Posted by: The Backyard Getaway / Category:
maintenance,
Ponds,
tips,
water features
There are a lot of myths out there on what is needed to maintain a pond, or on why a pond will bring you nothing but problems and headaches. Here are seven specific myths that I would like to officially destroy and hopefully help convince more of you out there to become a pond owner and water gardener.
- Raccoons will eat all of your fish - Raccoons do not like to swim and will usually sit on the side to swipe fish with their paws. The fish are aware of a possible threat and will swim to the bottom and stay out of harms way until the threat goes away.
- Rocks and gravel make it difficult to clean the pond - The Eco system pond will maintain a natural balance that allows mother nature to do the maintenance work on her own. Beneficial bacteria are able to colonize on the rock and gravel which are able to break down debris and muck that would usually feed algae and help it grow.
- Fish cannot survive in cold climate - When temperatures drop the the fish will naturally swim to the bottom and hibernate during the winter, there is no need to bring them inside and protect them from the cold weather.
- You must test your pond for PH daily - When working with aquariums and pools of water that use chemicals, you do need to check the PH balance often. But when working with a natural Eco system, there is no need to test
- Ponds attract mosquito's - Mosquito's love stagnant water, so if the pond is stagnant then there will be mosquito's near by. The trick is to continuously have the water moving and less mosquito's will come around. Also any larvae on the water surface will be taken in by the skimmer and drowned, or eaten by the fish. A properly built pond can actually reduce the number of mosquito's in the area.
- Draining and cleaning the pond must be done on a regular basis - If the pond you have is not working with a natural Eco system, draining and cleaning the pond will be a regular headache. But if you are taking advantage of a naturally balanced pond you may have your pond cleaned once a year max, and some don't require it at all.
- The more filtration the better - If you were filtering water for drinking then more filtration is best, but when talking about a naturally balanced pond it is not necessary. Over filtering a pond can cause some maintenance problems that can become costly. if you can see a dime at the bottom of the pond, it is more than clean enough.
Still have more questions? Give California Waterscapes a call and they will be more than happy to answer them for you.
818-244-4000
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Posted by: The Backyard Getaway / Category:
maintenance,
Ponds,
tips
The question that I hear the most when it comes to water gardening is, how do I keep predators from eating the fish in my pond? There are a lot of ways to keep birds, raccoons, and other animals out heres a list of a couple of ways to do it.
When building your pond, remember to add a fish cave in the deepest part of your pond by stacking flagstone and leaving enough space for all of your fish in there. This will give all of your fish a place to swim and hide if a harmful predator is in the area. Most animals like raccoons will put their paws in to grab a fish but almost never fully submerge themselves in the water.
Scarecrow motion activated sprinklers are another way to scare away birds and other animals that have wandered into your backyard for a meal. These are the quickest to install and very popular with pond owners. They work similarly to motion activated flood lights, except they emits a 3 second burst of water to scare the pond predator away. These can easily be found online and in the ground in minutes.
Netting is also available to keep out those pesky predators from munching on your fish. There are lots of different sizes to choose from and can be trimmed down to fit your water feature. Visually this is not the best choice since you will see a black net over your entire pond, but it is effective.
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Posted by: The Backyard Getaway / Category:
Design,
Ponds,
waterfalls
It's about that time of the year again for the 6th annual Parade of Ponds to come back to town!
This years tour will have over 30 of the most magnificent backyard ponds and waterfalls on May 29th and 30th. The parade will start at the Pacific Outdoor Living Design Center in La Crescenta at 9am on both days. Advance tickets are available for $20 at the Design Center or by calling 818-247-9595. Ticket proceeds will benefit Five Acres and The American Red Cross. Also while your there, don't forget to enter for your chance to win a free pond for your home.
2727 Foothill Blvd La Crescenta 91214
818-247-9595
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Posted by: The Backyard Getaway / Category:
landscaping,
Outdoor Living,
Ponds,
waterfalls
Water gardening is a great way to bring tranquility into your backyard getaway. Any homeowner that has built a pond or waterfall in their yard will tell you how much it has changed a dead space into a private oasis. This video we found online from California Waterscapes will give you a better idea of what its like to own a pond.
If the video sparked an interest to get your own private oasis, then we suggest that you take a look at Angies List. There you can find a local qualified installer, and also read reviews from past customers they have serviced. Now if your in the Southern California area, we recommend that you call California Waterscapes, they have an amazing satisfaction rate and are completely qualified to do this type of work.
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Posted by: The Backyard Getaway / Category:
furniture,
Outdoor Living,
Ponds,
waterfalls
I made my way to the Long Beach Convention Center this past weekend to enjoy the Southern California Home Improvement & Landscape Show, and wanted to share just a few photos of some design ideas that I enjoyed.First is this beautiful pondless waterfall that was built by California Waterscapes. This is great for smaller spaces where an entire pond can't fit, or if you would rather have a water feature in the yard for noise rather than fish. If you in the Southern California area there is a link on the left if you want an estimate from California Waterscapes.
I also spotted an outdoor dining set that is very practical and beautiful at the same time that was created by Pacific Outdoor Furniture. The table pictured above is a 4x10 piece that is made of solid redwood. Now for those of you that are worried about the environment, Pacific Outdoor Furniture only use wood that is FSC certified. That means the wood is farmed and no forests are destroyed in the process.
Contact:
California Waterscapes 818-244-4000
Pacific Outdoor Furniture 818-767-0939
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Posted by: The Backyard Getaway / Category:
Design,
Pacific Outdoor Living,
Paving Stones,
Ponds
Yesterday I made my way to La Crescenta to check out the Pacific Outdoor Living Design Center, and there is no other way to describe it than being completely breathtaking. Especially for someone like me who enjoys taking photos this place is a photographers wonderland.
The multiple ponds, waterfalls, fountains that are on display here make this more than just a store but somewhere that I would like to visit just to relax. The staff were completely knowledgeable on these water features and from over hearing some of the other customers that came in during my visit they were completely satisfied from the installation that Pacific Outdoor Living did for them. The design center does not only offer the knowledge and installation of the ponds and waterfalls, but they also have all of the products needed for the regular maintenance, and can easily handle any repairs if needed. Also on display are the paving stones which they also specialize in with a wide arrangement of colors and styles to choose from, and from my past experience are far more superior than any other hardscape available now. If a full on construction job is not what your looking for, than take a stroll around the store and take notice of all the unique items available and design ideas that can easily be applied at your home.
2727 Foothill Blvd. La Crescenta CA 91214
818-247-9595
