There are good reasons to get a pond, good reasons to not get one and then some reasons that are not true. There are quite a few pond myths out there and so we are going to bust them, one by one. Read on for more…
Any contractor or landscaper can install a pond
Not true. Just like a roofer should not do your floors, a landscaper should not build your pond. Building a pond, and building it right are often two very different things. This is an expensive thing to find out too late—that your landscaper does not understand water features. A good landscaper might be talented with hardscapes and softscapes, but that doesn’t mean he or she is knowledgeable in the concept, design, or construction that makes a naturally balanced pond function properly. Be sure to hire a trained, certified installer like a Certified Aquascape Contractor, as we are proud to be. Hiring the landscaper with the cheapest bid often becomes the most expensive option when you realize you need the pond completely renovated when it doesn’t work right.
Maintaining a pond is constant work
To be honest, a properly designed ecosystem pond is less work than the grass it replaces! If you have a properly designed pond, you should be in great shape. A balance of five key factors creates the basis for a truly low maintenance pond, including filtration, circulation, plants, fish, and rocks and gravel. Will you need to perform a bit of maintenance from time to time? Of course, but you’ll spend less time maintaining a healthy pond than you will a mowing, fertilizing, and watering the lawn.
Predators will eat all the fish
While it’s true there are predators that would like to snack on your fish, you can do things to deter them from visiting your pond. A built-in fish cave or a Faux Log Fish Cave are two options to create a safe retreat for fish to hide from herons. Decoys such as a floating alligator or blue heron can also deter predators from your pond. Some pond owners choose to put netting over their pond to keep predators out. Fishing line can also be crisscrossed over the pond to keep herons from wading in the waters.
Ponds are breeding grounds for mosquitoes
Mosquitoes breed in still, standing water. A well-designed pond has lots of water movement. In fact, we recommend turning the water over once every hour. Also, ponds support fish, frogs, toads, and other wildlife that are natural predators of mosquitoes.
Ponds need daily water testing and corrective treatment
If your pond isn’t chemically dependent, there’s nothing to test. Rivers, lakes, and oceans aren’t tested and plenty of wildlife thrive in their waters. Stick to a philosophy of a balanced pond with minimal maintenance and your water should remain healthy throughout the year. Granted, there might be outside forces (such as lawn chemicals seeping into your pond after a heavy rain) that can alter water chemistry. But as a rule, you won’t need to test your pond water.
To keep fish, ponds need to be deep
Pond fish, including koi, go dormant in ponds just two-feet-deep through winters as cold as Minnesota’s bone chilling temperatures. A small circulating in-pond pump and pond de-Icer are all you need to keep a hole in the ice for the exchange of gases.
So now hopefully you have some answers to your pond concerns. If there are any other questions or concerns, you can always contact us for more information.