While they go by many different names: waterscape, koi pond, fish pond, ecosystem pond, water garden...the body of water they refer to is the same. All of our ponds are constructed using Aquascape components (to ensure a long life and simple maintenance.)
One of the most sought after features for a home landscape ponds can be small 8x10 and fit into a 12'x12' area really to the limits of your imagination. They can be home to an array of aquatic plants and animals. Larger systems are often referred to as recreational or swim ponds. These ponds have bulked up filtration and are large enough to enjoy a dip on a hot day.
We have reference pricing available so you can easily see what kind of investment is involved.
To be perfectly honest I've built ponds for 15 years, but it wasn't until last summer that we installed one at home. It truly changed our lives. We wake up and sit with our coffee and watch the fish. When one of our boys has a rough day we find them on a rock with their feet in the water. If it's hot they put on a mask and hang out with the fish. Our days often end by the pond with our favorite icy beverage in hand as we talk about our day. I've invested a lot in landscaping through the years, but nothing has compared to the pond for serious quality time. It truly goes beyond my ability to describe the experience with words.
If you want us to help you with your design/build please use the contact button. Add a couple of pictures with your message and we can do a free phone consult to get you started. Or email your requests/pictures to: [email protected]
One of the most sought after features for a home landscape ponds can be small 8x10 and fit into a 12'x12' area really to the limits of your imagination. They can be home to an array of aquatic plants and animals. Larger systems are often referred to as recreational or swim ponds. These ponds have bulked up filtration and are large enough to enjoy a dip on a hot day.
We have reference pricing available so you can easily see what kind of investment is involved.
To be perfectly honest I've built ponds for 15 years, but it wasn't until last summer that we installed one at home. It truly changed our lives. We wake up and sit with our coffee and watch the fish. When one of our boys has a rough day we find them on a rock with their feet in the water. If it's hot they put on a mask and hang out with the fish. Our days often end by the pond with our favorite icy beverage in hand as we talk about our day. I've invested a lot in landscaping through the years, but nothing has compared to the pond for serious quality time. It truly goes beyond my ability to describe the experience with words.
If you want us to help you with your design/build please use the contact button. Add a couple of pictures with your message and we can do a free phone consult to get you started. Or email your requests/pictures to: [email protected]
The Aquascape System
We install the Aquascape system. It is a simple and effective system that delivers beautiful results with minimal effort so you spend more time enjoying your pond and less time maintaining it. The skimmer is a mechanical filter. It draws the surface of the water through a basket and filter material. The basket is easily lifted out, dumped and replaced. (Takes less than 5 minutes). The pump sits in the bottom of the skimmer it sends the water to the biofalls filter.
The biofalls filter has a series of filters and bio balls. The filters pick up the fine debris and scrub the water. The bio balls house beneficial bacteria colonies that help keep the water quality pristine.
The water then falls over a waterfall (beautiful to look at but also completely functional) where it is aerated before returning to the pond to start the cycle all over again.
I really hate sales pitches and often find it difficult to figure out just what kind of care is truly going to be required for a system before actually owning it. Average summer weeks will take about 20 minutes a week of time for maintenance.
The ponds we build have two big maintenance days a year: opening and closing. Spring opening would take you a Saturday if you were to do it yourself. You drain the pond, catch the creatures and keep them safe until you're done cleaning, clean out the debris from winter, pressure wash, rinse, and refill the pond. You also fertilize waterlilies and check your lights and other pond systems and get them set up for the summer. This is the most maintenance your pond will need for the whole season. Many people choose to hire us to take care of this for them. It isn't difficult but it's messy.
Once the pond has been properly cleaned for the season the rest is easy. Weekly doses of beneficial bacteria are added and the skimmer basket is dumped. (Mid summer you may only need to do this biweekly, in Autumn when leaves drop you may need to daily.)
To close the pond for the winter the check valve is removed from the pump and stored in a dry place (garage or basement) the pump remains in the skimmer. The other systems you have in your pond (autofill, autodoser, etc.) will need to be turned off and winterized as well. The aeration disk will be moved to a top shelf and a deicer will be added to keep a little hole open in the pond for gas exchange. The whole process takes a couple hours. If you are unsure of the process or just don't want to do it we can provide this service for you.
We can do maintenance for you on a biweekly or monthly basis to make your pond as simple as possible.
The biofalls filter has a series of filters and bio balls. The filters pick up the fine debris and scrub the water. The bio balls house beneficial bacteria colonies that help keep the water quality pristine.
The water then falls over a waterfall (beautiful to look at but also completely functional) where it is aerated before returning to the pond to start the cycle all over again.
I really hate sales pitches and often find it difficult to figure out just what kind of care is truly going to be required for a system before actually owning it. Average summer weeks will take about 20 minutes a week of time for maintenance.
The ponds we build have two big maintenance days a year: opening and closing. Spring opening would take you a Saturday if you were to do it yourself. You drain the pond, catch the creatures and keep them safe until you're done cleaning, clean out the debris from winter, pressure wash, rinse, and refill the pond. You also fertilize waterlilies and check your lights and other pond systems and get them set up for the summer. This is the most maintenance your pond will need for the whole season. Many people choose to hire us to take care of this for them. It isn't difficult but it's messy.
Once the pond has been properly cleaned for the season the rest is easy. Weekly doses of beneficial bacteria are added and the skimmer basket is dumped. (Mid summer you may only need to do this biweekly, in Autumn when leaves drop you may need to daily.)
To close the pond for the winter the check valve is removed from the pump and stored in a dry place (garage or basement) the pump remains in the skimmer. The other systems you have in your pond (autofill, autodoser, etc.) will need to be turned off and winterized as well. The aeration disk will be moved to a top shelf and a deicer will be added to keep a little hole open in the pond for gas exchange. The whole process takes a couple hours. If you are unsure of the process or just don't want to do it we can provide this service for you.
We can do maintenance for you on a biweekly or monthly basis to make your pond as simple as possible.
Pond design ideas... |
You always want to start your pond's design with a location that is close to your home. You also want to decide how you want to use your pond. A pond that is geared towards growing beautiful waterlilies and lotus will be a bit different than the one that is for keeping kids and the dog cool in summer and different still from the one that is designed for koi fish. Want it all?? Lol...you can have a bit of everything with careful planning and placement of the different elements of your pond. What follows are a bunch of the design ideas that I love to add to the ponds I'm designing.
Threshold stones: Threshold stones are large flat stones that allow you to step up onto the edge of the pond. Like a threshold in a doorway it is the transition piece between dry ground and water. Any size pond can accommodate a threshold stone.
Stepping Stones: it is just plain fun to walk across the water. We used the stepping stones across our wetland filter to get to our front door. Stepping stones can be added as crossings or destinations in and of themselves. They are really suited to larger sized ponds. 15x20 and larger.
Bridges: Bridges in the traditional sense are sometimes fun, but can also be just too much when incorporated into small settings. If you are going to install a bridge make sure it is large and sturdy and in scale with your pond. If you have a small feature and want to be able to step across it oftentimes two threshold stones carefully placed will give you a better result.
Water Gardens: They have the same components as an ordinary pond, but you will want to have some special shelves cut in to accommodate your plants.
Most Marginal plants (plants that grow in the margins of the water up to 1") want to grow in more of a quiet area without too much splashing.
Bog plants like pitchers and some orchids want a foot of peat moss, spaghnum moss and a natural element like a log to tie it all together.
Waterlilies want a shelf at 18" depth. We leave ours in the pots so they can be easily divided and fertilized for optimal bloom. Waterlilies don't want any water to splash on their leaves. (They breathe through the tops of their pads) They also want a low flow situation as the higher flow will cause them to use all their energy keeping their leaves from being pulled downstream (Instead of flowering.)
Lotus enjoy about 18" shelves as well, but need a wide shelf to accommodate the large pot size with easy access so you can feed them regularly.
Kids and Dogs: if a child or a dog is a part of your life and you want them to be able to enjoy getting in your pond there are a couple things to consider. You will likely have to install sod as soon as the pond is installed to help to hold the edges of the pond (Raw dirt will track everywhere) large rock construction should be utilized. Filtration/pump may need to be bulked up/specialized (especially for children). You'll also want an area that is easy to get in an out of possibly even some steps into the pond. All very possible with the right planning.
Threshold stones: Threshold stones are large flat stones that allow you to step up onto the edge of the pond. Like a threshold in a doorway it is the transition piece between dry ground and water. Any size pond can accommodate a threshold stone.
Stepping Stones: it is just plain fun to walk across the water. We used the stepping stones across our wetland filter to get to our front door. Stepping stones can be added as crossings or destinations in and of themselves. They are really suited to larger sized ponds. 15x20 and larger.
Bridges: Bridges in the traditional sense are sometimes fun, but can also be just too much when incorporated into small settings. If you are going to install a bridge make sure it is large and sturdy and in scale with your pond. If you have a small feature and want to be able to step across it oftentimes two threshold stones carefully placed will give you a better result.
Water Gardens: They have the same components as an ordinary pond, but you will want to have some special shelves cut in to accommodate your plants.
Most Marginal plants (plants that grow in the margins of the water up to 1") want to grow in more of a quiet area without too much splashing.
Bog plants like pitchers and some orchids want a foot of peat moss, spaghnum moss and a natural element like a log to tie it all together.
Waterlilies want a shelf at 18" depth. We leave ours in the pots so they can be easily divided and fertilized for optimal bloom. Waterlilies don't want any water to splash on their leaves. (They breathe through the tops of their pads) They also want a low flow situation as the higher flow will cause them to use all their energy keeping their leaves from being pulled downstream (Instead of flowering.)
Lotus enjoy about 18" shelves as well, but need a wide shelf to accommodate the large pot size with easy access so you can feed them regularly.
Kids and Dogs: if a child or a dog is a part of your life and you want them to be able to enjoy getting in your pond there are a couple things to consider. You will likely have to install sod as soon as the pond is installed to help to hold the edges of the pond (Raw dirt will track everywhere) large rock construction should be utilized. Filtration/pump may need to be bulked up/specialized (especially for children). You'll also want an area that is easy to get in an out of possibly even some steps into the pond. All very possible with the right planning.
The biggest mistakes people make with ponds...
I'd say the biggest mistake people make with ponds is getting on forums and listening to a million different people advise a million different things. Find someone who knows what they are doing and you can trust and listen to that one voice.
All ponds are not created equal. You want to be certain that you love the work of the artist you hire to build your pond. You may be buying a Picasso but imagining a Rembrandt. Each artist builds differently. The size and shape of the stone and the skill level of the person installing them can greatly change your experience. Starting with a Certified Aquascape Contractor (CAC) is great. Looking at their ponds and waterfalls is really important in determining if you want their work in your yard.
Try to figure out what you want and how you will use it. This is important!! If you have dogs, small children or grandchildren, want to get in the pond with your fish and watch them swim...all these things determine how the pond needs to be constructed...what size filtration you will need etc. We can help walk you through this part, but its good to think about in advance.
Size....they say we all end up with three ponds...the small, the medium and the forever pond. The most common size is 11x16. It's big enough for a variety of fish and plants. Generally not big enough for you to get in and swim with them though...
Placement: You don't want your pond where the ground is low and wet. (It will cost a lot just to get the drainage system under the pond to keep the liner in place.). You do want the pond to be as close to your home as possible. You want to be able to enjoy it from inside and outside your home.
Want to incorporate a pond into your landscape, but don't know where to start? Contact us! We are happy to do free phone consults to help you get started.
(973)349.7548, [email protected]
All ponds are not created equal. You want to be certain that you love the work of the artist you hire to build your pond. You may be buying a Picasso but imagining a Rembrandt. Each artist builds differently. The size and shape of the stone and the skill level of the person installing them can greatly change your experience. Starting with a Certified Aquascape Contractor (CAC) is great. Looking at their ponds and waterfalls is really important in determining if you want their work in your yard.
Try to figure out what you want and how you will use it. This is important!! If you have dogs, small children or grandchildren, want to get in the pond with your fish and watch them swim...all these things determine how the pond needs to be constructed...what size filtration you will need etc. We can help walk you through this part, but its good to think about in advance.
Size....they say we all end up with three ponds...the small, the medium and the forever pond. The most common size is 11x16. It's big enough for a variety of fish and plants. Generally not big enough for you to get in and swim with them though...
Placement: You don't want your pond where the ground is low and wet. (It will cost a lot just to get the drainage system under the pond to keep the liner in place.). You do want the pond to be as close to your home as possible. You want to be able to enjoy it from inside and outside your home.
Want to incorporate a pond into your landscape, but don't know where to start? Contact us! We are happy to do free phone consults to help you get started.
(973)349.7548, [email protected]