Showing posts with label water features. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water features. Show all posts

7 Pond Myths Destroyed

Posted by: The Backyard Getaway / Category: , , ,

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.


  1. 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.
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.
  4. 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 
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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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Disappearing Fountains

Posted by: The Backyard Getaway / Category: , ,



Fountains are an easy way to add the looks of your backyard. Not only do they look great, but also come with the relaxing sound of water that everyone enjoys. The disappearing fountains are a little more unique since they bubble up and flow from the top and give the illusion of the water disappearing into a bed of gravel.


Aquascape have come up with a great product called the Aquabasin, which makes installation for any do-it-yourself builder quick and simple. This project can easily be done within a day and is very affordable.

You can purchase your own Aquabasin kit and your choice of fountain at the Pacific Outdoor Living Pro site. They even offer installation if this project seems a little too overwhelming for you.


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