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| Backyard Ponds & Waterscapes, Inc. 1524 West Mooseheart Road North Aurora, IL 60542 630-907-0670 ponds@backyardpondsinc.com |
| FAQs |
What Size is Best?
An enthusiastic pond hobbyist always finds new plants or interesting fish to add to his or her
investment. As a general rule, a 180 square-foot or 11' x 16' pond is a good "standard" size
water feature. Trace your prospective pond out on the ground with a garden hose to help you
visualize what the finished size will be.
What kind of maintenance is involved?
The skimmer filter buried alongside your pond sweeps the surface free of debris and pre-filters
the pump. The net inside the skimmer will collect leaves, twigs, seeds, and other pond debris.
It takes approximately 2-3 minutes every other week in the summer to empty the debris net.
The skimmer filter mat is designed to remove the fine debris that makes its way past the debris
net. The debris mat does require an occasional rinsing, that takes about 10 minutes a month on
average. A spring clean out is recommended once a year that can be completed in an
afternoon.
Why do you put rocks and gravel on the bottom of the pond?
We put rocks and gravel on the bottom of the pond for a couple of reasons. The number one
reason is for filtration of the pond. The rocks provide a huge amount of surface area for the
bacteria to colonize on. This bacteria breaks down the fish waste and other organic debris that
fall to the bottom. The second reason is to help lock the liner in place so that the water weight
doesn't bring it down. The third main reason is aesthetics. A pond with rocks and gravel on the
bottom of the pond is much more natural looking than having a black liner with nothing but
algae covering it up.
How do I keep the water clear?
The bacteria and enzymes included with your pond should be added to you water feature
periodically. This will help obtain crystal clear water and establish a well- balanced ecosystem.
These same bacteria and enzymes seeded in your pond are found in natural lakes and ponds all
over the world. The bacteria survive on the surface of the biological media found in your
Biofalls and on the surface of the rocks and gravel throughout your pond.
Do I need aquatic plants?
Water plants are truly the "emerald" jewels of the gardening world. Self-watering and hardy,
these plants return year after year. You can even plant tropical lilies that bloom at night!
Aquatic plants are essential in maintaining a low maintenance water feature by filtering the
water and out competing algae for excess nutrients in the pond. The beauty and low
maintenance of aquatic plants provide a truly unique accent to any water garden.
Do you plant the plants in pots or directly into the gravel?
No pots in our ponds! We want our ponds looking as natural as possible. We plant all the
plants, except water lilies, directly into the gravel. The plants grow much better in the gravel
because their roots will never get bound. This also helps the ecosystem, because the plants will
be able to search out more nutrients by letting the root system travel through the gravel and
rocks. Special planting pockets are created during excavation to accommodate water lilies.
Do I really need the fish?
Most people think that fish are more work and are unnecessary. I myself thought the same
when I built my first pond, but I found out how easy they were to care for and decided to give
them a shot. Now they are my favorite part of my pond. The flash of brilliantly colored fish
adds immensely to the enjoyment of your water garden. In fact, fish actually help support the
natural ecosystem and reduce pond maintenance. Their sparkle and playfulness offer endless
fascination and enhances the naturalness of the setting.
How often should you feed the fish?
This is a debatable question and also depends on how many fish you have in the pond. We
usually recommend not feeding fish more than once a day. The fish have plenty of things to
nibble on in the pond.
What do you do with fish in the winter?
Leave them in the pond! Your fish can survive the winter in as little as 2 feet of water. Just
make sure that there is something keeping a hole open in the ice and that the water is moving.
What happens to the plants in the winter time?
Most hardy plants will die back and go dormant during the winter. The tropical plants need to
be brought inside, or treated as annuals and replaced each year.
What is the Cost?
Installed, a water feature is similarly priced to a hot tub. Unlike a hot tub, your water garden
will not use any chemicals, require any test kits, and will actually increase the value of your
property.
My neighbors have expressed concern that my pond is increasing the
levels of mosquitoes in the neighborhood. I've never noticed a problem,
but how do I logically address their concerns?
Let them know your pond is hurting the local mosquito population, not helping it. Mosquitoes
lay their larvae in bodies of water like your pond and overturned Frisbees. As an ecosystem,
your pond expects this. Your fish, as well as frogs and dragonflies are primed and ready for
these larvae to arise, and they gobble up as many as they can find. The skimmer filter eats
many too. Larvae hang out on the surface and get sucked into it. The overturned Frisbee,
however, is just the kind of stagnant, predator-free home in which larvae flourish. The more
larvae a mosquito mom wastes in your pond instead of the Frisbees, the better off your
neighbor-hood and your fish will be!
I'm interested in having a pond built, but I'm concerned that I need a
permit. What does the law say in regard to this?
Virtually no laws currently exist anywhere in the U.S. that specifically regulates water garden
construction. B.O.C.A. (the Building Organization Code Administration) is a national governing
body that has set precedence on swimming pool codes. It states that bodies of water which are
two feet of depth or less or 250 square feet (10' x 25') or less, are deemed landscaping and do
not fall into swimming pool regulations. Most water gardens are well within these size and
depth limits. On the flip side, some municipalities don't care if a pond is fifteen feet deep! All
municipalities are different. As long as you stick within B.O.C.A. codes it is highly unusual for a
city to have a written rule requiring you to get a permit. If you file for a permit, the clerk will
either make up a rule (a huge can of worms potentially) or refer to swimming pool codes.
An enthusiastic pond hobbyist always finds new plants or interesting fish to add to his or her
investment. As a general rule, a 180 square-foot or 11' x 16' pond is a good "standard" size
water feature. Trace your prospective pond out on the ground with a garden hose to help you
visualize what the finished size will be.
What kind of maintenance is involved?
The skimmer filter buried alongside your pond sweeps the surface free of debris and pre-filters
the pump. The net inside the skimmer will collect leaves, twigs, seeds, and other pond debris.
It takes approximately 2-3 minutes every other week in the summer to empty the debris net.
The skimmer filter mat is designed to remove the fine debris that makes its way past the debris
net. The debris mat does require an occasional rinsing, that takes about 10 minutes a month on
average. A spring clean out is recommended once a year that can be completed in an
afternoon.
Why do you put rocks and gravel on the bottom of the pond?
We put rocks and gravel on the bottom of the pond for a couple of reasons. The number one
reason is for filtration of the pond. The rocks provide a huge amount of surface area for the
bacteria to colonize on. This bacteria breaks down the fish waste and other organic debris that
fall to the bottom. The second reason is to help lock the liner in place so that the water weight
doesn't bring it down. The third main reason is aesthetics. A pond with rocks and gravel on the
bottom of the pond is much more natural looking than having a black liner with nothing but
algae covering it up.
How do I keep the water clear?
The bacteria and enzymes included with your pond should be added to you water feature
periodically. This will help obtain crystal clear water and establish a well- balanced ecosystem.
These same bacteria and enzymes seeded in your pond are found in natural lakes and ponds all
over the world. The bacteria survive on the surface of the biological media found in your
Biofalls and on the surface of the rocks and gravel throughout your pond.
Do I need aquatic plants?
Water plants are truly the "emerald" jewels of the gardening world. Self-watering and hardy,
these plants return year after year. You can even plant tropical lilies that bloom at night!
Aquatic plants are essential in maintaining a low maintenance water feature by filtering the
water and out competing algae for excess nutrients in the pond. The beauty and low
maintenance of aquatic plants provide a truly unique accent to any water garden.
Do you plant the plants in pots or directly into the gravel?
No pots in our ponds! We want our ponds looking as natural as possible. We plant all the
plants, except water lilies, directly into the gravel. The plants grow much better in the gravel
because their roots will never get bound. This also helps the ecosystem, because the plants will
be able to search out more nutrients by letting the root system travel through the gravel and
rocks. Special planting pockets are created during excavation to accommodate water lilies.
Do I really need the fish?
Most people think that fish are more work and are unnecessary. I myself thought the same
when I built my first pond, but I found out how easy they were to care for and decided to give
them a shot. Now they are my favorite part of my pond. The flash of brilliantly colored fish
adds immensely to the enjoyment of your water garden. In fact, fish actually help support the
natural ecosystem and reduce pond maintenance. Their sparkle and playfulness offer endless
fascination and enhances the naturalness of the setting.
How often should you feed the fish?
This is a debatable question and also depends on how many fish you have in the pond. We
usually recommend not feeding fish more than once a day. The fish have plenty of things to
nibble on in the pond.
What do you do with fish in the winter?
Leave them in the pond! Your fish can survive the winter in as little as 2 feet of water. Just
make sure that there is something keeping a hole open in the ice and that the water is moving.
What happens to the plants in the winter time?
Most hardy plants will die back and go dormant during the winter. The tropical plants need to
be brought inside, or treated as annuals and replaced each year.
What is the Cost?
Installed, a water feature is similarly priced to a hot tub. Unlike a hot tub, your water garden
will not use any chemicals, require any test kits, and will actually increase the value of your
property.
My neighbors have expressed concern that my pond is increasing the
levels of mosquitoes in the neighborhood. I've never noticed a problem,
but how do I logically address their concerns?
Let them know your pond is hurting the local mosquito population, not helping it. Mosquitoes
lay their larvae in bodies of water like your pond and overturned Frisbees. As an ecosystem,
your pond expects this. Your fish, as well as frogs and dragonflies are primed and ready for
these larvae to arise, and they gobble up as many as they can find. The skimmer filter eats
many too. Larvae hang out on the surface and get sucked into it. The overturned Frisbee,
however, is just the kind of stagnant, predator-free home in which larvae flourish. The more
larvae a mosquito mom wastes in your pond instead of the Frisbees, the better off your
neighbor-hood and your fish will be!
I'm interested in having a pond built, but I'm concerned that I need a
permit. What does the law say in regard to this?
Virtually no laws currently exist anywhere in the U.S. that specifically regulates water garden
construction. B.O.C.A. (the Building Organization Code Administration) is a national governing
body that has set precedence on swimming pool codes. It states that bodies of water which are
two feet of depth or less or 250 square feet (10' x 25') or less, are deemed landscaping and do
not fall into swimming pool regulations. Most water gardens are well within these size and
depth limits. On the flip side, some municipalities don't care if a pond is fifteen feet deep! All
municipalities are different. As long as you stick within B.O.C.A. codes it is highly unusual for a
city to have a written rule requiring you to get a permit. If you file for a permit, the clerk will
either make up a rule (a huge can of worms potentially) or refer to swimming pool codes.
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