Pond homework

[sissy]

look for energy savings pump but make sure you know what the head is and how long the hose will be from the pump .I understand lowes pumps have somewhat decent energy use but the warranty stinks on them .Laguna I got 4 year warranty .By then they will probably have a better pump any ways or i won't live in this house by then ,.

 

[Lisaebetten]

go here http://www.hardscapematerials.com/ ask for Donnie. I don't know why anyone would tell you not to put rock/stone in your pond. I added a sand stone shelter for the goldfish in the school pond. Your choice on digging your pond. All I can tell you via internet is I have had great results with hardscapes

I like the site, it inspired me to add another small waterfall spill directly into my pond on the other end of it!! Oh boy, I'm not even done with the landscaping yet and not another projects I gotta have!!

 

[morewater]

I don't know if it's a red flag but if they are contractors, they may get contractor pricing at those places allowing them to buy a pump much cheaper and make more money off of you.

Speaking as a contractor......Lemme see, you call a Pond guy, he comes to your house and does an assessment, he recommends a pump that he'll back, he gets it, pre-pays it, delivers it, removes the old one, installs the new one, registers the warranty and then comes back and hauls it out if something goes wrong and you begrudge him making, what.....maybe 15-30% from the product sale?
You don't think that the retail outlet you're buying it from makes any $$?
For instance, an AquaSurge 4000 2nd Generation pump retails for Can.$383.99, wholesale (which is what your pond guy gets it for), is $359.99. That's a whole $24!

A 1/4hp large pond (1 acre) aerator retails for Can.$700, wholesale is Can.$560.
If you want to get ripped off, go to a car dealership or get a real estate agent.................$24 won't buy a box of beer up here. Peanuts..........

 

[tbendl]

Fair point, I should have added "or savings" to that post. I do not begrudge anyone making money for work done.
And to be fair, I used to work at a car dealership so now we are both feeling maligned.

 

[morewater]

It was so cold here last year before I migrated, that I saw a used car dealer with his hands in his own pockets.......LOL

 

[morewater]

Recently I am getting ready to hire someone to build a pond for us here in northeastern Oklahoma. As mentioned in my introduction I'm not able to do it myself. Regardless, we're now thinking of an 8' x 10' pond containing, plants, possibly a few fish and any local frogs that might move in.

Reading around the forum I've
learned a few important things like it is a good thing to have no rocks on the bottom contrary to contractors who have suggested river rock or pea gravel. I'm also thinking a good quality pump, skimmer and filter are a good investment if they offer a significantly longer useful life. Local contractors tell me they only use pumps from Home Depot which makes me a little skeptical. Is this a red flag or do Home Depot and Lowes sell a range of quality components?

Lowes and Home Depot generally sell low-quality pumps. I've often seen pumps installed in ponds that were not meant for continuous use, but for intermittent use (ie. sump pumps). They subsequently burn out prematurely due to the thermal build-up from continuous use. Sure, they're cheaper....but if you buy one and it croaks in a year, then you buy another one and it croaks in a year...........combined they'll cost more than the properly applied pump.

A pond contractor is more than just a guy that comes and digs a hole in your yard, lines it and tosses in the bare necessities. If you're going to hire a professional pond builder, you might like to start with AquaScape's website, where they will refer you to a certified pond builder that has a proven track record. Additionally, ask for references from anyone that you're considering hiring and then visit the completed jobs. Most satisfied clients are more than happy to show off their new acquisition. One bad review can negate ten positives. Keep that in mind.

As to pumps, I've always used AquaScape products for their customer service/return ease. PondMaster is also a good alternative. I would stick with a magnetic drive model for energy efficiency. Remember that a proper pump installation will cycle the entire volume of the pond through your chosen filter structure at least once every 1.5-2.0hrs, taking into account feet of head.

 

[tbendl]

LOL morewater.

 

[j.w]

I've had my Pondmaster 2400 mag-drive submersible pump running for 13 yrs now 24/7 w/ no problems ever. It does use more energy than the Laguna's and don't know how long they last. Anybody had a Laguna running for over 10 yrs or more w/o problems..............just curious cuz I have been thinking of getting one in the future if they last long.

 

[Stewillard]

Thanks dieselplower for the advise to use a pump that will change all water every hour. And "morewater" thanks for the recommendations. I'm having a contractor contact me via Aquascape.

Pond Maintenance is an important issue for me so I'm back and forth with pond size. How much easier is it to clean a roughly 4'x4' pond vs a 8'x10' pond. I'm talking about annual major cleaning effort.

 

[tbendl]

Stewillard, ironically I've been told a larger pond is easier to maintain as small changes in a small pond effect it much more drastically than a large pond. And when you're talking to ponders, they will all tell you to always go bigger, especially when you have fish. LOL

 

[j.w]

When you say annual major cleaning what are you thinking you will have to do? Most just skim the pond bottom w/ a net to remove debris and trim off dead plant matter. Clean the filter if either leaving it on or storing it away. I never scrub my liner or drain the pond or remove all the water and add new. It's not really a big deal for me. I don't have rocks on my pond bottom tho so you may have more work to do in that regards.

 

[Stewillard]

I suppose I've been getting a lot of misinformation. Reading many sites I've been under the impression that an annual spring cleaning is required or at least recommended. This cleaning typically requires partial draining, filter cleaning, scooping or vacuuming whatever from the bottom, hosing off the liner, sometimes relocating fish temporarily and refilling with new water. (If one used rocks in the bottom there would be the extra work of cleaning them). Is keeping a pond both good looking and healthy for its inhabitants for many years to come as simple as skimming the bottom and cleaning the filter at intervals?? That's great because I'm not looking for extra work but I do want to keep my pond in great shape.

 

[sissy]

Never did a spring cleaning and doing it you are starting over with the pond .I just use a pool net like most of the others on here use .I just had to rebuild my pond after something chewed through my liner and I am hating starting over ,just hating it .

 

[Lisak1]

I will second Sissy - in our fifth year with our pond and we've never drained our pond, either partially or completely. Our spring cleaning is accomplished with a net - just scoop the bottom and you're done. A little more of the same in the fall, trim back all the dead and dying plants and that sums up our pond cleaning.

Also, the gravel bottom... yes, lots and lots and LOTS of people will tell you it's a bad idea. I'm here to tell you that I believe it's a good idea. So you'll need to do your research and decide what YOU think. A CAC (Certified Aquascape Contractor) will recommend a gravel bottom and will explain to you the theory behind that style of pond. Some people feel that having gravel or rocks in the bottom make it more difficult to clean - we don't find that to be the case. Others will tell you that the gravel will collect debris that will produce toxic gases and your fish will die. Obviously we haven't found that to be a problem either. So keep doing your research, have your questions ready, and decide what makes sense to you.

Good luck! New ponds are exciting!

 

[Stewillard]

Yes, I'll need to keep researching because a lot I hear here goes against what I thought I understood. No gravel certainly makes cleaning easier but if there are no significant water changes and there are fish, I can't see how the nitrates and all are reduced to keep the pond healthy. Also, without gravel there might be less bacteria to eliminate ammonia.

I'll keep my mind open!