We say it a lot on our website, at home shows, and in our advertisements, but ponds really are the best thing that people never knew they wanted. So many people get excited about the prospect of a pond or waterfall in their backyard, but then they talk themselves out of it because they are worried about maintenance or something someone said in passing 30 years ago. The reality is that if you let us build your water feature the right way from the start, you can expect to spend ten minutes or less each week maintaining your pond. Below are some of the common myths we often get asked about.
Most importantly, you absolutely do not have to have fish in your pond. Not everyone is into koi. However, with the people who do want koi, there is a constant fear in the water gardening community that predators will help themselves to your prize koi, shubunkin, or goldfish. While it is healthy to respect the vulnerability of your fish to heron and other critters, forewarned is forearmed! Install proper fish caves, overhangs, and water plants to ensure your fish can get out of sight.
UV clarifiers are one of the ways to keep your pond water clear, but certainly not the only way, and arguably not the natural way. Install bog filters to help balance your pond ecosystem. We install bog filters as a natural way to help filter a pond. They do cost more upfront, but they add value to a pond and make them easier to enjoy.
You are susceptible to buying into this myth, if and only if, you've never experienced rocks and gravel in your pond. Rocks provide a natural surface for beneficial bacteria-an essential ingredient to a healthy pond. This myth was likely started by pool companies trying to sell concrete ponds. Nothing is more natural than a pond with rocks and stone. We do not install concrete ponds and highly recommend upgrading any existing concrete ponds.
In a naturally balanced ecosystem, koi and plants complement and need one another. Plants help to keep the water quality balanced as well as provide hiding places for fish to escape from sight.
There are many two-foot deep ponds around the country, full of happy and healthy koi. The concern is that the pond be deep enough to allow the koi to escape predators. Install fish caves, rock overhangs, and plant material to allow your fish to get out of sight.
This myth comes from the aquarium industry and has a lot to do with the fact that an aquarium is a much smaller body of water. Bring Mother Nature into the picture and how easy it is. A pond is a natural environment. The water quality will fluctuate based on the weather and season, but you definitely won't be doing daily testing.
Fish do fine during the coldest of winters as long as you give them two feet of water to swim in, oxygenate the water, and keep a hole in the ice with a bubbler. Make sure you follow sound instructions regarding when to stop feeding and Mother Nature can do the rest ... find out how your fish survive in the winter. The reality is that it takes a real cold snap for a South Carolina pond owner to seriously need to worry about a large pond icing over to the point that it is dangerous to the fish.
Mosquitoes will generally only lay their eggs in still, stagnant water. Furthermore, keep in mind that the pond attracts all types of wildlife. You will see an increase in dragonflies and frogs, both of which eat mosquitoes, spiders, and other undesirable insect that you already have in your backyard.
In nature, ponds and trees go together. Yes, you may have more leaves in your pond, but there are products such as leaf nets that can help take care of some of the maintenance. In fact, if you have an area where grass can't grow because of roots and shade, that might be the perfect place for a pond.
Koi are actually just a fancy variety of carp, and all carp are bottom feeders. They love to swim and scavenge among rocks.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]
Water is a natural magnet. A well constructed pond is both beautiful and tranquil. A pond instantly changes how you use your outdoor space. It is a great way to differentiate your home from others.
Although you can swim in larger ponds, a pond is not a pool. A healthy pond is a living ecosystem, not a sterile pool. There are a variety of pond safe additives to help with algae blooms and the like, but do not add chlorine. There are plenty of cleaning supplies made specifically for ponds.
There are a variety of forms water gardening can take. If a pond does not fit your lifestyle, try a pondless waterfall and stream or a custom fountain. Many of our favorite water feature builds didn't have a pond at all. If you love the sound of water, but are scared about the actual idea of a pond, then we definitely have some other products that would work for you.
Not true! It is best to keep your pond running constantly to keep your water circulating and filtered. Most pumps we install are run 24/7, make virtually no noise, and cost less than $12 a month to operate.
It may make sense to have your water garden in this area because it already collects water, however, this is probably the worst location.
The reality is, if you decide to work in harmony with nature, draining and cleaning your pond should be minimal.
More than anything else, being observant and learning from Nature is what it takes to be a water gardener. With that said, there are many add-ons and gadgets that make pond ownership so much easier than it was 30 years ago. We still recommend understanding a pond ecosystem and keeping it as natural as possible where you can.