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  Q:  What are the first steps I should take before I begin constructing my pond?

  A:  There are multiple steps to take before beginning construction.  First of all before you even grab a shovel call your local Dig Hotline.  This is a free service in most areas that mark out all power, gas, and any other known lines on your property.  This is a MUST! 

  Also before you dig, or even get your hopes up for that matter, make sure you can have a water feature.  Some community covenants view water features as a nuisance and are not allowed.

  Insurance is another concern.  Many residential areas consider any water feature over a certain depth to be treated as a swimming pool.  This may require you to build a gated six-foot fence around the perimeter of your property, and even effect or insurance premiums.

  There are other things that you or the contractor must consider, such as local codes for electrical.  This is often under the contractor's responsibilities, but you can never be too careful.  Check local laws, covenants, and other concerns before getting started.

  Q:  How do I get rid of green water?

  A:  There are two basic routes you can take.  You can either take the natural or chemical route. 

  If you decide on the natural path, most experts suggest 2/3 to 3/4 surface cover along with a healthy ratio of fish, oxygenating plants, and filtering plants.  (such as reeds, certain marginals, and water hyacinth)  This creates competition for the nutrients that algae feeds on. 

  Or you can take the chemical path, using repeated chemical treatments and/or a UV light.  This is often necessary in early stages of water gardening, due to the fact that new water plants do not cover sufficient surface area and beneficial bacteria has not been established.

  *Each pond has differing conditions and the above suggestion is a simplified answer.  For more info please contact us or your local professional. 

  Q:  Why do I have green water even after I have drained and refilled my pond?

  A:  Draining and refilling your pond due to green water is rarely the answer.  In most circumstances you are merely restarting your troubles.  There is almost always a green water period in a new pond (or refilled), because elements such as beneficial bacteria and sufficient plant growth have not been achieved.  Without this growth there is an imbalance in the pond and the algae may thrive with minimal competition from other plants.

  Q:  Should I have a rock-bottomed pond?

  A:  This is a decision that most pond owners have contemplated.  In our experience, those who have rocked the bottom of their pond, and do their own maintenance, have regretted their decision.  Yes, this is the most common recommendation from 'kit' style installation companies.  Chances are if you ask any business that does maintenance they will emphatically tell you not to.  It is the easy fix for aesthetics when you first install your pond, but once algae forms (which it will) you don't really see that 'pretty' rock.  After a season or two nasty anaerobic bacteria begins to form in the crevices between the rocks, and that is BAD.  That is why many owners have slaved over removing all the rocks from the bottom of their pond and power-washed them.  It is not a fun job, many people have filled in their pond exclusively due to this chore, also some companies even charge you less if they don't have to put the rock back into your pond!

  So...in our opinion, rocking the bottom of your pond may be aesthetically pleasing at first, but the temporary advantage is well outweighed by the work it creates.  Some companies are suggesting a cemented rock bottom as an alternative, this way there are no crevices for the bad anaerobic bacteria to form.  We have not done this procedure, so I am not comfortable recommending it, but it is an option worth consideration.

  Q:  How deep should my pond be if I have fish/Koi?

  A:  This answer depends on what type of pond you are building.  If you are building a pond strictly for Koi, and have large amounts, three feet depth if the commonly suggested minimum.  Also for a large strictly koi pond there are extensive filtration systems you should research.

  As far as a 'natural' ponds, we have always had ponds in depth of two feet and never had a problem with loss of goldfish or koi.  I would not suggest any shallower, especially with a large number of koi or a small sized pond.  As long as the pond does not freeze through your chances of loss due to depth are greatly diminished.

  Q:  What type of pond should I build?

  A:  There are many different options in liners you can construct your water garden.  With the Midwest climate, that we live in, we do not suggest a concrete pond due to the expanding and contracting over temperature changes.  These changes will eventually cause cracking in the pond and necessitate repair or removal.  This is a much less significant concern in warmer climates. 

  Pre-Form ponds are an option for small ponds, but often times can be troublesome due to climate and durability issues.  Some can literally pop out of their hole with specific climate circumstances.  Also they are limited in size, shape, and options.  We prefer to have marginal shelves in our ponds, which many of the pre-form ponds do not offer.  Another consideration is limited size the of most pre-forms.  When water temperatures fluxuate rapidly, which is more common in a smaller feature, significant fish-kill is more prevalent.  With smaller features, pre-form or not, you would be advised to take your fish inside during the winter.  This lack of size also often leads to much more difficult upkeep and algae problems.  But if you have limited space, budget, or other circumstances, a pre-form can serve your purpose adequately.

  We are most comfortable with flexible liner due to its relative durability and ease of installation.  Some type of underlayment is suggested, especially in rougher or rocky soil, to avoid hole and tears.  Some suggest almost any material could be used, even including newspaper and old carpet padding.  This is often functional, but you must remember that this underlay will be exposed to moisture and other elements, and newspaper will degrade and padding can become rather unpleasant if too much moisture is introduced.

  Also we prefer to stay away from the 'kit' style packages found at many large chains and home improvement stores.  While these are serviceable, do you really want to have a cookie-cutter pond that limits your creativity and looks like everybody else's pond?  Make your pond yours and feel free to take chances in your design. 

  If you decide to buy your own liner make sure that it is fish-safe.  We are yet to have any problems with AnJon liners and Firestone is often considered the 'Cadillac' of pond liners.  If you have used liner that is not fish-safe you may want to consider removing it, but it is not always necessary.  Even if it has not produced significant fish-kill, it can take a few seasons for enough chemicals to leach out and become lethal.

  Q:  How large should I make my pond?

  A:  This is one of the hardest question to answer.  First of all you need to know what area you are working with, if the pond does not fit comfortably into your designated area it will not look right.  And with that being said, I would suggest making it as large as possible to fit your area. 

  In my experience there are two types of pond owners...Ex-pond owners and people who keep adding.  We are the latter, starting with a relatively large pond and adding two more within six years.  I have to admit, most Ex-pond owners are often the ones who decided to rock their pond, creating more maintenance than they are willing to do.  Most people we have met through pond clubs and forums have started with a small pre-form or flexible liner.  These people than either add on to their flexible liner or remove their pre-form and build new.  Whether going in the trash or being replace by a larger flexible lined pond, this is the main reason why I prefer flexible liner over a pre-form. 

  Don't be afraid to build large, unless you want to take a trial first step with a pre-form.  As I said, many times pond owners who start small just end up expanding.  If you want a "one and done" pond, I suggest building large. 

  Also if you are still not sure you even want a pre-form, but like the sights and sounds of running water, check out our disappearing fountains, pondless waterfalls, or bubbling rocks.  These are great alternatives to a pond, bringing the audio and visual pleasures of a pond with limited to no algae problems or maintenance.

   Q:  What should I do over the winter in a cold climate?

   A:  One concern is whether to turn off the filtration system and/or waterfall.  It is not necessary to disconnect and remove your pump over the winter.  But saying this, it is the safest.  Removing your pump and other winter maintenance is a significant amount of work, but it does make the least work during the winter.  If you like to have your pump and waterfall running all season you must make sure that the skimmer, or other pump container, does not ice over.  This leads to the pump freezing or drying out and burning itself out, either way, you need a new pump.  If you are willing to keep a close eye on your waterfall all through the winter feel free to leave it running.  But if you take any trips or extended vacations you would be wise to remove the pump, or arrange for someone else to keep an eye on your pond.

  Important note!  Always make sure that there is water flowing or a hole in the ice over the fall and winter season.  You may not have to feed your fish over the winter, but they still have to breath.  If the pond is frozen over for a significant amount of time the fish may asphyxiate, due to lack of gas exchange. 

  Also, if your pond does freeze over do NOT break the ice.  Use boiling water to melt the ice.  Due to the near-hibernation state that your fish are in over the winter, the shockwaves from a hammer hitting the ice can put them in shock and lessen their chance of making it through the winter healthy, and even kill them.

   Q:  Koi & Goldfish Health

   A:  This is a topic that is way to deep to even attempt to cover in this section.  We have a great resource on our Links page and I suggest checking out koivet.com.  Just a couple of signals that you should be concerned about are:  flashing (scraping on surfaces), milky appearance, sores or abrasions on sides, specks and discolorations, gasping at surface, sluggish and 'closed' fins, bulging eyes, and jaw degradation.