bacteria. This section of the pond is basically a compost pile. When organic debris falls to the pond’s bottom, it’s broken down by the benthic (bottom) inhabitants. These organic recyclers live off of uneaten fish food, decaying plant matter, and nitrogenous fish wastes. If this substrate wasn’t present, the pond would quickly die, effectively being suffocated by toxic fish waste and organic build-up.

Fortunately, nature has given us a way to solve this problem. Organisms have evolved to use practically every bit of available food. Fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects will feed on these minute organisms, including bacteria and algae that live on the rocky pond floor.

In addition, gravel lends structural stability to the pond. To achieve this, gravel is placed in between and behind the boulders. This eliminates spaces between them, which keeps them from shifting around. The gravel becomes a free-floating mortar, naturally locking the boulders into place. If you’ve ever dismantled a pond that’s been build this way, you’ve experienced having to literally pry rocks out of their position.

When adding gravel to your pond and waterfall projects, be sure to vary the size of the gravel in order to provide a more natural appearance. You can have your gravel mixed at the stone yard, incorporating a blend of 3/8” to 3” gravel. The larger pieces give mass to the gravel bed, and act as a nice transition to the larger boulders. The smaller sizes provide lots of surface area, which is key for the pond’s biological activity.

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Pond Cleanout Checklist

February 21st, 2011 PondMeister

We have heard great things about California Waterscapes. They provide pond installation and maintenance in Southern CA. Here is their checklist for pond cleaning tasks:

If you have a pond or water feature, it is probably time to do your annual clean out. California Waterscapes does full pond clean outs and also weekly and monthly maintenance. The procedure for the full clean out is as follows:

1. We remove any fish and put them into a tube.
2. Pump out all of the water from the pond.
3. Clean all of the filters and nets.
4. Pressure wash the algae and gunk off the rocks, liner etc.
5. Do any needed plant trimming.
6. Fill the pond up again.
7. Add beneficial bacteria.
8. Put your fish back into the pond.
Call California Waterscapes at 888.600.7224 if you are interested in this service or would like to set up a service plan for your water feature. They also install full water features and disappearing fountains. Their service area is LA County and surrounding areas.

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Newest IonGen Video

January 28th, 2011 PondMeister

The IonGen makes its reappearance in this new video highlighting its features. Watch as Dave Kelly, The Tech Guy, re-introduces you to our popular IonGen water clarifier.  

We are not allowed to say that it eliminates String Algae and many other types of algae in your pond so we won’t …. but I am allowed to say that after several years of living with a blanket of string algae  in my 6,000 gallon pond in sunny Southern California that I “harvested ” weekly – it is COMPLETELY gone! I have not had to use EcoBlast, Green Clean or AlgaeFix since 9/6/09 when I installed mine. Yesssss!!!!

Check out the IonGen with Free Shipping at http://www.thepondoutlet.com/home/tpo/page_3647

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New Pondless Waterfall Vault from Aquascape

January 23rd, 2011 PondMeister

Aquascape has completed it’s first complete redesign of their Pondless Waterfall Vault and it is now definitely “Industrial-strength” and is made to last.

We’re back with Dave Kelly, The Tech Guy, introducing you to Aquascape’s New Pondless® Waterfall Vault.  This new vault is packed with features that a professional installer can truly appreciate. 
 
This product was developed to improve integration with our AquaBlox® water tanks which make installation a snap.  It is perfectly sized and priced for small to mid-sized projects.  Take a peak at how easy your Pondless® Waterfall installations can truly be.

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Build your own Aquascape Pond - new Step-by-Step Video

January 7th, 2011 PondMeister

It ain’t that hard! Dave Kelly, Aquascape’s Tech Guy, takes us through the 20 Simple Steps to building a pond.

Get everything you need with our Do-It-Yourself Aquascape Pond Kits at http://www.thepondoutlet.com/home/tpo/page_2846 and the smaller MicroPond kits at http://www.thepondoutlet.com/home/tpo/page_2474  Call us at 805-241-0141 for more info.

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Capture your Rainwater with new Downspout Filter by Aquascape

January 6th, 2011 PondMeister

Ed Beaulieu (The Conservation Guy) at Aquascape shows how to capture and harvest rainwater using Aquascape’s new Downspout Filter. Ed shows how to capture the rainwater and convert it into a beautiful Water Feature.

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Add Water Feature with Aquascape Mini-AquaBasin in 20 Minutes!

December 30th, 2010 PondMeister

Scott Rhodes, Aquascape’s director of product marketing shows how easy it is to install the Aquascape Mini AquaBasin Kit. Scott shows how to install a water feature complete with Fountain in only 20 minutes. We have these currently in stock and are easily shipped via UPS. This week’s video comes complete with bloopers at the end!

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How To Install a RainXchange Rainwater Harvesting System by Aquascape

December 27th, 2010 PondMeister

You are going to hear a lot about Rainwater Harvesting in the coming years. This video from Aquascape’s Ed Beaulieu, chief sustainability officer at Aquascape, shows all the steps involved in an actual RainXchange installation. 

RAINWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS MAKES DOLLARS AND “SENSE”

• Reduce water bills including city storm sewer charges
• Alleviate demand on municipal systems
• Avoid strict watering schedules

BETTER FOR YOUR LANDSCAPE THAN MUNICIPALLY TREATED WATER

• Rainwater is extremely rich in nutrients
• Using rainwater to irrigate will reduce fertilizer use
• No chemicals have been added to rainwater

The Aquascape RainXchange™ Harvesting Systems are a revolutionary design that combines a recirculating decorative water feature with a sub-surface rainwater harvesting collection system.

• Clean, Filtered Water Collection & Storage – While you enjoy the benefits of a decorative water feature, the RainXchange™ Rainwater Harvesting System filters the stored water to prevent stagnation and growth of unhealthy bacteria.
• The RainXchange™ Rainwater Harvesting System reveals only a beautiful water feature that integrates easily into existing landscape.
• Collecting and storing the water underground maintains the integrity and beauty of your home and landscape.
• Wildlife Habitat – Because the water stored in the RainXchange™ System is constantly moving and being aerated, it becomes a sanctuary for wildlife.
• Water Feature Lifestyle – Enhanced landscaping improves property value and water features provide soothing sights and sounds that help you relax and de-stress in today’s busy world.
• Environmental Conservation – Capturing rainwater to operate the water feature creates true self-sustainability, drastically reducing the need for chemically-treated traditional water sources.

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