Pondtastic Helps Build Dream Pond in Titusville, Central Florida (FL)

What is your dream pond? Do you want a large pond so you can have big koi swimming gracefully by? Or is it to have a pond that always blooming with beautiful aquatic plants?
Gary Wittstock of Titusville, Fl had many visions for his dream pond, those dreams came true in February as his new Ecosystem "dream pond" was built at his new retirement home.
 
This pond owner is very special to Jim and I, Gary and his son have been mentors to us since starting Pondtastic Water Gardens.
Gary is the "Pond Father" Gary's son, Greg
Wittstock The Pond Guy, owns and operates Aquascape Inc. the largest supplier of water feature equipment in North America. If you've read our blogs or newsletters for any amount of time you've read us reference Aquascape 100's of times. You've seen our pictures with Greg as we've received many recognition's and awards from Aquascape. The best recognition to date was being named  Aquascape Certified Contractor of the Year.



This story really starts in 1982, with Greg and his turtles. The Wittstock family moved from New Jersey to Wheaton IL with 11 turtles in the bottom drawer of their refrigerator.
By the second day in their new home 12 year old Greg had already dug a backyard pond for his beloved turtles. This pond was not the ecosystem liner ponds of today but rather a concrete pond  that turned green and cracked. This pond however is what started the Wittstock men on a journey that continues today.

Gary recently retired to the Titusville, Central Florida (FL) area and left behind his ponds of 34 years.
Leaving behind the freezing winter of Illinois for  the tropical climate of Central Florida (FL)
The plans got in motion when Greg flew into Orlando to meet with a potential client to be aired on the show Pond Squad. 

Jim met Greg and Gary for lunch as Gary shared his vision of what his dream pond would look. That was in June of 2015. Gary kept in touch with Jim and I and we learned that this special pond build was going to be a "build a pond" Certified Aquascape Contractors from around the state and even as far as Long Island NY came to build this "Dream Pond" in Titusville, Central Florida (FL).


It's always great for us to get together with other pond builders to build, we always learn something new. Unveiled at this pond build was the new Aquascape skimmer which was installed by Dave Havrilka with Aquascape Products and Development. Working along side us were great friends and mentors from across the state,  Pondtastic Water Gardens had the shortest drive over to Titusville, Central Florida (FL) at 45 minutes and the longest drive was 2 hrs 30 minutes which was driven by Pinellas Ponds. A HUGE Shout Out to Jeff of Island Aquascape Inc for traveling from Long Island NY to build for Gary.

Gary has been involved in the pond world much of his adult life from building, design work to manufacturing. He knew what to expect through the entire process and yet he was still in awe if the process. Many times I would see him just stand back with the biggest smile on his face or say "I just can't believe this"
I loved to watch as Gary proudly explained to the many golf cart riding neighbors that stopped by to see what all these people were doing in his yard and changing his landscape.
Already residents in the community are changing their walking routines to now include as pass by "Gary's Dream Pond"

Are you ready for your "Dream Pond?
Contact Pondtastic Water Gardens today to start making you dreams a reality!

Pond Pump Maintenance and Troubleshooting Tips

Do I need to do maintenance on my pond pump?

Yes, In Central Florida ponds run all year unlike our neighbors to the north, so we have to make sure that we are servicing them year round.


How Often Should I service my pump?

We suggest that you check the pump intake at least once a month. If you see a reduction in flow over the waterfalls or if you hear the pump making noises service right away.

When it comes to pond pumps, it's always a good idea to be proactive and stay on top of maintenance so you can prevent problems before they happen. Every pond owner knows that a broken, non-working pump can create a headache with water quality and fish health, so use these tips to prolong the life of your pump.

• Do not allow the filters to become clogged with debris and sediment. Conduct weekly skimmer cleanings and seasonal maintenance.
• Keep water flowing freely to the pump by routinely cleaning the skimmer debris net and filter mat. Be sure to maintain proper water level in the water feature. Avoid allowing the pump to run dry or operate in low water level situations.
• Inspect and remove large debris, such as mulch, sticks, small pebbles, etc from the bottom of the Skimmer, Snorkel™ Vault, or sump basin in order to prevent the pump from becoming clogged and possibly damaged.

If you are experiencing pump issues, follow these tips to troubleshoot common pump problems.

• First of all, is the pump receiving water? This sounds like an obvious question, but we have had clients call and state that their pump is not working only to find that they haven't added water to the pond in the past few weeks and the skimmer ran dry. The pump in this situation may actually be running, but just not receiving enough water. A lot of times you can actually hear the "hum" or "gurgle" of the pump while it's in the skimmer.
• Make sure nothing is blocking the flow of water to the pump, such as large boulders, debris blocking the front of the skimmer opening, a clogged skimmer net, or clogged skimmer filter mat that has not been emptied or cleaned in a long time.
• The pump may be vapor locked. This term sounds complicated, but it simply means that air is trapped in the volute of the pump. The pumps are designed to push water, not air ... so an air bubble gets trapped, and the pump becomes vapor locked. In this situation the impeller is basically spinning, but water is not being pushed. Listen to see if you hear the hum of the pump. A vapor lock can be fixed by tilting the pump to allow the air to escape from the intake. You may even be able to accomplish this without disconnecting the fitting on pump.
• It is also effective to check and see if the electrical supply is operating properly. Premature pump failures can occur due to faulty electrical. For example, pumps hooked up to extension cords may cause potential problems. While this electrical setup usually works for testing the pump soon after the water feature is built, it is not recommended for permanent installations, and may end up causing the pump to fail.
• Check the electric box to see if the safety breaker on the ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) has tripped. The proper electrical setup for the pond should include a GFCI outlet. The GFCI's responsibility is to shut the power down if it senses an electrical problem.The GFCI is a safety device installed to protect people from receiving a shock in case of an electrical malfunction.                GFCI's are very sensitive and can sometimes trip during a thunderstorm or a power surge. Reset the breaker if it has tripped.
• Unplug the pump and disconnect the union fitting found at the top of the check valve. The water will back-flush from the BIOFALLS® back into the skimmer. This will help flush out any possible clogs along the length of the pipe.
• Pull the pump out of the skimmer and inspect the intake on the pump for any lodged debris. Aquascape pumps are capable of handling solids and debris up to a reasonable size, typically 5/8". On some occasions, debris may become lodged in the impeller (housing) of the pump. This could possibly seize up the impeller, or restrict the flow causing the pump to stop operating properly. Thoroughly check the pump intake, including the area above the impeller where small debris, such as gravel, may be trapped.
• Plug in the pump after inspecting it for debris, and see if the impeller spins.
• If the impeller does not spin, unplug the pump and try to assist it by using a screwdriver or similar tool to give it a little kick start. On some occasions, the impeller may seize up and not spin. This sometimes happens after the pump has been out of operation for a period of time (such as over the winter). Hopefully, the pump will then begin to operate after it is plugged back in. Once it starts back up on its own, you'll want to unplug the pump again, wait a few seconds, and plug it back in. The impeller should begin to spin without assistance this time.
• If you still have no luck, bring the pump over to a different electrical receptacle on the property, specifically one that contains a GFCI breaker, and see if the pump operates. This will tell us if the pond's electrical supply is bad, or if there is something internally wrong with the pump. If the pump trips this GFCI, then there is definitely something wrong with the pump, and it should be replaced. However, you'll want to have a qualified electrician come out and check the pond's electrical setup if the pump runs without a problem on another outlet.

This video shows you how to troubleshoot and service your Aquascape Aquasurge Pump.

 

Need a new pond pond?
Call Pondtastic to order your pump today

Waterfall Wednesday in Winter Park, Florida

Winter Park is in the heart of busy Central Florida, however when you stand next to this waterfall the interstate feels miles away.

These Waterfall Wednesday pictures give you a glimpse of an amazing large water feature which is home to countless koi fish.

This very large pond has 40,000 gallons of water flowing over the massive rocks. 
4 -10,000 Aquascape pumps are placed within each of these pump vaults.













The huge Tennessee boulders are placed around the pond with heavy equipment. It's always important that the boulder are proportionate to the pond size.

Aquatic plants are a very large part of the ecosystem bog filtration. 

The 100+ plants are placed in the bog and on the plant shelves to create a lush water garden.

Spillway Bowls Make A Splash

These new Spillway Bowls are creating quite a splash in Orlando.

 

Are you looking for a something to enhance your Central Florida landscape? Or maybe you want to add more circulation to you koi pond.

These versatile water features can be installed to create many different looks and sounds.

Beautiful spilling water features can be added to small spaces adding tranquility and soothing sounds to any patio or entryway.







Spillway Bowls can also easily be linked together creating a unique standalone water feature.
Enhance your landscaping with the sounds of water.
 





What about adding these bowls to your pond for a modern looking waterfall? Add pond lighting to capture the dancing water as it splashes from bowl to bowl.

These beautiful bowls are made from durable glass fiber reinforced concrete and come in a beautiful patina.


 

 Watch this short video for more ideas

 

Call today for your custom installed Spillway Bowls

                                    407-601-7663

Pond Renovation Is It Time?

Have you sat out at your pond or waterfall and thought this needs work?

What is the difference between pond renovations vs. pond repair?  

Even though they sound similar, they are quite different. To repair something means fixing or replacing a part that is broken or not working. Whereas, a renovation is a complete overhaul and redo, resulting in a practically brand new water feature.

What renovation work can I have done? 

This is the perfect opportunity to change anything you don't like, and address any issues. You could install lighting, upgrade your filtration, increase pump size, add fish caves. Maybe you want to make the pond larger, or add another waterfall.
In the last 5 years there are many new technologies developed that help reduce maintenance and enhance the enjoyment of the water feature that can be added.

Who gets pond renovations?
Our pond renovation work comes from Pondtastic pond owners who want to increase the size of their ecosystem pond. Homeowners who did not have a Certified Aquascape Contractor build the pond, instead they had a landscaper  build the pond and it is not the pond they had hoped for.
Often pond renovations come from new homeowners who don't know their pond's history and want to incorporate their own ideas into their backyard paradise.

How much does it cost? 

We have done renovations from $5,000 all the way up to $85,000

So are you ready for a renovation to be done on your pond or waterfall? 

Contact Orlando's only Master Certified Aquascape Contractor

Please go to our CONTACT US page at www.pondtastic.com

We will begin with a FREE phone consultation upon receipt of your contact form DON'T forget to attach your pictures.

** All Onsite design consultations are $120.00

 Begin enjoying your pond again!