Pond Charity Build Featured on Pond Squad

Several months ago Pond Squad started airing their latest episodes of their pond reality TV series.
The shows feature ponds all over the US and Mexico.
Haven't seen all the episodes? You can view them on our  Pondtastic Facebook page.


Jim and I are personal friends with the stars of the show and many of the pond companies featured in the shows. This episode features our friend's at Pondscapes Az, they organized this build for Sunshine Acres Children's Home in Azizona.

I posted this when this episode was released however I spent a few days with Alison last month and I was reminded of how AMAZING our friends are for organizing such a special project.


Enjoy!!

Waterfall Wednesday in Orlando, Florida

What an amazing view these home owners have as they look out into their Orlando, backyard.


The week that this pond was built was unlike any we've ever had. We started construction on a Monday and the excitement was building as the week went on, not only for the homeowners to see their completed water, stream and koi pond but because they were expecting their first child any day.

Friday finally came and the pond was completed, pictures were taken, lots of pictures.
Even more pictures were taken over the weekend as the happy parents welcomed their beautiful daughter into the world.

Today this koi pond is the focal point of this backyard with Jumbo koi that now call this pond home.
This gorgeous outdoor room has now seen many family gathering and great parties.

Years of enjoyment are yet ahead for this great family as they enjoy their piece of paradise.

Pondtastic Water Gardens of Orlando Installs the Aquascape Pond Ecosystem

Ecosystem Ponds

Ecosystem ponds can be easy to understand, At Pondtastic Water Gardens, we have complete knowledge of what components go into a basic, or advanced functioning ecosystem. An ecosystem pond works with Mother Nature to provide food, shelter, and safety to the wildlife around it. It also provides you with an all-natural, low-maintenance piece of paradise. It’s important to remember, however, that every piece of the ecosystem puzzle must be present in order for a true ecosystem to be in place. Eliminate one of these elements and you’ve got an unbalanced ecosystem that won’t be so low-maintenance anymore. Check out the things you’ll need to get your ecosystem pond fired up:

Circulation System is really just a fancy way of saying “pumps and plumbing.” The proper size pump and pipe diameter are extremely important for the aesthetics of a water feature. More importantly, an efficient circulation system keeps the water moving and provides the necessary oxygen levels for healthy fish and plants.

Proper Filtration System includes the use of both a biological and a mechanical filter. A biological filter provides surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize and remove excess nutrients from the water. A mechanical filter will not only pre-filter the water and house the pump; it will also skim debris from the water’s surface to prevent the accumulation of organic materials on the pond floor.

Fish are an integral part of any ecosystem. Unfortunately, fish are often seen as creating a maintenance nightmare. Contrary to popular belief, fish will actually reduce pond maintenance, as they graze on string algae and bottom feed from the pond floor.

Aquatic Plants are Mother Nature’s true filters. Plants are great for adding character to a pond by providing color and texture, but from a filtration perspective, they’re second to none. Thriving from the excess nutrients in a pond and depriving algae of its food source, the aquatic plants in a water garden, given proper coverage, are critical for the overall health of the ecosystem.


Rocks, Gravel, and Bacteria have been a controversial element in the hobby for many years. Many enthusiasts have steered away from rocks and gravel out of fear that their system will become a maintenance nightmare. On the contrary, rocks and gravel will not only make your pond look more natural, they will also protect pond liners from UV light degradation and they provide tremendous surface area for beneficial bacteria to break down excess nutrients in the water and dissolved organic debris on the pond floor.

Having all these things in place makes all the difference in the health and success of your water garden. Use them and work with Mother Nature, not against her, for a chemical-free wonderland of water! The truth is that most people opt for the ecosystem way of water gardening because it’s easier and it just makes sense. A low-maintenance ecosystem pond provides you with more free time to enjoy friends and family … while gathered around your pond, of course!

Pondtastic Water Gardens installs the Aquascape Pondless Waterfall System

 
Pondless® Waterfall

Pondless® Waterfalls are simply a re-circulating waterfall and/or stream without the presence of a pond.  You can enjoy the sight and sound of running water without the maintenance of a pond.
     The waterfall is undoubtedly the most beautiful and favored feature in a water garden. If space is lacking in your yard or you have safety concerns with a pond, go Pondless®! The name basically explains it all. It’s a waterfall and stream, without the pond. So why would you want a waterfall without a pond? The truth is that a Pondless® Waterfall isn’t for everyone, but it can be a great alternative for someone who isn’t quite sure if a pond is right for their family.

Safety
Because there is no pool of water, a Pondless® Waterfall is a great option if you are concerned about safety issues associated with a traditional pond.


Cost
Cost can be a big factor when considering the type of pond you want to build. In most cases, the price of a Pondless® waterfall will be less than a pond, because there is less labor involved, as well as less rock and materials. Operating costs are also less. Because you’re not dealing with an established ecosystem, it’s not necessary to run the pump 24/7.

The Aquasurge pump is a great choice more most pondless waterfalls.
  


Space
The small size of the Pondless® Waterfall means you can build and enjoy a beautiful waterfall anywhere in you yard.
Maintenance - Taking care of your Pondless® Waterfall is easy. Filling the reservoir every few weeks to compensate for water loss because of evaporation is all that’s required.

Flexibility
Perhaps the best part of the Pondless® Waterfall is the possibility for the future. If you change your mind later, wishing you’d build a pond, that’s ok! If you leave enough room around the base of the waterfall, it’s easy to add a pond onto a Pondless® Waterfall.

Complete System
It might be difficult to imagine a waterfall and stream without a pond. Where does the water go? A Pondless® Waterfall works much like a regular pond. The hole, deeper than a normal pond, is dug then lined with rock and gravel, and filled with water. The water is then circulated from beneath the rocks and gravel by a pump that sits on the bottom, inside a Snorkel™ Vault. A pipe runs from there up to a BioFalls™ Filter or Waterfall Spillway and into an overflowing waterfall, where it falls back into the reservoir. Since the water level never pools above the level of the rock and gravel fill, it give the appearance of a waterfall without a pond, when in fact, the “pond” is there but not visible.




     The Pondless® Waterfall has made many water-lovers who were previously unable to indulge in the sweet sounds of falling water, very happy. It’s a great alternative for those who are trying to get their feet wet, or looking to fit a little bit of paradise into their own backyard. In other words, when all else fails … go Pondless®!

Orlando Certified Aquascape Contractor, Pondtastic Water Gardens shares views on water features ...

What is a water feature?

At first you might think that is a simple question that could easily be answered in a few words.

But my hope is that after reading this you will have a new appreciation of the REAL question and the answer.

You see, a water feature is according to Wikipedia:      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_feature

a water feature is one or more items from a range of fountains, pools, ponds, cascades, waterfalls, and streams.

.... but to us it is really much more.

On my office wall I have a quote by Loran Eisely:

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in Water

I have seen the magic of water with my own eyes...

• I have seen the intense emotion from a child with downs syndrome when he sits and watches the fish in our display pond and listens to the waterfall.
• I have seen the faces of the families as they sit searching for peace and answers by our pond at the Give Kids the World Village.
• I have seen grandchildren smile and run to see the pond at gram and gramps house and see how their favorite fish is looking.
• I have seen friends as they sit by our pond in rough times with tears in their eyes.
• I have seen teenage boys reconnect with nature... not a video game version , the real thing!
• I have seen my nieces go flying through the house headed to the pond every time they visit.
• I have seen couples sitting and smiling on more waterfalls than I can count.
• I have seen a bench moved closer so a husband can see and hear the waterfall better.
• I have seen friends smile, laugh, woot and holler as I held a friends hand and walked her into the pond to play with our fish.
• I have seen a husbands eyes fill with tears as he remembers the love of his life.
• I have seen a mother on her hands and knees with her children at the edge of the pond talking with their new fish.

I could go on and on....

What is a water feature?

Well to us it is much more than a fountain, pool, pond, cascade, waterfall, or stream.

I don't think it can be said better than it is said here by our good friend Scott Hammond.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQZyBhdPm0o

I encourage you to watch this video...

to us it is gold......

New Product Review ** Aquascape Pondless Spillway

I guess we were good boys and girls here this year because Santa has sent us some new product to test, explore and experiment with. We are really excited about this new entry into the water feature market for several reasons.

• Compact design allows us much more flexibility in designing and building breathtaking waterfalls
• Durable construction allows us to actually place these into the waterfall and place large rocks on top of them .. versatility is cool!
• Thru- liner bulkhead allows us the option of placing the connection lines inside or outside the liner without the addition of another bulkhead

We couldn't wait to get these spillways installed and we were not disappointed in the results.  These are a great option for pondless waterfalls or secondary falls on an ecosystem pond.

o yeah I almost forgot the best part.....

This product represents a savings to our customers! The price point on these of $120.00 they are a great value against the signature series biofalls  ($459) and even the microfalls ($260).

Keep in mind not every product fits every application but for what we can see, the Aquascape Waterfall Spillway is a winner!

Top Ten questions asked during our recent Home Show

Pondtastic was recently featured in the largest Home Show in our area.

We built and amazing waterfall and pond and complemented it with a breathtaking slate staked urn with with water pluming from the top splashing down among 25-30 tropical water lilies.

Putting together a display like this is ... well the only way to put it is to say , Its hard work !

We then get the opportunity to talk with hundreds of people a day. Talking about ponds is fun for us... we kinda like em if ya haven't noticed.....

But we thought it would be funny to make up a  
Top Ten List of the questions asked at the Orlando Home Show
... in Letterman style !

Number 10... How much is something like this?
Answer: Every pond we build is custom. That means that every pond has a different amount of rock, pumps, filtration, fish, plants, labor, lighting..... as you can imagine that is a difficult question to answer in such broad strokes.

Number 9 .... where are you located? are you local ?
Answer: Yes we are local. We are located right here in Orlando.

Number 8.... how difficult is it to maintain a pond like this?
Answer:  We LOVE ecosystem ponds !  Nature works !  10-15 minutes a few on the average pond.

Number 7... are these rocks real ?
Answer:  Yes they are real!  In our display this year we used about 20,000lbs of Tennessee field stone and river rounds. It always cracks us up when people walk up and knock on the big rocks.... yeah their real.. real heavy!


Number 6... what kind of fish are those?
Answer: We prefer to stock a pond with Koi. They are really Japanese carp and carp are scavengers by nature.. so they help us to maintain the pond ( see number 8)

Number 5... can you build a waterfall like that into my pool?
Answer: Sorry we don't do pools. In most cases the decks of the pools are not built to handle the weight of the real rock we use. We recommend building a feature near the pool or create the illusion that the waterfall is entering the pool.

Number 4...how long does it take you to build this display?
Answer: We begin the preparation months in advance as the design stage begins... but actual building time is usually about 30 hours.. all hands on deck!

Number 3... how do you get the water in there?
Answer: Yup...people really ask that. You know who you are!

Number 2...Is Pondtastic Water Gardens a chain or a franchise?
Answer: Nope we are a family owed and operated company. We believe that family is important and our pondtastic family is always growing!

Number 1... can you put this in my backyard?
Answer:  SURE  you grab that side and Ill grab this side and we can load it in your truck !


On a serious note we had a blast talking with so many people about ponds, waterfalls and water features.

Look for us in a backyard near you !

Tell a story !

Recently Seth Godin wrote in his daily blog:

People are moved by stories...

It took a minute for this is sink in before I realized how true that statement really is and the impact it has had on our business.

If you know us at all, you know that we love a good story !

It doesn't really matter what it is about we love sharing our lives and experiences with our friends/ customers.

I think that because of this our customers/friends enjoy sharing their stories with us.

We like to say that "we build friendships one pond at a time " and that attitude carries thru our entire staff.

We have been invited to many of our customers/friends weddings , birthdays, BBQs, Christmas parties, etc... We are so thankful that our customers/friends invite us into their lives.

We love sharing stories and we love hearing stories... got a good one to share?  Send us an email and let us know.
Info@pondtastic.com