We don’t! When we build a backyard water feature we work with Mother Nature. We mimic her as best we can by providing the 5 basic elements of a healthy ecosystem. A healthy ecosystem pond has: Filtration We do this through the use of a skimmer to skim off leaves...
Have you topped off the pond this winter? While we don’t think about adding water to the pond as often when it’s cold, it turns out that though water evaporates at a faster rate in high temperatures, it also evaporates in the winter! So don’t neglect to pay...
Check out these pictures. It’s hard to believe that these are pictures of the same pond, but they are! The top picture was taken of our backyard pond in 2018 when it was first built. Then, the photo underneath is of the same pond in September 2021. Too Many...
When there is a nearby fire, ash may end up in your pond. There is a difference between forest fire ash and ash from destroyed homes, garages, and businesses. The ash from a forest or grass is natural and will contain high amounts of potassium, but the ash from...
What are Winters Like for Ponds in Colorado? Winters can be very mild in Colorado when you are on the plains. We are in gardening Zone 5 which means although it gets cold, it doesn’t stay for long. Colorado has over 300 days of sunshine a year and far less snow than...
High Winds and Your Backyard Water Feature Did you have high winds at your place this week? We sure did. In fact, there were areas in Colorado that recorded winds over 100 miles per hour. Boulder had gusts of 104 mph! As a result, our pump was making some weird...
The weather here in Colorado can do some crazy things. It could be unseasonably warm well into what is normally winter or we could have a freak snow storm in early October. Let’s discuss how this will affect your koi or goldfish. Temperatures and Metabolism Feeding...
What is the difference between a pond heater and a de-icer? Great question! The “heaters” we talk about, and that are most often referred to when talking about pond winter care, are actually de-icers. They don’t heat up a pond like a hot tub, they...
The word “Winterization” can be confusing. Each pond or water feature needs to be ready for the winter whether they are being shut down or just serviced so they are ready to run for the whole winter. I am going to break it down into “Winter...
Answer these 5 questions to find out if your backyard pond be run over the winter! Are there fish, frogs, and other aquatic life in or at the pond? Is the system currently free from any water loss (besides evaporation)? Are you going to be home this winter (not...
Did you know that September 22nd was the first day of fall? It was! The temperatures have gotten colder at night, but it’s still nice and warm in the daytime. The leaves have begun to change and the morning dew has returned. The days have gotten shorter and the nights...
What is it? (Green cloudy water!) Do you have it? What can you do about it? Microbial algae look like cloudy, pea soup. It can’t be picked up or grabbed. It may also be referred to as suspended algae. You may have other algae, but if your water doesn’t...