Ponds

Hi All,

Well, Coronavirus or not, our spring clean outs are underway. The weather has been so mild here in Southeastern Wisconsin that us pond people just couldn’t resist getting out there and getting our hands dirty.

Our hopes and prayers go out to our nation and all of our fellow Americans at this time. I certainly hope that you, your family and your businesses stay safe during this challenging time. With any luck, maybe the hot summer sun will help us to get over the worst of this mess.

If you have any sort of pond troubles, big or small, we are here to help. We’ve been in this business a long time and we’ve seen it all. We can show you how to take a troublesome pond and make it easy to maintain and beautiful and we can take a boring old patch of grass and make it fabulous.

I guess that we are the lucky ones, we really don’t need to be near anyone to do our jobs, it’s just us, the fish, the frogs and pond muck up to our elbows!

Unfortunately, you might be spending more time at home than you had planned. Maybe it’s time to do a little yard and pond renovation? If you have any projects in mind, just give me a call, I’d be happy to come out and stay at least six feet away from you while discussing your pond and landscape.

Stay healthy,

Doug Hurth

Click to Email doug@hurthwaterscapes.com

Click to Call (414)-315-8886

Many of you will choose to clean out your own pond.  If you are planning this, check out our pond cleaning video and our pond cleaning page for full instructions.  This little article is all about the fish.  Your fish have made it through the long winter and they are weak at this time of the year, let’s do our best not to kill them now.

Holding Tank

• You’ll need a holding tank for the fish.  The bigger the better for the health of your fish.
• Unless it is really cold outside, you’ll probably want to have an aerator in the holding tank to keep the oxygen levels high in the holding tank.
• Place the tank on a fairly level surface somewhere near the pond.  If it is a cool cloudy day, location won’t matter much, but if it is hot and sunny, you’ll want the tank in a shaded area so that the water doesn’t heat up too much.

Pumping Down the Pond and Removing the Fish

• Do not start walking around in your pond stirring up the debris and freaking out the fish.
• When you first begin to pump the water out of the pond, carefully place your pump on an upper level and pump some of the cleanest water into the tank where you will keep the fish during the clean out.
• Have a net ready to cover the fish tank so that the fish don’t jump out while you are cleaning the pond.
• Don’t even try to catch the fish until you have most of the water out of the pond.  You want the fish to remain calm and the more you chase them around, the more energy the use and the more freaked out they get.
• Once the water level is just deep enough where they can still swim, it is very easy to catch them and transfer them to the holding tank.
• Keep an eye open while you are pumping down the water.  Usually the fish will instinctively move down to the lowest level as the pond is emptying, but occasionally you’ll have some that get caught up on an upper level in the plants or under the leaves and debris.  You’ll need to get these stranded fish to the holding tank as soon as possible.
• I usually have a five gallon pail of water that I use to transfer the fish to the tank.  It makes it easy to collect the smaller fish and eliminates a lot of trips back and forth to the tank.
• Of course the larger fish will need to be transferred immediately to the tank.  When doing so, be sure to move quickly and cover the net so that they don’t jump out of the net on the way to the tank.
• Never throw fish from the pond to the tank, remember the less stress the better.

Filling the Pond and Returning the Fish

• Once you finish your pond cleaning, it is time to start filling the pond and return the fish to their home.
• Here in Wisconsin we are usually cleaning ponds in April or May, so it is usually still fairly cool outside and the water in the holding tank is usually fairly close to the same temperature as the water coming out of the tap that we are using to fill the pond.
• Your fish can handle very warm and very cold temperatures, but a rapid change in temperature can put them into shock and kill them.
• As the air temperatures warm up, it becomes more and more critical to match the holding tank water temperature to the temperature in the pond before putting the fish back into the pond.
• You can use a water thermometer if you’d like, but I have had really good luck just using my hand to test the water.  If the water feels significantly different to you then it is probably too much of a difference for your fish.
• If the water is more than a few degrees different, you can run tap water into the tank with the fish to slowly cool it down or warm it up.  Since you are re-introducing your fish after the clean out, the new water in the pond has just come out of the tap, so tap water will help to slowly change the temps of the tank water.  Just don’t change it too quickly.
• Most of the time, in cool temperatures, we can just start to fill the pond and when it gets full enough for the fish to swim we pump the holding tank water back into the pond and re-introduce the fish at the same time.
• Another way to acclimate the fish is to float their container in the pond water for a period of time until the water temps have equalized.  You can use buckets or plastic bags full of the holding tank water and the fish to do this.  Just float the container in the pond and test it with your hand until the temperatures feel close to you.
• If you have your doubt about the water temperatures, it is a good idea to introduce one fish to see how it reacts to the new water.  If it looks fine after a few minutes, you should be safe adding the other fish.
• As you add fish back to the pond, take a minute to look at the fish.  If there are any fish with open sores on their bodies, it is probably better not to put them back into the pond with your other fish.
• This is also a good time to eliminate any fish that you don’t want.  Oftentimes the goldfish population will just go crazy and overwhelm your pond if you don’t remove a few fish from time to time.  Here in Wisconsin I have not had this problem with Koi.
• If you are filling the pond with city water you’ll need to add dechlorinator to the water.  The chlorine in city water can burn the gills of your fish.
• The water in the freshly cleaned pond will contain plenty of oxygen for your fish, but you’ll want to start your pond’s water circulation as soon as you can to keep the aeration levels high.

That’s about it.  If you follow the steps above, you should have very few fish problems.

Have a great summer!

So I guess this is the combination of hydroponics and aquaculture. Interesting stuff. I’ve been doing a bit of reading about this lately and it has really got me thinking. Why don’t we grow some vegetables in our ponds? I know, this sounds funny the first time you say it, but hear me out.

Aquaponics is basically growing plants in water and using fish in the water to provide fertilizer for the plants. There can be more to it than that and there are many different ways to do this, but isn’t this what we do already? What makes these aquaponic systems any different from the ponds, wetlands and biofalls boxes that we have in our pond systems? As things stand, we have all sorts of aquatic plants growing in our pond systems. These plants take nutrients out of the water, so they help us control or eliminate the algae in the pond. Great, but why couldn’t we substitute say a tomato plant? In all of the years that I have been landscaping, building ponds, consulting on ponds, fixing ponds and cleaning ponds I have never seen anyone who grew vegetables in their pond.

Here are some links to guys who are selling kits or info to build your own aquaponic setup:
This guy builds it using two tanks, a pump and some fish: Click Here to see his Aquaponics System

I haven’t tried any of this, but it seems like all that we would need to do would be to determine just how much water each different type of vegetable would need. Some of these sites show you how to build a plastic tank system with a grid in it to hold the plants and some instruct you to put the plants into floating media that is just like our floating islands that we used to sell at the store. There are many different ways to do it, but basically they are circulating water past and through the roots of these plants. Our ponds, wetlands, biofalls boxes and floating islands are doing that already. We don’t need piping, tanks or pumps, we already have all of that. We just need to figure out what will grow where.

I can’t believe that no one that I know has come up with this sooner. I’ve even seen a aquaponics display when I was at Disney land with my kids and it didn’t occur to me that I could do it with my pond. It took me looking at some of these home-made systems that people are putting together online to realize that these are just like our ponds. I don’t know about any of you, but I’m going to try this out this summer. Let me know if you have any success with this crazy idea.

Doug

Well, it seems that Spring is almost upon us once again.  This time of the year we here at Hurth Waterscapes are very busy trying to finish up any tasks that are left on our winter to-do lists, meetings with clients to schedule the year’s work and gearing up to begin doing that work.  Spring is always the most hectic and happy time of the year for any landscape company and we are no exception.  This is the time of year when we feel like yelling from the rooftops “Spring is here everyone, let the games begin”.  It is the most exciting time of the year in so many ways.

In Spring Mother Nature does the big turn around and changes our hard, frozen part of the planet back into a vibrant and beautifully lush and diverse landscape.  In my mind, this is the most incredible time of the year for our landscapes because the changes are so drastic and happy.  Fall can be rather drastic too, but in many ways fall is a bit of a downer.  Annual flowers and tropical pond plants are dying; the animals around us are heading south or slowing down and bulking up for the winter ahead.  Fall is like the big shut down and Spring is like a new awakening every single year.  I can’t even begin to describe all of the particular scents of Spring for you, but I’m sure that every one of you know what I mean when I talk about that fresh Spring scent that is only in the air in those first few Spring days.  Those first few days are the same days when you walk out side, breath deeply, look up at the new Spring sun, feel the new Spring warmth on your skin and you just feel like dancing.  Now not all of us succumb to the urge to dance, but I’m sure it brings a smile to our hearts and faces just thinking about it.  To walk through your gardens and watch them change day-to-day if not hour to hour.  To watch the Spring flower bulbs fight their way to the surface, to watch that thick sheet of ice on your pond break up and disappear for the first time since late November, to see the first sign of fish and frog movement in your pond.  These are the things that make Spring a time of year to shout about.  I swear that I can feel my fish breathing easier down there at the bottom of the pond as that ice opens up for the first time and the water begins to warm.  The first time that I plug in that waterfall pump in Spring must be like the biggest party of the year for those fish.  They made it through the cold dark winter and now are looking forward to warm water and flowing waterfalls for the entire summer.  It must be like when you were a kid and you finished that last day of school for the year.  Do you remember that freedom and rush of opportunity that you felt at a young age as you pondered the possibilities of the long summer ahead?  The natural lakes and streams around us are filled to overflowing with the fresh rush of water from the melting ice and snow.  Even the squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, dear, raccoons, songbirds or whatever type of animals tend to frequent your yard can be seen gallivanting about as if there is not a care in the world.  It feels like the whole world is happy that Spring is here.

In Spring, we who are landscapers are looking at the upcoming year in a very similar fashion to the school children getting off of that bus for the very last time of this school year.  We have had the winter to analyze, reflect, plan, strategize, dream, write, file, organize, clean, repair and just generally renew ourselves and our company.  We look to Spring with great anticipation and wide open eyes.  Just as the gardeners get to see the fruits of their labor when the first plants start to come to life and blossom, we too get to see the fruits of our many hours in the office come to life as the season unfolds and our new plans, strategies and systems are put into place.  This year we are looking to Spring with a certain excitement that only comes from having a good chunk of our schedule already laid out and sold for the season.  We believe that this year will be a year of firsts for our company.  It has already had several firsts by being the first winter in which we have sold and completed projects during the worst of the cold winter months.  And winter didn’t cooperate much.  It is the first year in a long time that we we’re not in the snow plowing business and I can’t tell you how much more enjoyable the winter was without the constant worries that come with that profession.  This is also the first year that we have had such a good quantity of work sold and planned prior to Spring even getting here.  We believe that all of these positive things put together are going to add up to a very exciting and stimulating year.  The only downside that we see to these things is the fact that scheduling will certainly be a greater challenge this year, but we will be working hard to complete all of the many great projects in a timely manner.  For those of you who have not yet contacted us and are planning or would like to plan landscape improvements for this year, please call as soon as possible.

And last but not least, Spring is always the most exciting time of the year because we are eagerly looking ahead, but we can’t predict the future.  We know that we will meet many friends this summer, both new and old.  We get the opportunity to see people that we haven’t seen all winter or maybe haven’t seen for a few years as well as all of the new clients that we will meet in our sales consultations.  Oh, the possibilities.  We are quite sure that we will meet many new people as well as many new properties and ponds.  Each time that I walk a new property that I haven’t been to it’s exciting.  My eyes and ears are trying to take in as much information as possible about the new client, their family, and their property, all the while my brain is coming up with new ideas and creations that could be added to their yard to increase the usability and enjoyment that they get from their property.  I often dream of no budgets and plenty of space.  Wow, the beauty that we could create would be just phenomenal.  Maybe this is why I have troubles coming up with quick landscape and pond designs for people.  I always have a tendency to go big and grandiose, trying to make that property all that it can be.  On several occasions I have certainly knocked the socks off of some budgets and budget planners with my elaborate and crazy dreams.  It usually takes me a bit of time to adjust my dreams to the budget at hand and come up with the absolute best use of the funds available.  It would be easy enough to roll into a property and suggest the standard ho-hum cookie cutter landscape to the owners, but what fun would that be.  I didn’t get into this business because I like to dig in the dirt so much more than the next person, although that may be true to some extent, I got into this business because I love the change, I love the individuality of each homeowner and their property, I love the uniqueness of each property and each new landscape design.  Each property presents challenges and opportunities that are unique.  My every day is different from the last and from the next, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.  Sure, maybe that is what makes this business a bit more complicated and difficult to predict than some, but hey, the excitement and variety is well worth every effort that is made.

So, in closing:

Spring is here, let’s have some fun.

Let the children play and the doggie run.

Spread your arms wide and start to dance.

The new summer is here, let’s take a chance.

Some may say be cautious, go slow.

But with Spring in the air, I don’t think so.

Imagine the future and dream the dreams.

Spring is here, the world is splitting at its seams.

There’s no need to make a naughty-versus-nice holiday list when it comes to water garden enthusiasts. Those who are drawn to water features seem to have inherited naturally nice DNA!

For those of you who haven’t yet taken the plunge into the world of water gardening, following is my top-ten list of items to make any and every water garden enthusiast rejoice.

Some of these suggestions are easy little stocking stuffers, while others are a bit more extravagant. You may even want to highlight one of the smaller items as part of a larger package’s decoration by securing it to the main present’s bow.

I’m A Pond Guy, not Martha Stewart, so let’s get back to my specialty:

10.  Low-temperature winter fish foods. We live in Wisconsin, where, if the water temperature is above 55 degrees, we can feed our fish. Budget: Around $20.

9.  Pond thermometer. We need to stop feeding the fish when the water temperature drops below 55 degrees. Budget: Around $20.

8.  Scarecrow motion-sensor device. Keep four and two-legged predators away from your prized fish. Budget: Under $100.

7.  Subscription to a pond industry magazine. So that they can keep current. Budget $20 – $30

6.  Books on fish and water gardening. Budget: Under $50.

5.  Statues, Benches, Pond Decor. I love my steel cattails and heron. Budget: $50 – $400

4.  New Landscape Plantings. How about a gift certificate for spring landscape work. Budget: your call

3.  Fish. Everyone loves to get a new fish for their pond.  This is another great gift certificate idea.  Budget: $10 – $200

2.  Aquatic Plants. A good opportunity for a gift certificate. Every pond lover would enjoy a new tropical plant in spring. Budget: $20 – $100.

1.  Spring Pond Clean Out Certificate.  They’ll be ready for spring and first on the list if you sign them up this early for their clean out. Budget: $250 – $1000

Well. There you go.  If one of your loved ones has a pond, you should be all set.  They will be grinning ear to ear when they see what a thoughtful gift you found for them.  You had better hurry; the holidays will be here before you know it.  We’re always here to help if you need us.  Call 262-268-1121.

So, what have you been pondering during this wintry month of February?  Did you check up on Punxsutawney Phil?  Is spring on its way?  Will you celebrate Lincoln’s birthday or Valentine’s Day?  Do you become more and more aware of the longer days and the shorter nights that are naturally part and parcel of this often cold and snowy month? Or like many of us here in the colder climes, do you just focus in on the fact that February is always the shortest month of the year. Yes, even when its leap year it’s the shortest month, and at the end of it we’ll be that much closer to spring, right?

February is a great month to plan for most water gardening and landscaping enthusiasts.  February is just too cold for most people to be spending a lot of time outside, but many of us find ourselves dreaming of spring and the things that we will do when it gets here.  While you’re pondering your way from winter into spring, it’s a great time to be planning any changes you’d like to make in and around your pond and landscape. This is really the perfect time of the year to plan out any type of landscape improvements you may be dreaming of.  It’s tough for some people to motivate themselves to think about their pond and landscape while there is snow on the ground, but let me tell you, from a landscape professionals point of view, the added time that we have and the frantic race that each spring becomes makes this an ideal time to plan.  The people who wait for the ground to thaw to contact their landscaper regarding a design project are probably looking at mid summer or fall at best for an installation time.  Motivate yourself today, stroll through the yard, call your landscaper and start the process.  That way, when the spring race starts you’ll already have your position on the schedule.  Whether you’re envisioning a new pond, patio, stream, planting beds or even total yard renovation, now is the time to plan it all out.

Should I do it myself or hire a pro? This is where many homeowners get stuck, they want to get some work done on their landscape, but they can’t decide whether they should hire it out or do it themselves.  They know how to plant flowers, they know how to spread mulch, and they know how to clean a pond, why should they hire a professional?  If your landscape visions and plans are real straight forward and simple, or if you are the kind of person that likes to perform manual labor and has plenty of time to do it, then by all means, you should do it yourself.  It can be good exercise.  But, if you only really enjoy doing things that you are good at and don’t have much time left after work and family commitments, then you would better serve yourself and your family by doing what you do best and hiring a competent professional to do what they do best.  It only makes sense to apply your efforts where they are most effective.  If you could make more money working at your regular job than you will save by hiring a professional then why dirty your hands and strain your back to lose money?  Not to mention that if you hire a reputable professional, you will have a warranty should anything go wrong.

So, call now and plan it all out while we still have time before the whirlwind spring is upon us.  As you know, when spring hits, there never seems to be enough time to get the entire to-do list done.

This article will take us from ghouls, goblins, witches, and jack-o-lanterns, right on through to pilgrims, turkey with all the trimmings, pumpkin pie, and apple cider. Yes indeed the holidays are officially upon us, and that means the pond out in the backyard has taken on a different personality, a different look, a different taste and color.  For those of us in the northern climates, ice on the pond is right around the corner and the white and drifting snow that used to underwrite ye old sleigh ride to grandma’s house is scheduled to follow immediately on its heels.

Prune the Plants Back, and Net the Pond
In many cases, as you read this line, a net is already covering the pond in order to minimize the annual onslaught of free-falling leaves that automatically find their way into your pond and skimmer. Let me say right here that netting your pond is a huge undertaking and not one that I would recommend for most people.  The lilies, the water iris, and the cattails are all pruned back. The water hyacinth have been eliminated from the waterfalls and thrown into the compost pile. The activity of your fish has slowed down dramatically, and you’ve stopped feeding them because the water temperature is regularly below 55 degrees.

Inside vs. Outside Enjoyment
Maybe you decorated your Halloween pond with pumpkins and scarecrows, and maybe you’ll have something in honor of Thanksgiving as well. But for many of us, the time is coming soon when the pond enjoyment is going to happen from inside the warm house, instead of outside on the patio. But there’s a decision you must make first.

The Winter Decision
Are you going to leave your pond run, or shut it down for the winter? This is the question of the month.  If you let it run you risk a leak and more winter work.  If you shut it down you’ll miss the beautiful ice formations.

Shut Down

For what it’s worth, most local enthusiasts shut their pond down in order to avoid having to monitor ice build-up in the stream, which can lead to an untimely leak if you’re not careful. If you choose the shut down option, don’t forget to unhook your pump, remove it from your skimmer, and place it in a bucket of water in a warm place for the winter to keep the seals from drying out and to keep it from freezing. Also, some people like to remove the filters from the biofalls and skimmer if so equipped, clean them off and store them somewhere dry as well.  This may save some time and headaches in spring.  Also, remember to unhook your auto-fill line from the house and turn off your spigot to avoid freezing any pipes.

And for the Winter Adventurer
On the other hand, if you’re a winter adventurer, and you choose to leave the falls running, the artistic beauty of the ice sculptures that form around the waterfalls will always be something at which to marvel. And either way, as the surface of your pond freezes over, make sure to keep a hole in the surface with an agitating bubbler or a bottom aerator so that gasses can be safely exchanged, and your fish can complete their winter hibernation successfully without complications.

If you’ve covered all these bases, congratulations, you’re ready for old man winter. Now it is time to sit back, relax and begin dreaming about spring.

Summertime is upon us and life couldn’t be better for pond owners in Wisconsin.  In the spring we have pond clean-outs.  In the fall we have winter pond prep.  In winter, unless your waterfall runs all winter, there is not much to do with your pond.  But in the summertime the weather is fabulous, the plants are thriving, the fish are active and growing and to top it all off, there is very little pond maintenance to do.

Typically, by the time summer is here, the spring algae bloom is over, the fish are all healthy and the plants are in bloom.  This is the time of the year when I spend all of my pond time just relaxing and enjoying the sights and sounds of the water garden.  I check the skimmer every once in a while and the kids and I feed the fish every now and then.  I know that the fish don’t really need feeding, but I just can’t resist watching the surface of the pond come to life when those wonderfully colorful fish swim out of all of the nooks and crannies of the pond to grab a bite to eat.  I could sit and watch the fish swimming between the water lilies and in and out of the rocks for hours on end.  It is an always changing, visual extravaganza of color and movement.  People can’t walk into our yard without standing near the pond and gazing into the beautiful clear water at the maze of fish movement.  Our kids spend a good portion of the summer planning and implementing strategies to catch one of the ever elusive frogs that inhabit our naturally balanced, beautiful eco-system.

It is at this time of the year, with all of my peaceful relaxation time near the pond, that I tend to dream of ways to make this water garden paradise even better.  Often times I find myself dreaming of what pond life would be like if I added another pond, or made this pond larger.  Maybe I could add another stream and waterfall to the pond.  I’m sure the many songbirds that line up on the rocks for their turn to splash and play would welcome another stream.  On the other hand, maybe this part of the yard should be finished.  Maybe I should move to a different part of the yard and start fresh with another completely unique and different water feature.  I’ve got it; maybe I should install a pondless waterfall in that empty space on the other side of the driveway.  My wife is always saying how the kids would love a pondless waterfall with nice wide areas where they could get right into the stream to play in the water.  Maybe that’s it, maybe this year we should install a pondless waterfall.

This is what too much relaxation will do to a person.  We may not all talk about it or act on our dreams, but you’d better watch out, eventually when you are sitting in your favorite relaxation spot near your pond, your thoughts will turn to the possibilities of more water, more fish, more beauty, more fun and more relaxation.  If only your piece of the pie we call paradise was a little bit bigger.  And, once you have expanded, improved, or otherwise enhanced your pond, you will once again find yourself relaxing next to your pond.  It is at this time, when out of nowhere, your mind starts to wander and you find yourself dreaming of yet another possible addition to your water garden dream.

Water in our landscape can enhance our lives in many great ways.

I am thoroughly convinced that we, as human beings, have an innate desire to be near water. Perhaps it’s the fact that 60 percent of our bodies are made up of water. We can go for weeks without food, but only a few days without water. Or maybe it’s the fact that 70 percent of the planet we inhabit is covered with water? Whatever the reason, people are definitely drawn to water.

What We Do for Water

Waterfront property is always priced at a premium. We pay to view and be near waterfalls, such as the great Niagara Falls. We hike long distances to view secluded waterfalls.  We stand in crowds in Yellowstone National park to see Old Faithful shoot water into the air.  And we invest in hydrotherapy, whirlpool bathtubs, hot tubs, and swimming pools just so that we can fully immerse ourselves in the life-giving liquid.

Life Changing Water

Humans have used water as a source of nourishment, transportation, navigation, and sport long before we started keeping written records. Maybe it’s because water is such an integral part of our lives, or maybe it’s simply because water is so mesmerizing and beautifully soothing as it flows and cascades over a waterfall and into a pond. Whatever the reason, there aren’t many people who can resist the draw of twisting, turning and falling water.

The Aquatic Transformation

Water gardening adds life, beauty, and nature to people’s lives, and there isn’t a doubt in my mind that the installation of a water garden – large or small – will have a greater impact on a yard than any other landscape improvement money can buy. With a water garden, what were previously boring and normal yards are transformed into life-filled, eco-friendly, exciting, stimulating, and awe-inspiring gathering places. Places where the family looks forward to hanging out and enjoying life at the pond, together. I know this is true for my family and I – water gardening has had a huge impact on our lives, and has very much changed our yard and how we use it.

So if you want to:

• Enhance the way you and your family spend time together…
• Spend quality time with your family…
• Add beauty and nature to your outdoor living space…
• Transform your yard to waterfront property…

… it sounds like a pond is just what you need! The sights and sounds of a water garden really can change a person’s entire outlook on life.

The anticipation is growing … the thought that another great water gardening season is just around the corner is steadily lurking in my mind. This is the time when I start getting more and more flower bulb and seed catalogs in the mail, tempting me to give in to the fact that spring is almost here. As I flip through the pages, trying to decide what would go best in my now-barren gardens; my thoughts can’t help but drift toward my pond.

While I know my fish are still resting, I often wonder if they are as excited as I am about the season to come. I wonder if they’re thinking about the warm summer water and the beautiful sounds of the waterfall as it splashes into the pond. Yes, I am a sucker for a beautiful pond and waterfall. You can call me crazy if you’d like, but in the spirit of this “month of love” that is February, I like to think about my soon to be thawed piece of paradise in my own back yard.
If you own a pond, or have done any reading on the subject, you may know that many pond enthusiasts are fish enthusiasts as well.  Most of us crazy pond owners have ponds full of colorful Koi and Goldfish.  Some like to baby their fish a little more than others, but for most of us we hold a soft spot in our hearts for our fish.  So, I thought I’d spend a little time talking about our fishy friends.  Maybe if we are all thinking about spring and our ponds it will get here sooner.

Most of you who have fish in your ponds feed them at least occasionally, and I would guess that most of the time you feed them store-bought fish food.  If you have never strayed from the standard fish food then perhaps this summer can be a bit more adventurous for you and your beloved fish.  Did you know that Koi are especially fond of watermelon? If you’ve never tried feeding them anything but fish food, it may take a bit of time for them to warm up to the idea of eating things like watermelon, but once they do, watch out.  It will become a very special treat for them.  Some people report that their Koi swim right up and eat the melon right from the rind.  I’ve also heard that Koi enjoy grapefruit even more than watermelon.  You simply cut it into quarters, keep an eye on it so it doesn’t clog up your filtration system, and watch the fish go crazy for it!  That should add a little zing to your usual fish feeding.
I’m sure that it will come as no surprise that fish are also big fans of worms – as long as they aren’t on a hook! If you drop earthworms into the water, the fish may look at them funny, but once one has a taste, they will all catch on. One of the not so common fish treats I’ve learned about in my years of pond building is that fish simply love fish! It’s true … watch your fish swoon over some chopped up, thawed sardines while enjoying a great nutritious treat!
Finally, a favorite for me, and any young kids that happen to be frequenting my pond, is good old Honey Nut Cheerios. The Cheerios float on the top, allowing fish the chance to get to them while the children watch the treats bob up and down as their favorite fish go in for a taste.  The Cheerios are especially nice to use if you have little guests over that are prone to putting whatever they get in their hand right into their mouth.  It’s much more pleasant than watching one of your horrified friends trying to dig fish food out of their baby’s mouth.
I’m sure that you could find many more treats that your fish will find yummy if you just start experimenting a bit.  Do a little research this winter and your fish feeding will be much more interesting come summer time.  Remember never to feed them when the water is below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, even in the spring.  And also, don’t go so crazy with the feeding that you mess up your pond balance.  Remember hungry fish make for a clean pond. Happy Pondering!
Doug Hurth

We are approaching the grand finale of yet another action-packed year. With another year wrapping up, it is time to embrace New Year’s resolutions for our own benefit, and to make a difference in the lives of our children and the community in which we live.  The following are favorite resolution topics, but with a twist for water garden enthusiasts.

Nutrition and Diet – Relax, this isn’t about your weight. Most water garden enthusiasts can use a little guidance when it comes to feeding their fish. A saying we have in the field is: “Hungry fish make for a clean pond!”

1. Only feed your fish when the water temperature is above 55 degrees. The fish are designed, naturally, to hibernate without eating when water temperatures fall below 55 degrees, so breathe easy. They will not starve as they will graze on algae if needed.
2. Only feed your fish as much as they can consume in a single three to five minute feeding. If you are feeding in excess of this time frame consider yourself feeding algae and not the fish!
3. Feed your fish in the spring and fall with a high carbohydrate food, which lists wheat germ as its first ingredient. This will enable the fish to digest their meals more easily when their metabolism is low like the water temperatures.
4. Feed your fish in the summer months with a growth or color-enhancing food, which features fish meal as its first ingredient. This will bulk them up for their winter hibernation when they will eat little to nothing for a few months.

Lifelong Learning – Read and learn as much as you can about water gardens and fish.  You can always call us for more info. 262-268-1121.

Better Communication – Speaking another language expands your world and makes new friends, including finned ones. Are you ready for your first Japanese language lesson? Kohaku (Ko-ha-koo) is a white fish with red markings; while Sanke (San-kay) is a white fish with red and black markings. Ogan (O-gone) is a solid colored Koi fish. One of my personal favorites is Showa (Show-a), a jet-black fish with red and white markings.

Travel – Within minutes of your house are situated delightful water gardens for you to experience at various hours and seasons. Go on a self-guided pond tour at your own pace to gain ideas from these personal paradises. Call for information on The Hurth Waterscapes Charity Parade of Ponds.  262-268-1121

Tune-Up – Each October, it is important to clean out your pond filters, trim aquatic plants that have dominated your pond over the summer, and do some simple routine maintenance to prepare your water feature for the winter. Free pond-cleaning seminars are offered to teach do-it-yourselfers, or you may consider hiring a pond professional to do this dirty work. It’s a dirty job, but someone has got to do it!

Health – Protect your prized pond fish from specific pathogens which could wipe out your entire collection. The most likely way for your fish to be introduced to an undesirable pathogen is by coming in contact with new fish.

To avoid this scenario, purchase your fish from a reputable fish retailer who specializes in pond fish and plan on quarantining every fish which you place into your pond!  Quarantine procedures for your pond fish can be extensive. For details on quarantine procedures feel free to call Hurth Waterscapes at 262-268-1121

Community Service – Along with having water features at homes and businesses, populations at schools, retirement centers and other community-oriented facilities can also benefit from them. Through the Ponds for Kids program or other charitable endeavors, Hurth Waterscapes is willing to donate labor to the installation of water features to help others.

Rest & Relaxation – As a result of todays busy, high-tech, cell phone-congested lifestyle, people get caught up in long work days and struggle to find time to “stop to smell the roses.” While I enjoy roses, the plants I prefer next to my water features include those that release fragrant scents in the evening. When I find myself getting home late, the star jasmine planted next to my pond not only smells wonderful, but also is beautifully illuminated under a clear moonlit sky.

This coming year, consider creating or enhancing your own water garden oasis, where you may seek soul-renewing solitude, refreshing R & R, and reinvigorating times with family and friends.

Wishing you and yours a safe and Happy New Year!

Over the river and through the woods, and beside the pond, to Grandmother’s house we go. The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow…oh.

You mean Grandma has a pond? Why yes Virginia. She got it last summer. She has lots of beautiful plants and rocks around it, and lots of colorful fish in it. She even has a waterfall, with a meandering stream that she says reminds her of you when you laugh. She told me all about it over the phone, and she was really excited about getting it. I can tell just by looking, that you’re bursting at the seams with questions about Grandma’s new pond, but let’s wait until we get there so Grandma can answer them all herself. OK?

What Happened To All The Plants?
Grandma, where are all the beautiful plants that Mom said were all around your pond? What happened to them? Why yes Virginia, there were lots of plants in and around the pond up until about six weeks ago when the weather turned cold and I had to cut them back so they wouldn’t fall in the pond and cause my fish to have problems. But with all the white and drifted snow, the pond is still beautiful don’t you think Virginia?

Can You Leave The Water Falls Running All Winter?
It really is beautiful Grandma and I really like it because the waterfall is still going. Can you leave it running all winter? Why yes Virginia, even here in Wisconsin where it gets pretty cold, I can leave it running as long as I carefully watch the stream so an ice dam doesn’t form and cause the water to flow outside onto the ground. And as the ice forms over the pond’s surface, I may need to add a little water. But that’s easy, even for me, Virginia.

Decaying Plants? What Does That Mean?
What do you mean about the plants decaying and causing your fish problems Grandma? Well Virginia, when the surface of the pond freezes over, it prevents harmful gasses …like carbon dioxide that are created when debris such as dead plants, leaves, twigs and fish waste start to decay, from escaping out into the atmosphere. And if those gasses can’t escape, their presence in the water can hurt the fish. Another thing is that, like humans, fish require oxygen to breathe. And if the pond freezes over, it prevents oxygen from getting into the water, which would eventually cause the fish to suffocate.

So How Do You Allow The Gasses To Be Exchanged?
So Grandma, how do you let the carbon dioxide escape, and the oxygen get into the water in the winter? That’s a good question Virginia, and it’s one of the reasons we leave the waterfalls running all winter. The falling water agitates and helps oxygenate the water. And do you see that bubbling area out there on the right side of the pond? Well that’s a pump that I call my bubbler. It’s purpose is to agitate the surface of the pond, which helps to keep a hole in the surface, allowing the carbon dioxide to escape, and the oxygen to get back into the water so the fish can hibernate safely.

And What Happens If The Pond Freezes All The Way To The Bottom?

But what happens if the water freezes all the way down to the bottom of the pond Grandma? Wouldn’t that kill your fish? Well Virginia, if the pond could freeze all the way down it would definitely be a problem for the fish. But fortunately it can’t. As a matter of fact, even on the coldest days, the ice will grow to a maximum thickness of about eight inches. And since the pond is twenty-four inches deep, that leaves sixteen inches of liquid water for the fish to hibernate in.

Hibernate?
What do you mean by hibernate Grandma? What does that mean? You see Virginia, there are animals that stop eating and kind of go to sleep when Mother Nature causes the weather to turn cold. You may know that bears go into caves and hibernate for the winter. Well, fish go to the bottom of the pond and kind of park there until spring brings everything back to life. They don’t eat or do anything really. They just sort of hang around on the bottom of the pond and wait for the weather to warm up.

It’s December and even in the naturalistic, outdoor-loving mindset of pond enthusiasts around the country, that means lights, decorations, excitement, and to the kid still lingering in all of us, it means presents. So my question this month is, “What are you going to buy your koi for Christmas?” I mean, you don’t exclude your dog, your cat, or your hamster (how do you think PetSmart survives?) from the Christmas giving celebration, do you? I know we don’t exclude ours. So why would any red-blooded, animal-loving, pond enthusiast exclude their koi? Here are a few ideas for you.

How About a Pond Heater?
How about a brand new pond warmer/heater to complement the surface agitator that you have bubbling away in your pond? I mean it’s not quite the same as a new sweater, but it will help keep a bigger hole in the ice throughout the winter, which translates into more oxygen for your hibernating fin flickers parked at the bottom of the pond for the duration of the winter.

Red and Green Underwater Lights
Or how about changing the standard white, underwater light bulbs to red and green bulbs? That would be festive, you must admit. How about decorating the foliage surrounding the pond with colorful Christmas lights so that all your koi feel like they’re part of the Christmas spirit? You could even buy them some new fish food so long as you promise to avoid feeding them in the spring until the temperature has warmed up (at least 55 degrees).

A Bigger Pond
I have some friends who are taking the Christmas koi thing to a whole new level by planning a new and bigger home for their fish in the spring. They speculate that their fish have outgrown their current quarters, and would appreciate a little more room. So they’re laying the groundwork out on paper this winter, planning to double their standard 11’x16’ pond, and adding a brand new fish cave, which will allow their colorful friends to avoid harms way, in case a great blue heron comes a trolling or rocky the raccoon comes a swipin’.

Longer Stream, Another Waterfall
Yes, I’m talking about building an entirely new pond, with a longer stream. They’re considering an additional waterfall as well – that would make two falls and twice the fun and relaxation … right? And for the fish, it would mean lots more room to dart around, more plants to munch on, more oxygen to breathe … just a little more of everything for your favorite koi.
And isn’t more of everything what it’s really all about any more? And if not, maybe you’d prefer to appreciate all the things that Mother Nature does with your pond this winter from inside the house, by the cozy fire. In the end, that could be construed as a little more relaxation, a little more fun, a little more Christmas, right this very moment. Until next month all I can say is … Merry Christmas, and to all a good night.

Early Fall is a transitional time of year, whether you live in the Midwest, the Northeast, the Southwest, or anywhere else in North America. Colors change from green to multitudinous shades of red, yellow, orange, purple, and brown. Temperatures change from hot and steamy, to cooler and occasionally chilly. Sports change from baseball to football, food changes from ice cream to hot soup, days grow shorter, and the old world just keeps right on a spinning’.

But what do you have to know if you’re a pond enthusiast who loves their colorful and personable koi, their aquatic plants, and everything else that goes with the water gardening hobby when the fall begins to roll in? Well, to tell you the truth, there are several basics that you’ll need to be prepared to cover, and they include the following things.

First Remember the Fish
As the temperatures begin to sneak down into the 60’s on a regular basis, you should start feeding your fish a little bit less each day. Then when the temperature regularly hits 55 degrees, you must STOP FEEDING them completely. At that point they’re beginning to go into hibernation for the winter, and feeding them after that tends to confuse and antagonize their metabolic system and cause digestive problems.

So the strategy at this time of year is to give them just enough nutrition so that, as they go into hibernation, like the proverbial grizzly bear out in the forest, your koi will have enough stored nutrition to make it through the long hard winter, while parked at the bottom of your pond. Of course people in the tropical climates just keep on doing what they’ve been doing, because they don’t contend with hibernation issues.

Then Remember the Leaves
As those colorful leaves begin falling off the surrounding trees one by one, you may want to consider getting a net to throw over the pond in order to minimize the leaf population that ends up on the bottom. Any debris that ends up on the pond’s bottom inevitably deteriorates, biodegrades, and emits toxins, which can cause problems for you fish. So you may want to minimize the amount of “stuff” that ends up in your pond by using a net.

And Finally, Remember to Have Fun
There are two more things that you’re going to have to concern yourself with when it comes to winterizing your pond, including pruning your plants back, and presuming you want to shut down for the winter, removing your waterfall pump. But those are things that are more well suited for a later fall, early winter discussion.

Early fall is a time of the year that’s still alive with outdoor possibilities. So whatever you do, take full advantage of them. Light a fire in the fire pit if the weather calls for it. Roast some weenies or marshmallows, and finish off the water garden season with a flurry of fun. After all, you and your family deserve it, right?

Doug Hurth is a Certified Aquascape Contractor and owns Hurth Waterscapes, a full service landscape construction company that specializes in pond and waterfall construction, maintenance and retail in Southeastern Wisconsin.  Hurth Waterscapes can be reached at (262) 268-1121; or visit www.hurthwaterscapes.com

Isn’t it amazing how quickly the summer months fly by every year?  I can’t believe that it is mid August already.  It always seems like you shovel your way through December, January, and February. You March your way through April showers and May flowers. Then you blink twice and suddenly it’s August. How is this possible?

Summer has always seemed short hasn’t it?  Even when you were in grade school it seemed to be way too short.  You would spend nine months out of the year cooped up in a classroom, three months of pure summertime bliss and then before you know it, right back into the classroom.  I feel for my kids, they only have about a week of summer vacation left.  It seems like every year time flies by more quickly.  I guess I’m just getting old.

I think that we all need to slow down, look around and smell the roses every now and then.  This is one reason why I love having a water garden in my backyard.  The pond gives me more reason to spend the summer out in my yard enjoying quality time with my family and friends.  For me, my pond highlights and underlines those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. The times that are spent out near the pond seem to always be high on my list of great summertime memories.

I guess that anything you really enjoy tends to pass too quickly, and anything you dislike tends to drag on for an eternity. But now, after all the planting, the blooming, the fish feeding, the barbecues on the grill, the romantic evening parties around a moonlit pond, and soothing cups of coffee in the morning, summer has been reduced to August, September and maybe some chilly October pond side visits.  That being the case, it’s important that you make the most of the time you have left in the season.  With a little creative thinking, there’s no reason why you can’t maximize your remaining time with your pond and finish off this season with a bang. In the spirit of making the most of the remaining days of summer, here are a few water gardening ideas that you may want to throw onto your late summer / fall calendar.

• Enjoy a steaming hot cup of coffee pond side with your newspaper every day.
• Plan a party for late in the year and invite every single one of your friends.
• Have a bonfire alongside the pond and roast some hot dogs and marshmallows
• Find a friend to trade some aquatic plants with
• Get a turtle or some frogs for you pond, and hope they hang around
• Start feeding your fish a little bit more going into fall. – They need the extra nutrition in order to successfully hibernate through the winter.
• Experiment with some new fish treats like watermelon or grapefruit. You won’t believe their excitement.
• Have a pond side Halloween party and dress up like you favorite Koi.

Whatever you decide to do with the remaining days of summer, have fun and relax.  You only live once so make the most of your time by spending it with family and friends.

Hello, April is finally here. January, February, March, and Winter are all in the rear view mirror and you can look forward to April showers to grow those May flowers. You can also count on longer days, shorter nights, higher temperatures, budding trees, sprouting plants, fish coming out of hibernation, and summer being on the immediate horizon. Welcome to April.From our past experiences, it seems that April is the most creative time of the year for most pond owners.  At least the most creative with regards to their pond and landscape.  All of the excitement of spring and taking that first walk through the yard of the year must combine to inspire a lot of creativity.  So, just in case you are feeling a little creative and thinking about making some changes, you can rest easy knowing that you are not alone.  Even we, as landscape professionals, envision changes in our yards when spring finally breaks and all of that snow disappears. Maybe bigger would be better?  We often get spring time calls from our pond owners wondering if it might be time to increase the size of their pond.  Usually there is discussion about the fish or plants outgrowing the current pond, or that they never imagined they would like it so much and wished they had made it bigger from the very start.  Or, maybe they went on our Parade of Ponds last summer and now that they’ve seen all those fabulous larger ponds, they realize that they could have gone much larger with their pond which would make it more in scale with their property.  Whatever the reason, this problem can be solved by excavating, replacing the liner and adding more rock.  Or, if the yard will allow, we could simply create a second pond that attaches to the original pond with a stream or waterfall. Maybe they don’t need a bigger pond, maybe more stream or waterfall would be better?  Many people call and discuss the possibility of either increasing the number of streams or waterfalls or increasing the amount of flow that is in their existing stream.  Both of these are relatively easy fixes.  It is usually not too hard to add another stream or waterfall to a pond or to extend the existing one.  If all that they want is more water flow, that’s usually as simple as a bigger pump or a second pump. Maybe they love their pond and would simply like to add a water feature to the front yard.  Sometimes the backyard is perfect, just the way they want it, but the front yard is a bit drab and boring.  Sometimes a beautiful pond and waterfall would be just the thing to dress up the front yard.  Or maybe the simplicity and beauty of a pondless waterfall.  Heck, from the street most people just see the waterfall anyway.  Wouldn’t a sparkling, shimmering waterfall brighten up the front yard and welcome your guests to your home in spectacular fashion? So, if you find yourself overwhelmed with creativity this spring, never fear, we are always here to help.  Just let those creative dreams flow, walk the yard, take a few notes and give us a call.  We’d be happy to join you on your stroll around the yard.

We are quickly approaching the pond clean out time of the year.  Some people will tell you that your natural ecosystem pond needs to be drained and cleaned every spring.  You’ll meet other people who never clean their ponds and don’t intend to.  I feel that there is a happy medium.  As with most things natural there is no clear-cut answer.

After you have had your pond for a while, you will begin to notice changes in the pond in the same way that you might notice changes in the way your car runs.  Most days your car runs fine, as it should.  Some days it will seem a little different.  Maybe it isn’t running smoothly, maybe it’s making a funny sound.  These are the days when you take notice of your car and you decide that you had better have your mechanic check it out.  Your pond can be treated in a similar fashion.  It is right in your backyard, so I imagine that you will see it quite often.  You may not see it as often as your car, but still often enough to notice those subtle changes.  Some days you’ll look into the pond and notice that the water isn’t quite as clear as you remembered.  Maybe you need to add bacteria, maybe you need to clean the filters or maybe you have too many fish. Some days the pump will sound funny.  Maybe there are leaves blocking the intake, maybe a frog got stuck in the pump, maybe the pond is low on water.

You can think about spring clean-outs in the same way.  When the ice thaws, go out, look at your pond and try to use your instincts.  It won’t look as clean as it does mid summer, but none of the lakes and rivers are clear this time of year.  Does it seem reasonably clean or can you see a lot of sediment or debris on the bottom?  Think back, did you have it nice and clean most of last summer or was it sort of a mess?  If you were having water quality problems at the end of last summer, then maybe it should be cleaned.  If last summer was a breeze and nothing seems strange or wrong to you now, maybe you don’t need it cleaned.

At the very least, if you don’t think it needs the full drain and clean, you will need to re-install your pump, hook up the auto-fill, wash out the skimmer and biofalls boxes and filters and maybe top off the water level after you get it running.  Fish people will tell you that you should do a 20% or 30% water exchange.  The theory here is that the fish will benefit from the freshened water because it will be cleaner and have a higher oxygen content.  They say that by doing the water exchange you are mimicking the way the natural lakes and streams are flushed out with spring snow melt and rains.  Using that logic then, since our ponds are outside, isn’t Mother Nature flushing out our ponds also?  This is another time to use your logic and common sense.  If the water looks lousy, the fish look sick and you think you may have too many fish, go ahead, do a water exchange.  If everything looks good, don’t.

If you decide that you need a full drain and clean, you may want to hire us to do it.  It definitely qualifies as a dirty job.  If you don’t mind the dirty work, maybe you should do it yourself.  It’s really not that technical and we can teach you everything that you need to know.  We can teach you all of the ins and outs of a spring clean out and other routine maintenance to build your confidence for this task.  Just check out our Pond Clean Out Video and our Pond Clean Out Page. Please be sure to educate yourself one way or another before you start your clean out.  Your fish are slow, tired and stressed at this time of the year and you want to make the clean out as easy as possible on them.  It is very easy to kill fish, especially in spring.

If you would like us to clean your pond and have not contacted us this year to get on the schedule, please do so as soon as possible.  Please call us at 262-268-1121 or email us doug@hurthwaterscapes.com.  The spring schedule fills up fast and we do our cleanouts on a first come first serve basis.  At Hurth Waterscapes our motto is “Ponds are our Passion” and we sincerely hope that this shows in our work.  We like to do the best quality job possible for our clients whether we are doing a new construction project or simple maintenance.  Pond clean-outs are rather time-consuming jobs, and as such can end up costing our clients quite a bit of money depending on the size and severity of the clean-out.  If you have a budget number that you would like us to stick to for your spring pond clean-out, just let us know what that number is when you call.  We will do the best job possible within your budget.  Pond cleaning is very subjective.  Some people want their ponds spotless while others just want a quick freshen up.  Whatever your preference, we will tailor our services to meet your needs.

As always, keep in mind that we started all of this as a full service landscape company and we still perform full-scale landscape construction and maintenance for many of our clients.  If you would like any work done in your yard, just let us know.  We are always happy to do whatever is necessary for our existing clients.  We typically start our pond and yard clean-ups in late March or early April, so please let us know if there is anything that we can help you with this spring.

March is the month that leads us from the short, cold, and blustery days of winter to the longer, warmer days of spring. It’s the month that signals the coming of spring, but it never makes any promises as far as the weather is concerned. St. Patrick’s Day is for certain, but beyond that, you never know what might happen in March.

A Jump on the Season
March is an unpredictable month, but if we’re lucky, it may just warm up enough to let us start-up our ponds early.  Your pond can be started up any time after the ice has melted.  We usually wait until late March or early April to start pond clean-outs.  If you want to get a head start on the season, there is a good chance that you could get your pond open in March.

To Clean or Not to Clean

Before you start up your pond for the season, you should make a few decisions.  Does your pond need a full draining and washing or does it merely need a bit of tidying up?  If your pond looks clean and there isn’t a lot of debris or sediment on the bottom and you didn’t have water quality issues last summer, then maybe you can skip the extensive clean out and just tidy up a bit.  On the other hand, if you have a lot of decaying plant matter and sediment on your pond bottom, had problems last year, have too many fish or if you would just feel better knowing that it is clean, then you had better do the full drain and wash.  The next decision that you need to make is; will I do this work myself or should I hire a professional?

A Word to the Do-It-Yourselfer

If you’re the type of person who doesn’t mind getting a little wet, and a little dirty, then maybe you should choose to do it yourself.  Please be sure that you know what you are doing prior to starting your clean-out.  The fish are very slow, cold and vulnerable at this time of the year so you don’t want to disturb them any more than necessary.  You can learn about the different ways to clean your pond by checking our website www.hurthwaterscapes.com or attending one of our pond clean out seminars.  If you would like to attend a seminar, please call 262-268-1121.  A pond clean out is nothing to be experimenting with … especially since the lives of your still sleepy fish are hanging in the balance. Do it right and your fish will be as happy and healthy. But do it wrong and there could be dire consequences.

A Word to The Clean and Dry
For those of you who would like to stay clean and dry, I would suggest that you hire a professional.  We would be more than happy to do this work for you, but please contact us as soon as possible.  The spring schedule fills up quickly and the earlier that you call, the earlier we can get the work done.

Make March Count
So even though March isn’t the most reliable month for outdoor work, you may be able to get a jump on the summer and open your pond early.  Even if you don’t get it done this month, you had better make your important decisions this month so that you are sure to have it done in April.  Once it warms up, the fish get faster and harder to catch, the plants are already developing and you would rather be enjoying the weather alongside the pond, not waist deep in the pond.  If you have any questions, please give us a call, we are always happy to help 262-268-1121.

As Wisconsin’s pond and waterfall experts, we here at Hurth Waterscapes get many different questions each year regarding the natural eco-system water gardens that we install.  We will attempt to answer some of the more common questions with this article.  If you have more questions, or simply need additional information, please don’t hesitate to call us at 262-268-1121.  Ponds are our Passion, and we are happy to talk about them anytime.

 What is a Water Garden?

The term water garden was developed to describe a natural living ecosystem pond that has rocks, fish, plants and water circulation.  We believe that while a water garden may be a pond, a pond is not necessarily a water garden.  To deserve the name water garden a pond needs to contain all of the above named parts and needs to be naturally maintained and balanced.  Water circulation is critical to the health of a water garden and we prefer to circulate the water through the use of a sparkling, cascading waterfall.

What is an Ecosystem?

The word ecosystem is used to describe a natural system in which plants, animals and micro organisms live and interact with their surroundings.

Are Water Gardens hard to maintain?

A properly installed water garden should be very low maintenance.  Some people enjoy working on their pond and purposely make it more work than is necessary.  For these people it becomes their hobby.  Others don’t want to or don’t have time to mess with a pond, and they shouldn’t need to.  The most important thing to consider is that this is a natural pond.  Natural ponds will have plant and animal growth and they will change with time.  We as pond owners need to find the patience to let Mother Nature take her course and balance our ponds.  Typically the first year of pond ownership is the hardest because the pond is new and out of balance and the owner is new and doesn’t know what to expect.  If the pond is properly installed and allowed to balance, it will be low to no maintenance and will be beautiful.

 Do I need to have fish in my pond?

No, you don’t need to have fish in your pond, but you will probably want to have fish.  Many people don’t want fish for fear that they will need to be cared for as pets.  This is not true. You do not need to feed the fish in your pond.  This is a natural pond and as such will have abundant food present in it for the fish to eat.  The fish actually help you maintain your pond by feeding on the algae and stirring up the bottom to help reduce sediment build up.  Too many fish or overfeeding of fish will adversely effect water quality and should be avoided.

 How many fish can I have in my pond?

Typically it is recommended to have one inch of fish for every ten gallons of water.  Remember, fish will grow so plan accordingly.  Gallons = length (in feet) x width (in feet) x average depth (in feet) x 7.48 obviously this is merely an estimate.  Water gardens are never perfect squares or perfect depths and they also contain many rocks.  Usually this calculation is higher than the true amount of water in a pond, but at least it gives us some idea.

 What do I do with the fish in the winter?

Your fish will survive the winter in your pond as long as it is two feet deep and you keep a hole in the ice for oxygen exchange.  The water will not freeze all the way to the bottom due to the heat of the ground below.  A hole can be kept open with a floating heater, bottom aerator or bubbling pump.  Occasionally we see problems with very cold winters and ponds that are raised up out of the ground behind a retaining wall or other structure which allows the frost to travel more deeply into the pond.

Can I leave my pond running over winter?

Yes you can, but it requires some advanced planning and a bit more work than shutting it down.  You will need to keep a watchful eye out for areas where the water may be diverted out of your stream or waterfall.  Ice blocking can occur in the stream just as in a natural stream.  Depending on the design of your stream or waterfall, this could divert water out of the pond.  Also, your pond will lose some water over winter due to evaporation, in which case it may need to be refilled with a garden hose.  If you do keep it running, you will be able to enjoy the beautiful winter scenes that ice and snow can create.  If you shut it down you will be able to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with not worrying about it for the winter.

 What do I need to do to shut my pond down for the winter?

Clean leaves from the pond bottom, install a heater or pump to keep the ice open and remove the waterfall pump.  Be sure to store the pump in a bucket of water in a spot where it will not freeze.  Frozen pumps and pumps with dried out seals are bad.

When can I open/close my pond in the spring/fall?

When you open or close your pond is up to you, but typically we open ponds in early April and shut them down in late November or early December.  You can open the pond up as soon as the ice in the pipes has thawed.  You can shut the pond down as late in the year as you wish; it just gets harder to do the colder it is outside.

Why do I have algae in my pond?

Any healthy natural pond will have some algae in it.  How much algae is the question.  The amount of algae growth will depend on the amount of nutrients and sunlight available for the algae to grow.  Cut down on the nutrients and sunlight and you will reduce the amount of algae.  Reduce any surface runoff that is entering your pond.  Runoff can carry large amounts of nutrients, especially if the area surrounding your pond is fertilized.  Plant many aquatic plants in your pond.  The aquatic plants will help to shade the water and they live and thrive on the same nutrients that the algae does.  The more attractive plants that we have growing in the water, the less nutrients that will be available for the algae.  Adding natural bacteria treatments to your water will help to digest any decaying matter in your pond which will in turn lessen the amount of nutrients available for algae.  Last but not least, your fish will eat the algae if they are hungry.  “Hungry fish make for a clean pond.”

How often do I need to clean my pond?

We recommend that owners try to remove leaves from the skimmer box and or water surface periodically over the season, especially during fall when the leaves are heavy.  Before the pond freezes it is good to remove as many sunken leaves from the pond bottom as possible.  Leaves will decay over the winter and reduce oxygen levels in the water.  Some people like to clean out their ponds in spring.  A full spring clean out would include removing all water and fish, removing all debris, pressure washing all rocks, checking all pond edges for settling, cleaning all filters and boxes, installing the pump, refilling the pond, adding water treatments and re-introducing the fish.  Different people like to treat their ponds differently.  Some people want their pond cleaned yearly; some every other year and other prefer not to clean their ponds.  All of these methods work, you need to have a balance between your expectations and the ponds appearance.  Technically the pond wouldn’t need to be cleaned at all if it were kept running constantly and was well-balanced.

Can I turn off my pump at night or when I go on vacation?

We recommend that you run your pump 24 hours a day seven days a week during the season.  We do know of some people who shut their pond down at night, but we don’t recommend this as it may cause water quality issues.  The pond circulation and aeration provided by the waterfall is critical to the living inhabitants of your pond such as fish and bacteria.

What is a Pondless Waterfall?

A pondless waterfall is simply that, a waterfall with out a pond.  Some people prefer to have a pondless waterfall because they want to turn the water feature off and on as they see fit.  Some people feel that they are safer because there is no standing body of water.  Generally they require even less maintenance than ponds.

These are just a few of the most common questions that we get on a regular basis from the many pond owners that we get to meet.  Hopefully we have shed some light on the water garden lifestyle for you.  Stop in some time and talk to us about ponds, we are always willing to help and always eager to learn more from other experienced ponders.

The fall of the year is a time of great change for all who inhabit the Northern climates.  Some years it comes on slow and smooth with plenty of warning and other years it drops on us like a rock and we’re stuck wondering what happened to the warm summer days that seem so recent.  Northerners know that fall is here when the leaves begin to change colors and loosen their hold on the tree branches to come floating softly down to earth, predecessors to the snowflakes which are surely on their way.  We start to notice the migratory birds growing restless and starting their long journeys south where the lakes and ponds remain open and the berries soft and warm.  Some of us try to ignore the clues as if by ignoring them we can delay the inevitable.  Others welcome and look for the clues with spirited anticipation as visions of skiing and snowmen dance through their heads.  Whichever indicative clues you notice, there is always that one unmistakable day when there is no longer any doubt that fall is indeed upon us.  The day when we can no longer ignore its presence and we know that we had better start preparing ourselves for the long cold winter ahead.

For those of us that are fortunate enough to have a water garden in our yard to brighten our days and enliven our yards during the heat of summer, fall is an often more somber time that signals the end of the warm days and nights pond side and the beginning of the cold enduring winter with frozen ice and thick snow.  Fall is the time of year when we put our water gardens to sleep for the winter and say goodbye to our fish until spring.  As the heat of the summer begins to wane and the cool fall breezes blow in, the plants in our yards, including the pond plants begin to slow their growth and prepare themselves for the big freeze.  Often times in fall there will be more algae in our ponds due to the slowing growth of the other pond plants.  That algae just seems to be a little more resilient than many of the other plants in our pond.  Water gardeners know that our fishy friends really start to slow down at this time of the year.  As the water cools, so do their bodies.  Movements of all kinds slow and wane, including the movement of their digestive system.  This is why we must never feed our fish when water temperatures are below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.  Feeding at this time of the year can leave them with undigested, rotting food in their bellies for the long winter, which can lead to ghastly results.

Fall can creep in slowly or it can swoop in suddenly.  Either way, as the summer fades and fall rolls in, our job as water gardeners is to keep our pond clean and healthy.  We should remove any dead or dying plant material before it settles to the bottom of the pond, our fish will live the entire winter at the bottom and decaying organic matter will deplete their oxygen levels.  Our pond intake will often times collect many leaves in the fall of the year, so it is important to keep this area clean to allow for the proper water circulation and aeration.  We may need to manually remove some debris and leaves that get trapped in the water lilies, marginal plants or between the rocks.  Many water gardeners, whose pond is in a heavily wooded area, stretch netting across their pond during times of heavy leaf drop.  If you are one who nets their pond, please be sure to blow or rake the leaves off of the net from time to time to keep them from forcing the net down into the water with their weight.

Before the deep freeze sets in, we need to decide how we would like to care for our pond over the winter.  If we have fish in our pond, at the very least we will need to keep a hole in the ice to allow for oxygen transfer.  We could keep the pond running all winter long, but this may prove to be a more burdensome venture than most of us would knowingly sign up for.  If our pond is left running and the cold winter winds blow cold enough, we may get ice dams forming in our stream which, in turn, may force the water out of our pond, starving our pump of its water source.  Once the pump is starved of water, it will begin to freeze up.  At this juncture we must choose to either succumb to the forces of nature, allowing the pump to be destroyed, or to brave the ice water’s chilling grip and attempt to save the ever precious waterfall pump.  Most of us, when faced with this scenario as a possibility, will choose to remove the waterfall pump when the weather isn’t quite so conducive to frostbite.  To keep the necessary oxygen exchange hole open in the ice for the winter health of our fish, we have several viable options; a small solids handling pump bubbling at the water’s surface like a rolling boil, a bottom aerator which pumps air to the bottom of the pond, or a heater of some sort.  If we chose the pump or aerator we must make sure that the pump or aerator is not placed in the deepest part of the pond.  This is where our fish will want to spend their slow cold days of winter, and they would prefer to have a nice calm quiet spot to weather out the storm.  Many people choose to install a small heater, but we have found these to be somewhat less reliable than the other options.  When we remove our waterfall pumps from the pond, whether in the dead of winter or the chills of fall, we should be sure to store them in a warm place in a bucket of water so that they don’t freeze and the seals don’t dry out.  How disheartening it would be to install your pump come springtime with great anticipation of the waterfall to be, only to find out that your pump is in a non-functioning state.  Once our pumps are safely tucked away and our oxygen exchange hole is being kept open, we are free to live life as we please, knowing that our fish are cozy and content at pond’s bottom and that our little piece of paradise will be vibrant, healthy and full of life next spring when the ice finally succumbs to the gentle warming of spring and we can once again live as nobility in our throne of distinction pond side.

Hurth Waterscapes, Certified Aquascape Contractor in Saukville Wisconsin, has been awarded the contract to construct three exciting and artistically creative water features at The House on the Rock in Spring Green Wisconsin.

The House on the Rock was originally designed and built by Alex Jordan in the 40’s.  It is now in the midst of its first renovation in over 50 years.  The renovations will include three water features, all of which Hurth Waterscapes will be constructing.  “We are thrilled to be a part of the renovation of such an important world-class attraction right here in Wisconsin” said Doug Hurth, president and owner of Hurth Waterscapes.

Doug will be working closely with Tom Kupsh, the creative consultant for The House on the Rock, who has worked with Alex Jordan in the 70’s and is credited with creating the renovation concept plan and architectural models for the project.  “This is going to be a fabulous project” stated Doug.  “The House on the Rock isn’t interested in building your average backyard pond. They want to create attractions that will draw people from around the world.  The creativity and attention to detail required by this project is perfect for Hurth Waterscapes. Creativity and quality are what we are all about!  It is a pleasure to work with Tom.  He is a very detail oriented and artistic person who is working hard to make these renovations world-class in both quality and creativity” said Doug Hurth, president of Hurth Waterscapes.

The first project, started in July “07, was the construction of the waterfall for the Japanese Garden Pond.  The Japanese Garden waterfall is an enormous structure standing fifteen feet tall and over fifty feet wide. Water will cascade down from the top of giant boulders into four distinct waterfalls emptying into an undulating 50’ x 50’ pond complete with an island, bridges, stepping-stones, and a carp stone.

Hurth Waterscapes is building the Japanese Garden waterfall using boulders that were harvested on the property, which range in size from 800 to 8000 lbs. Doug and Tom worked closely together during the initial waterfall build to very carefully choose and place the giant boulders that make up the waterfalls.  “We have really enjoyed working on this new waterfall, having the opportunity to work with people, who like ourselves, are both very creative and truly passionate about their work”  said Doug Hurth.

The new water feature is already attracting a lot of attention, as guests of The House on the Rock crowd the construction fencing and gather up on the elevated walkway to see the work in progress.  “We felt like we were our own separate attraction”, stated Doug Hurth’” we even had people cheering for us and applauding as the mammoth boulders were lifted and set into place. This is sure to be an awe-inspiring water feature which will bring guests, new and old, from around the globe.”

The second project, scheduled to be completed in September ’07, will be the renovation of the mill pond.  Those of you who have visited the attraction in the past will likely remember the mill pond.  While the location of the mill pond will not change; it will still be a small quiet oasis in the middle of multi-level walkways and structures, the look of the pond will definitely change.  The pond is being entirely re-done with a wetland filtration system, vanishing edge waterfall and a new mill wheel.

The third project will be the construction of the Japanese garden pond to accompany the newly constructed waterfall.  This pond is scheduled for completion in October ’07 and will be a 50’ x 50’ undulating water garden masterpiece.

The final project is scheduled to be completed in August of 2008 and will be an Asian water garden and waterfall which will be constructed behind their new welcome center.  The welcome center and Asian garden are still in the planning stages. Future releases will be posted as details are disclosed.

“This is a fabulous project to be involved in.  We get the opportunity to work with creative and artistic people to build a masterpiece that will be viewed by people from around the world.” stated Doug Hurth.  “This is a very exciting time for Hurth Waterscapes as well as for The House on the Rock.”

“Anyone who has been to the House on the Rock knows that it is already a very creative and artistic attraction. Add to that the fun and fantasy of an all new Japanese water garden with its towering waterfall, and every guest will know that they have truly experienced the “WOW” factor.  I think you owe it to yourself to take a drive out to Spring Green Wisconsin and see all of the new The House on the Rock attractions first hand, but you may want to wait until 2008 to get the full effect.” said Doug Hurth.

Alright now; have you put your floating water hyacinth into pond? Have you given your pond a few heavy doses of bacteria? Are your lily pads leisurely sunning themselves on the surface of your pond? Are the plants around your pond beginning to look large, lush, aromatic, and colorful? Have you started feeding your fish? If your answers to these questions are, “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes,” then odds are pretty good that spring has finally run its course, summer has arrived, and June is officially bustin’ out all over. Other Good Indicators Include… Other good indicators of this annual phenomenon might include the fact that the neighborhood now smells like barbecued burgers whenever you and Fido go for your nightly walk. When you go for that walk, or you relax out by the pond, you no longer have to wear a sweater or a jacket over your t-shirt. You’ve taken the picnic table and lawn chairs out of storage, washed them off, and set them up on the patio. The leaves in the surrounding trees have grown so thick that they now yield a plethora of new shade in the afternoon. And the most decisive factor will be when you flipped your calendar over, and the next page read “JUNE.” Tis the Season to Be… June kicks off summer vacation for kids who are still in school. But for real live pond enthusiasts, June marks THE OFFICIAL KICK OFF OF WATER GARDENING SEASON. Tis now the season for ponderers to be outside with family and friends; the season to be astounded at the clarity of the water in your pond; the season for friends to stop in unexpectedly for impromptu conversations alongside the relaxing sights and sounds of your pond. Yes, since you installed that pond in your backyard several years ago, social occasions inevitably lead you out to the pond, don’t they? Not to Detract From May, April, And March, But… Now let’s make sure to point out that we’re not knocking March, April or May. They all play a role in the annual pondering experience, but they play a stage-setting role, a lead up role. It’s no secret when I say that there’s a special kind of richness about the summer season. Even in this high-tech age, days are still longer and warmer, nights are still shorter and warmer, and life in general is still a little more humane and relaxing when summer arrives. Life around your backyard pond is no exception to this relaxation rule. The Two Key Elements For Successful Summer Pondering Include… So, if you see June bustin’ out all over, you can presume that June has arrived, and that the time has come for you to start making the most of the aquatic paradise beautifying your yard. The two key elements to making the most of this time of year include RELAXATION AND ENJOYMENT. Concentrate on these two things all summer long and you’ll be doing exactly what you’re meant to be doing this time of the year. And by the way, it’s best if you start RIGHT NOW!

It seems that wherever you go these days fields, forests and wetlands are being scraped away to make room for more new development.  Whether it’s for a new residential development, a manufacturing site, or the many stores and restaurants that we like to frequent, the fact is, nature is being pushed away from us every day.  Not that progress is bad, where would we live, work and shop if it weren’t for new development?  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the average homeowner could do something to improve nature?  If we could only provide a bit of nature in each and every backyard, wouldn’t the birds and the bees be much happier?

Well, now that you mention it, there is something that can be done to bring a little nature into every backyard in town.  This nature movement that I am speaking of is called the water garden lifestyle.  That’s right, I said water garden.  Right about now I suppose you are asking yourself “what is a water garden?”  Well, a water garden is naturally balanced, backyard sized, ecosystem pond and waterfall that is decorated inside and out with wonderful plants.  A water garden is what you make of it.  It could be large enough to fill the backyard and eliminate your lawn mowing duties, or small enough to tuck into the corner and accent one of your existing flower beds.  Whether large or small, the key to having and keeping a water garden in your yard is balance.  If constructed correctly, a water garden can have sparkling clear water and a beautifully flowing waterfall without the use of chemicals.  By using the correct combination of flowing water, rocks, gravel, plants and biological filtration, Mother Nature will take over and maintain your pond for you the natural way.  Imagine the joy that the birds, frogs, turtles and countless other backyard wildlife will feel when they discover that there is a wetland paradise located in your neighborhood.  Imagine the chorus of songbirds that could be heard on any given day if everyone had a water garden in their backyard.  We could have a drastic impact on the environment and add a fantastic centerpiece to our landscapes at the same time.       Here is the big bonus, not only does the water garden lifestyle enhance the quality of life for the local wildlife, it also greatly enhances your life.  Humans are closely linked to water; we need water in our daily lives to even survive.  A significant portion of the human body is water.  Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water. Blood contains 83% water, body fat contains 25% water and bone has 22% water.  Water is an essential nutrient that is involved in every function of the body.  It helps transport nutrients and waste products in and out of cells and it is necessary for all digestive, absorption, circulatory, and excretory functions, as well as for the utilization of the water-soluble vitamins.  It is also needed for the maintenance of proper body temperature.  You can live without food for several weeks, but you can only go for a few days without water.  Perhaps this is why water has such a magically calming effect on us.  People can’t walk by a lake, stream, river or even a pond without pausing to look and listen.  A water garden will change the way that you live in your yard.  The wonderful sights and sounds of the water garden will draw you outside to be near your own piece of paradise.  After a hard days work, you will long to sit near your pond and soak in nature.  The sound of the water flowing over the rocks will touch your soul and wash away the stresses of the day.  The sights of your beautiful Koi and goldfish playfully swimming through the blooming water lilies will thrill your senses for hours on end.  Sit, relax, enjoy.

Did I say Koi and goldfish?  I know what you’re thinking, “I certainly don’t need a pet to care for”.  Don’t worry, although you may end up naming them, these fish are not your responsibility to care for.  Mother Nature takes care of them for you, just as she does all of her other inhabitants.  These fish are an integral part of the balanced ecosystem in your pond.  The fish help to keep your pond neat and tidy by feeding on the algae and debris that they find naturally in the water.  You don’t need to feed them and you don’t need to bring them in when it gets cold.  Mother Nature takes care of all of that for you.  You simply get to enjoy their company and marvel at their beauty.

You may be wondering how all of the other animals will find your pond.  Well, believe it or not, shortly after the installation of your wonderful water paradise, you will have caught the attention of the wildlife no matter how secluded your yard is.  I think that they are a lot like us; they are drawn to water as a life source.  You will have all types of songbirds coming to your pond regularly to drink from the cool clear running water and to wash themselves in the always fresh bird bath that is your stream and waterfall.  The frogs will move in and happily swim in your water and sun themselves on the rocks and lily pads.  They are not as common as the birds and frogs, but many happy pond owners have reported that the turtles have moved in as well.  With all of this talk of wildlife being attracted to your pond, I’m sure that the question “will this attract mosquitoes?” has crossed your mind.  Well never fear, you will not see an increase in the mosquito population due to your pond.  Mosquitoes need calm, stagnant water to breed, your pond is continually moving.  Also, any mosquitoes that dare get close to the water will most likely be eaten by the fish, frogs, turtles or birds.  Rest assured that while this is a water garden sanctuary for wildlife, it is not a mosquito breeding ground.  Large or small, your water garden will be a sanctuary for at least some of the wildlife that we are displacing every day.  Why not take the plunge and bring a little nature back into your life?

The plants in and around your pond are an integral factor in the balanced ecosystem as well.  They act as filters and cleaners of the water, removing any contaminants and nutrients from the water as they live and thrive.  The best part about aquatic plants is the ease of maintenance, they never need to be watered or fertilized, and your ecosystem pond takes care of that for you.  You are free to spend your time soaking in the beauty.  If you are a gardener, you will love the opportunities that the water garden affords you to expand and enhance your current gardens.  Now you have the perfect area for all of those beautiful creeping and crawling rock garden plants, not to mention potential new planting areas for annual and perennial flowers of your choice.

Along with all of these benefits, your water garden will also save water as the average water garden uses less water per year than the patch of lawn that it replaces.  Also, you will no longer need to worry about cutting or fertilizing that part of your yard.

More and more people every year are bringing nature back into their yards through the installation of a water garden.  Water gardens have been ranked in the same category as decks and patios as the most sought after residential landscape improvement.  I have yet to meet a water garden owner who has not fallen completely in love with the lifestyle and how drastically it has improved their yard and how they use it.  Don’t spend another summer sitting on your deck or patio staring at your lawn, liven up your yard and your lifestyle with the introduction of water and see how special life can be at home.

We are a full service landscape construction company specializing in water garden construction.  We are a member of the nationally recognized Certified Aquascape Contractors and we hold ourselves to the highest quality and artistic standards possible.  We always strive for complete customer satisfaction.  We are in this business to stay.  “Ponds are our Passion”, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Do you genuinely long for a naturally beautiful backyard, a backyard that is a showplace and a natural habitat at the same time?  A yard where your family and friends are awestruck every time they visit?  Just imagine getting up each morning and seeing a variety of different wildlife in your own backyard. Wouldn’t that be a great way to start off your day?  How about coming home, soaking your feet in the cool running water and just letting yourself relax to the sounds of the gently flowing stream and the many songbirds that frequent it.  If this sounds inviting to you, then let me tell you about a little known landscape enhancement that can make your yard the talk of the neighborhood. This enhancement that I am talking about is called a “water garden.”

If you’ve never seen a water garden before please don’t presume that you know what I am talking about. I am not talking about one of those pea-green, bowl-shaped cesspools that attracts mosquitoes and geese.  No, I am talking about a living ecological entity, a sparkling, clear, freshwater pond with fish, turtles, tadpoles, frogs, blooming flowers, a babbling brook and a magnificent rushing waterfall. These ponds are alive, overflowing with life, and they take very little time to maintain. You don’t even have to feed the fish! But, you’ll love doing so.

Hurth Waterscapes has been filling backyards with naturally beautiful water gardens and landscapes for years now.  A naturally balanced eco-system pond is the perfect remedy for customers who want relief from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We are not just landscaping, we’re introducing people to the water garden lifestyle.  The installation of a pond and waterfall is the single most effective way to add the “WOW” factor to your yard.  Trees, shrubs, patios and flowerbeds are all very nice landscape enhancements, but nothing will have the same impact on your yard as a water garden.  We are changing the way that people live in and enjoy their outdoor living space.  People love water gardens because they are soothing, tranquil, relaxing and they attract various types of wildlife. In this day and age of computers, cell phones, faxes and other technological distractions, it is very soothing to have a place to get away from everyday life and just relax. Remember, you don’t need to travel to find this personal utopia, pond owners can just walk into their own yard for the relaxation to begin.

A properly constructed water garden should be very low maintenance.  The home owner’s responsibilities will entail; occasionally emptying the skimmer net (depending on how much debris is entering the pond), cleaning the skimmer filter (two or three times over the summer) and adding dry bacteria (especially in spring) to help get the pond into balance.  Hurth Waterscapes offers a wealth of educational materials, pond and waterfall displays and free educational seminars at their retail store for those of you hungry for more pond information.

Each year Hurth Waterscapes is called upon to fix, revamp or rebuild many water features that were not installed correctly or that were installed without all of the components necessary for a naturally balanced ecosystem.  Many people are living with pond problems and water garden headaches that simply are not necessary.  If you are considering installing your own water garden, a little research before you start will go a long way toward a long and happy relationship between you and your pond.  If you are hiring someone to install a pond for you, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for customer testimonials and to look at previously completed pond projects.

When it is all said and done, the benefits of having your own naturally beautiful personal paradise in your yard far outweigh any of the costs.  The beauty that it will bring into your life as the new centerpiece of your yard pales only in comparison to the relaxing effects that it will have on you and your loved ones as you let yourselves be immersed in the soothing sights and sound of your very own water garden.

We are a full service landscape construction company specializing in water garden construction.  We are a member of the nationally recognized Certified Aquascape Contractors and we hold ourselves to the highest quality and artistic standards possible.  We always strive for complete customer satisfaction.  We are in this business to stay.  “Ponds are our Passion”, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Here in Wisconsin we have the opportunity to experience all of the seasons in their full glory.  From the balmy days of summer to the frigid nights of winter, we get it all.  It seems that by the time we grow tired of one season and the weather that it brings, we are starting a new season with all of the wonderful changes.  This time of year, around mid February, my thoughts always turn toward spring.  I can’t help but sit in my office and dream of the great melt down that is about to occur and all of the new life that it will bring.  Winter holds its charms for the skiers, snowmobilers, sledders, ice fishermen and snowman builders of the world, but in my mind, nothing brightens our outlook on the world quite like the spring awakening.  When the warm spring breezes start to blow in all of the scents and sounds of the ensuing summer, I can’t help but feel refreshed and rejuvenated.  Almost like bears coming out of hibernation, people start to head out into their yards in search of clues to what the summer will bring.  The first little shoots of the plants as they break ground looking for the warming sun, the spring flower bulbs that are just starting to peak through and all of the insects and animals that are scurrying around in search of food after a long winter.  All of these things together brighten each day bringing us closer and closer to the joys of summer.

Some of us have a little more to look forward to than others as spring and summer approach.  Some of us can picture sparkling water racing down our streams and waterfalls for the first time in spring.  We can picture our fishy friends coming out of their winter slumber and swimming to the surface looking for bits of food to eat.  We can picture the water lilies blooming and the frogs sunning themselves on the rocks.  These people who I speak of are those of us who are lucky enough to have a water garden in our yards.  Spring has always been a special time of the year for me, but ever since the year that I installed the water garden in my yard spring has been extra special.  Now, when I am inside on these cold winter days, I envision my water garden in full bloom with fish and frogs darting through the water and birds happily playing in the stream.  I always envision this, because my pond is the centerpiece of my landscape.  There is no other aspect of my yard that holds the vibrant, beauty and movement of life like my water garden.  If I sit back in my chair and close my eyes, I can see the sparkle of the moving water, the colorful Koi and goldfish swimming among the blooming water lilies and periodically touching the surface in search of food, the turtle as it cautiously floats to the surface and holds its head above water for a breath of fresh air.  I can see all of these things as clear as day, but it doesn’t end there, I can hear the dragonfly buzzing near the water’s surface, the water gurgling and bubbling as it races over the rocks and cascades down into my pond, the songbirds singing and chirping as they enjoy life along the stream and the frogs calling back and forth on those first spring nights.  I can even smell the clean moist air that carries the scent of the flowery blooms.  I can picture all of these things so vividly in my mind’s eye because I have the joy of owning my own little piece of natural paradise right in my yard.  I have a naturally balanced ecosystem pond and I love it.  There are no chemicals involved here, so I don’t have to worry as the children splash around looking for frogs, or as the song birds line up and take turns drinking from and bathing in the stream.  I don’t have to worry as the dog takes his tenth drink of water for the day right out of the pond.  This is all safe and natural beauty.  I am not concerned of maintenance and water testing, my pond is managed by mother nature.  Sure, mother nature is not always perfect, but she always comes around with time.  A healthy dose of patience is all that you need once your pond is established.  I look forward to the hot summer day cookouts near the pond and the cool summer nights spent pond side with my wife just relaxing and pondering life for a few moments.  I anticipate the soothing, relaxing sights and sounds that are there to greet me every time that I get a chance to sit near the pond.  I can hear the excited chatter and laughter of my sons as they explore the stream and pond in search of the ever elusive frogs.  I already have a mental list of some of the little improvements that I am planning for my water garden landscape.  I think that I will thin out some of the reeds, plant a tropical water-lily to add some unexpected new color to the pond and I will add some floating water lettuce and water hyacinth to the pond so that I can watch it slowly float on the surface and multiply as the summer goes on.  Speaking of multiplying, I wonder how many fish and frogs I will have in my pond this year.  Every year new little baby fish and frogs that add even more beauty and life to my pond seem to come out of nowhere.  We get to watch them grow and watch their colors become brighter and brighter as they age.  Where better can you teach your children about the circle of life than at pond side?  I can picture all of this from my office chair because I have the opportunity to experience it so much over the summer and it has such an effect on my psyche that I can picture it more clearly that any other aspect of my yard.  Sure, I have bushes, trees, flower beds, a patio, landscape lighting and the works, but none of these other features inspire me the way that my water garden does.

So, as the cold of February gives way to the warmer days of March and the Fresh scents of April, I can already picture my summer near the ponds edge, enjoying life to the fullest.  I can already feel the enjoyment and pleasure that I will get from my yard.  In some ways it calms me but in others it puts me on the edge of my seat with anticipation for the months ahead.  What do you picture when you sit back in your chair and dream of summer?  If you picture lawn mowing, fertilizing and picking weeds, then you need a little back yard pick me up.  Do yourself a favor and install one of Mother Nature’s masterpieces in your backyard.  Not only will it thrill and please over the summer months, but it will also improve your winter time dreams considerably.  Happy pondering and keep on dreaming.

We are a full service landscape construction company specializing in water garden construction.  We are a member of the nationally recognized Certified Aquascape Contractors and we hold ourselves to the highest quality and artistic standards possible.  We always strive for complete customer satisfaction.  We are in this business to stay.  “Ponds are our Passion”, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

When you flip the kitchen calendar over and October is staring you right between the eyes, what’s the first thing you think of? Tell me it’s not pumpkins, followed closely by jack-o-lanterns, witches, and goblins of every imaginable size and shape. If that’s true, let me speculate that you still have plenty of kid left in your genes. And believe it or not, it’s the kid part in you that roars back to life when you’re out by your pond feeling like Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, or Becky Thatcher.
Pull On an Old Sweatshirt
Now even though the temperature has dipped dramatically since July and August, the kid in you wants to pull on an old sweatshirt, go out to the backyard, feed your fish, listen to the waterfalls, and breathe in the aroma of burning leaves wafting in the air. Then you’ll scoop the stuffing out of the pumpkin, cut the eyes, nose, and mouth out, put the candle inside, light it, put the lid on quickly, and stand back to see the magical smile or scowl that has magically appeared in the night air.

Halloween Kicks off the Holiday Season
Realistically Halloween is the official kickoff of the holiday season, with Thanksgiving and Christmas following close behind, and all kids get excited when the holidays roll around, including adult kids like you. If you live in the northern climates, the temperature is creeping low enough to that 55-degree mark when you stop feeding your fish. You may have even pruned back the lilies, cattails, and iris already.

But the waterfall is still flowing freely, and the fish are still roaming from rock to rock, and you think to yourself, “Wouldn’t the pond look great at night, decorated with a handful of creative jack-o-lanterns sitting around it?” It would be very seasonal. It would add lots of fall colors. In a spooky kind of way, it could even be construed as festive, being October and all.

Why Not Pull out All the Stops
And if you’re really in the mood, there’s no need to stop with pumpkins. You could add a scarecrow or two, an old witch on a broomstick, bats in the trees hanging overhead, and you could drape spider webs around the plants as icing on the cake. What the heck, at this time of year a net over the pond to catch the leaves (practicality creeping in here) could work its way into your water gardening décor.

There’s Only One Thing Left to Do
And once you’ve gone to all this trouble, there’s only one thing left to do … have a party. Invite your family, friends, and neighbors. After all they always love to come and gather around the pond, especially at night. And what do you think their reaction will be to the Octoberization of your pond? As you know, having a pond is an enjoyable and creative experience all year round, so long as you learn to dance with Mother Nature and avoid stepping on her toes. And don’t forget, Thanksgiving is right around the corner.

Spring is the time of the year when everything here in Wisconsin slowly thaws and comes back to life.  The snow melts and day after day, your pond slowly thaws.  At first you will only see water around the edges, but as the temperatures rise, your pond will slowly but surely open up and come back to life. The recent dramatic thunderstorms that we’ve had bring a smile to my face, because they are a clear indication that spring is finally here and they add some fresh water and aeration to my pond, which I’m sure the fish are grateful for at this time of year.  As the water temperature in your pond rises you will notice your fish and frogs begin to move around more and more.  You’ll also notice any leaves and debris that may have gotten into your pond over winter.  Don’t get too excited and jump in to start cleaning your pond as soon as the ice melts, this would only unnecessarily stress out the fish and frogs.  They need a little time to warm up and start moving around before you jump in and force them in to action.  We usually start pond clean-outs for our clients in late March or early April.  Believe me, at that time of year the water is still plenty cold.

Before you start any type of spring clean out, it is a good idea to check your piping, and filter boxes to be sure that they are fully thawed.  Often times the pond ice will melt long before the ice in the pipes buried beneath the ground.  The easiest way to check is to fill your biofalls box with water and see if it runs through the pipe and into the skimmer.  If it does, you are ready to perform your spring start-up.

There are several levels of spring start-up that you may want to consider.  The minimum that needs to be done is to pull out all of the filter mats and/or bags of filter media that are in your biofalls and skimmer and spray them off with your garden hose.  If the filter mats are a couple of years old, they may need replacing and now is a great time to upgrade your standard mats to barley mats to help with your water clarity throughout the upcoming season.  Secondly, you should remove any leaves and debris that may have entered your pond over the winter.  If your pond is really dirty, it may be better to do a full clean out.  If too much silt and debris are stirred up during your cleaning, it will stress the fish more than a full clean out.  This time of year the fish are weak and slow, so be gentle with them.  The less you disturb them the better.  Lastly, you should inspect and clean your biofalls and skimmer boxes and re-install all filter mats, filter media and your pump.  Before installing the pump, and while the pump is unplugged, it is a good idea to spin the impeller by hand.  Sometimes the impeller gets stuck in place over the winter and a little spin will break it free.  Spring is also a good time to hook up your auto-fill line or to have one installed if you don’t already have one.  Believe me, you will thank yourself later.

Many people like to take the spring start-up one step further and pump the pond down, pressure wash all of the rocks, fertilize the water lilies, divide any aquatic plants that are spreading, replace light bulbs, adjust the lights and refill the pond for a fresh start in spring.  If you will be pumping your pond down, remember to have a safe, covered pool to keep your fish in while you do the cleaning.  This pool should be filled with water from your pond to minimize the stress on your fish.  Never leave the fish out of the pond for longer than absolutely necessary, never leave the temporary pool in the hot sun, and never use any type of chemicals to clean your pond.  While the pond is empty it is a great time to install a fish cave or tunnel to give your fish a safe place to hide from predators.  When you refill the pond, be sure to give the fish time to adjust to the change in water temperature.  Koi will only tolerate temperature changes of a few degrees per minute.  Be sure to use dechlorinator if you are filling your pond with city water.  If at all possible, it is best to partially refill your pond with the old pond water to help age the tap water and reduce fish stress.  Often times this is not possible, most people don’t have a huge water tank to keep the pond water in while the clean out is performed.  Once the pond is up and running, you will want to give it a generous dose of beneficial bacteria and enzymes to help maintain water quality.

Whether you just start it up or do a full clean out, spring is probably the most exciting time of the year for pond owners.  We get to see all of our fish again after the long winter and we can start pondering life once again from the best spot in the world, right next to our very own water garden.

“January made me shiver, with every paper I’d deliver. Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn’t take one more step. I can’t remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride. But something touched me deep inside, the day the music died.” Now if you’re a baby boomer, or you’ve ever listened to a rock and roll oldies station, you’ll recognize those haunting lyrics belonging to Don McLean’s classic entitled “Bye Bye Miss American Pie,” a tribute to the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson, (a.k.a.The Big Bopper) in a plane crash on February 3, 1959.

And for many folks around the country January truly is the bad news month that McLean proclaimed it to be. After all, it occupies that dubious position on the calendar that follows in the wake of the Christmas and New Years hoopla, not to mention all the bowl games that provide a temporary rush of excitement that lead into an otherwise cold and lifeless time of year. Realistically, if you’re not into the NFL’s Super Bowl race, January can look bleak, promising little more than short days, long nights, and 30 to 60 to 90 days of bone chilling weather, depending on what area of the country you live in.

But For Pond Lovers
So the question for us pond lovers is, will having a pond improve our odds of enjoying the most challenging month of the year? Will knowing that our finely finned friends are parked safely at the bottom of the pond, hibernating away until spring time peeks in the back door, be of any comfort on those cold winter nights? Does our newly developed ability to ponder an hour or two away…productively of course, provide any kind of buffer on a frigid, wind-blown January evening?

Yes, It’ll Still Be Cold
Well, we have to be real honest here and say that, if you’re one of those folks who prefers Jamaica all year round, a pond in your back yard will not provide you with all that much relief. It’s still going to be cold, and you’re still going to want to stay inside. By the same token, the pond in your back yard will require you to have some sense of what’s going on outdoors because if nothing else, you do have to make sure that your bubbler keeps on bubbling and agitating the pond’s surface, and that it’s keeping a hole in the ice so that hibernation can occur in water that’s healthy for your fish.

But If You Look At Things In A Positive Light…
But if you look at your pond in the most positive light, you’ll see that wildlife in the area will still be sneaking in at various times, day and night to visit your aquatic ecosystem. After all, even though it’s January, critters still need water and your pond is where many of them still find it. And you know that, despite the ice that’s formed on the pond’s surface, and all the white stuff that’s collecting, life is still waiting beneath, ready to pop in 30 to 90 days, whenever Mother Nature finds it in her busy schedule to cause the atmosphere to warm up, and starts her engines running all over again for another season of naturally balanced, aquatic delight. In the mean time, my best advice is to just keep warm, and think about April.

If you could have paradise in your own backyard, what would it look like?  It may sound funny to associate visions of paradise with your backyard, but it’s entirely possible as long as we can define your paradise correctly.  Once we do that; we will be well on our way.

If you are in the market for your very own piece of paradise then it all needs to start with a dream, your dream.  As designers, landscapers and artists, we can help guide you along the right path with your dream, but if you want a truly personal, just for you backyard paradise, then you need to start looking, noticing and dreaming.  The easiest way for people to develop the necessary concepts for their dreams is to start to notice the many things around them.  Your dream may include bits and pieces from many different things that you’ve seen or experienced in your life.  Maybe you haven’t even seen enough yet to complete your dream.  Maybe you need to do a little research, look at some pictures, visit some new places, tour some gardens, explore a bit of nature or take a vacation.  We are never sure what it will take to create your own special dream.  Creating this paradise isn’t like buying a car; it’s more like creating a painting, a piece of art just for you.  You need to tell us enough about what you like and dislike, to guide us in the right direction.  You don’t need to know how it all works, or how it all fits together, you just need to know your own likes and dislikes.  Start taking pictures of things that you like, start downloading things from the internet, tearing pages out of magazines, whatever it takes to collect the general feel of how you envision your dream.  We don’t need a big picture of the perfect landscape; we’ll make that for you when we begin to apply our art to your property.  We just need enough bits and pieces so that we know the basics of what you are looking for.  People can be very passionate about their living space, so we try hard to manipulate this space in just the right way to create the yard of their dreams.

Along with the dreams, there are a lot of practical real world matters that we must address before embarking on our journey.  Questions such as; how will you use this space that we will create?  Do you entertain a lot?  Do you have a large family?  Do you have pets?  How much are you prepared to spend on this project?  How much yard work will you do or will you be willing to hire done?  How large is your property?  What are the specific site conditions of your property? How long do you plan to stay at this property?  Are certain views and sight lines important to this property?  How are the rooms in your house laid out in relation to the outdoor living space?  All of these things need to be considered to creatively design a landscape that will be well suited to your needs.

There are many more questions that may come up during the design process; we never really know them all until we are in the thick of it.  I don’t mean to overwhelm you, if you just want a standard landscape design, that’s easy.  We can simply visit your yard and lay it out.  If you want us to just dream up our perfect paradise for your yard we can do that also, with very little input from you.  But, if you want your property to fit you like your favorite easy chair, if you want to have a custom landscape experience that allows your vision of paradise to shine through, then it’s going to take a bit of dreaming on both of our parts.

We are a full service landscape construction company specializing in water garden construction.  We are a member of the nationally recognized Certified Aquascape Contractors and we hold ourselves to the highest quality and artistic standards possible.  We always strive for complete customer satisfaction.  We are in this business to stay.  “Ponds are our Passion”, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

So, spring is here and you have recently found yourself out in the backyard dreaming of possible landscape improvement projects.  Maybe this year you should do a little rejuvenational landscaping?  Or, maybe you just moved in and don’t even have a yard yet?  Either way, if you are like a lot of people, spring is the time of the year when your thoughts turn to improving your backyard living space.  There are many options open to a homeowner with landscape needs, but before you decide to invest in shrubs, flowers and brickwork, why don’t you take time to consider the ever-growing natural water garden industry?

Before you get too far into planning your yard project, go out into the backyard with a cool drink in your hand, sit back, relax, close your eyes and let me take you on a journey of the senses through your new backyard getaway.  Now that you are relaxed with your eyes closed, tell me, what do you hear in your yard right now?  Maybe you hear traffic, maybe you hear birds, or maybe you hear children playing and the neighbor cutting his lawn.  Let’s assume for a moment that you took the plunge and had a water garden installed in your backyard.  Maybe you did it yourself or maybe you had it professionally installed, it doesn’t really matter, lets just assume you have one, and that you are seated next to it in your favorite lawn chair with that cool refreshing drink.    Now consider for a moment what this yard may sound like with your new water garden.  You could still hear the children laughing and playing and you could still hear the birds chirping.  As a matter of fact, you would probably hear more birds as the new water garden will attract many wonderful birds to your backyard.  The varying high and low babbling and gurgling sounds of the water twisting, turning and crashing between and into the rocks creates a steady, soothing sound that has now drowned out the sound of the traffic going by.  As a matter of fact, you can barely hear the neighbor and his lawnmower.  It’s not that the sounds of your stream and waterfalls are so loud, but that the sounds are so pleasing and soothing that you just naturally focus on all of these new pleasant sounds and you don’t even notice the other more disturbing or disruptive sounds. Wait, was that the sound of a frog jumping into the pond or was that one of your beautiful Koi coming to the surface to grab a bite to eat?  O.K., keep listening to the waterfall and we will continue on our journey.  Take a deep breath, what do you smell?  I’m sure that you can smell the blooms of the marsh marigold, the water iris and the water-lily mixed with the cool moist smells of the water itself as it humidifies the air around your pond.  Now, kick off your shoes and lower your feet down into the water to see how that feels.  Wow, who would have guessed that soaking your feet in the cool clear running water would be so refreshing?  You can probably picture yourself out here soaking your feet every night after work.  What a stress reliever!  Now, imagine looking out over your water garden, what do you see?  Can you picture the smooth flowing lines of your water garden twisting and turning between the natural granite boulders?  Notice how some of the plants gently hang down onto the surface of the water.  Look over to the other side of your pond and notice how beautiful it is where the water cascades over that final rock of the stream and down into the pond with a gentle sparkle and splash.  Notice how soft and gentle the whole water garden is and how gracefully it fits into your yard and blends itself into your existing plants.  Wow, does the water sparkle and shine in the sunlight.  Some areas are calm and clear and you can see your fish casually swimming between the water-lily stems.  Other areas are rippling with life where a frog just left his perch on that sunny rock or maybe where the waterfall drops down into the pond.  Wait, look deeper, down near the bottom, you can see that newest fish that you just released into the pond.  He’s still not too sure about his new home, so he’ll hang out down by the entrance to your fish cave until he figures out how safe and peaceful this place is, soon he’ll be nibbling algae off of the rocks like the rest of his fishy friends.  Look up into the stream; did you happen to notice that birds are lined up waiting to splash and play in your stream?  They sure enjoy the cool running water a lot more than that stagnant old bird bath.  If we had more time we could explore the entire pond and find the many different water bugs and frogs that are living in this beautiful natural ecosystem.  But for now we’ll leave those explorations to the ever curious children that will surely be knocking on your door to ask if they can play in or near your kid safe, two foot deep pond.  What an interesting and captivating science experiment this could be.  The summer will be filled with new discoveries and explorations.  Let’s see, what have we left out?  Ah yes, the sense of taste.  Well, I’m not going to tell you to taste your pond, so may I suggest a sip of that cool drink that you brought out here when we started this dream.  Sweet summer ponderings, I hope you get everything that you have dreamed of.

Now that we are done dreaming, let’s get back to reality.  Water gardens are quickly becoming the most “bang for your buck” landscape enhancement nationwide.  There is no other landscape project that will make as much of an impact on your yard as a water garden.  Adding a water garden is like grabbing your very own little piece of Mother Nature’s abundant ecosystem and installing it in your own backyard.  In 2002, USA Today reported that water features/ponds were tied with decks as the landscape enhancement that homeowners most desired.  The beauty and nature of the water garden excites all of our senses, and apparently also excites many home appraisers.  I have had clients tell me about considerable increases in home value after their water garden installations were complete.  Now don’t get me wrong, I like flower beds, shrubs, trees, patios and grass as much as the next guy, but none of them compare to the life and beauty of a water garden.  Your new water garden will bring a bit of paradise into your life.  All of those other landscape improvements are fine, as long as they are installed surrounding a thriving water garden.

Today’s water gardens are nothing like the ponds of the old days, these new water gardens are fully functioning natural ecosystems that require very little maintenance and no chemicals.  There are several key elements that must be incorporated into every water garden, large or small, if you want clear water and low maintenance.  These elements are water circulation, aeration, plants, fish, gravel and some type of filtration.  Typically the circulation, aeration and filtration will all be taken care of through the use of a skimmer and biofalls.  The skimmer helps to keep the pond clean by skimming debris off of the surface and it also filters and houses the pump.  The pump will pump the water through the biofalls which will further filter the water and will also provide an area for helpful, water clarifying bacteria and enzymes to collect.  Usually the biofalls is the starting point for a stream and waterfall.  The water will be naturally aerated as it flows over the waterfall.  It is important to have small diameter gravel on the bottom of the pond, as this will provide plenty of surface area for more bacteria and enzymes to collect, which will help breakdown any debris that makes it to the bottom of your pond.  Plants are also an important part of any water garden.  The plants not only beautify the garden, but they also compete with the algae for the available nutrients and help to shade parts of the water, both of which help to control algae growth.  Last but certainly not least are the fish.  Most water garden owners will put Koi or goldfish into their ponds.  These fish are well suited for water gardens.  They are very brightly colored so that you can see and enjoy them and they will help keep the pond clean by feeding on the algae that will grow on the rocks.  The fish need very little attention, they will stay over winter in a two foot deep pond that is aerated and they really don’t need to be fed.  Hungry fish make for a clean pond.

When you have finally made up your mind that you can’t go another summer without a water garden, you have two choices.  You can do it yourself, or you can hire a professional to install your pond.  If you are the do-it yourself type of person, there are many different kits available for you to create your own paradise.  Be sure to do your homework and find a complete kit that includes a skimmer, biofalls, fish safe rubber, a pump and all the other parts that are needed.  You don’t want to be making it up as you go along using many different parts from many different suppliers.  Choose a company that provides everything that you need and that will stand behind their products with a good warranty.  Next you’ll want to invite a few of your strongest friends and relatives over to help with the digging process.  Digging the hole for your water garden will be the hardest, most backbreaking part of the job.  If you decide to hire a professional, don’t be afraid to ask for references and certifications.  The top quality water garden manufacturers certify their best installers.  A certified installer will be well-trained and educated in the water garden industry and will be able to specify and install the perfect low maintenance system for your backyard.  These are the people you want installing your water garden.  When you are interviewing your potential pond installer, don’t be afraid to ask to see their pond and some of the water gardens that they have installed for clients.  If they do a nice job and have happy clients, they will have a long list of ponds that they can take you to see.  Again, ask about warranty and maintenance services.  The time and energy that you invest now to make educated decisions and to choose the right system installed by an experienced, customer oriented pond installer will more than pay for itself in the future with the hassle free beauty and simplicity of your new water garden.  Believe me, once you have lived a summer with your new water garden, you will wonder how you went so many years without one.  Enjoy life, live every day to its fullest and keep on smiling.

If you are a pond owner in the northern climates where things freeze–up over the winter months, you will need to prepare your pond for these frozen times.  In Southeastern Wisconsin we generally have winter like conditions from November through March.  During these times our Northern ponds are in a state of hibernation with the water temperatures below 55 degrees and snow or ice accumulating in and around the ponds.  During these times, the water garden both looks and acts very differently than it does during the summer months.  We, as pond owners, need to prepare ourselves and our ponds for these winter months.

As winter approaches and temperatures start to drop, it is a good idea to monitor the water temperature so that you are sure to stop feeding your fish once the water temperature is consistently below 55 degrees.  Below this temperature, the fish’s metabolism slows down and any food taken in takes a very long time to digest.  If your fish have their bellies full of food when the water temperature drops, this food may stay in their system for too long and cause them serious problems.  As the weather starts to get cold, you will notice the fish and the frogs in your pond will become much less active.  The fish will gather together in the deep parts of the pond and move around very little.  The frogs will also move around much less, and may only be seen on warm sunny days.

After the temperature and the leaves start to fall, and before the ice starts to form is a great time to get into your pond and clean up some of the debris and dead plant material that may have accumulated over the summer.  You should also keep an eye on any tropical and floating plants which will die very quickly once the winter frost sets in.  Try to get these dead or dying plants out of the pond before they sink to the bottom.  Too much decaying matter in your pond will make the winter months harder on your fish.  Having said that, I’d like to point out that this muck and/ or decaying matter is just the spot that your frogs will be looking for.  They like to spend the winter buried in these debris laden nooks and crannies.  Not to worry though, they can always bury themselves in the planting pockets with your water lilies.  If your fish reproduced over the summer and you find your pond over populated, this would be a good time to give some of these little fish to friends or family who may have a place for them.  Over-crowding will make it more difficult for your fish to survive the winter.

The fall is also the time of the year for you to decide how you will treat your pond for the winter.  You need to decide if you will be able to monitor your pond and keep it running for the winter or if you will shut it down for the winter.  Either way, you will need to turn off and disconnect your auto-fill valve before it freezes to prevent your plumbing, and/or the valve from being damaged.  You may also want to consider installing some sort of netting over your pond to keep leaves and debris out of your pond while the skimmer is not functioning.

If you have fish in your pond, you will need to treat your pond differently than if you do not.  If you don’t have any fish or frogs in your pond, or you have taken them out for the winter, you can just pull out the pump and let the pond freeze over.  Your pump should be stored in a bucket of water somewhere where it will not freeze.

If your pond will be home to our wonderful underwater friends for the winter, then you will need to take steps to ensure their survival.  The most important thing that you can do for your aquatic animals in the winter months is to keep a hole in the ice at all times to allow gasses to escape from under the ice so that the oxygen levels are not depleted.  There are several ways to accomplish this.

If you want to shut your pond down for the winter, you will need to install a floating heater and/or an aerating pump.  There are many types of heaters on the market; most are the old-fashioned high wattage tank-type heaters that radiate heat in all directions.  These heaters do a fine job, but they use quite a bit of electricity.  The new style of floating heater is a low-wattage heater that only radiates heat toward the center, to keep a small opening in the ice.  These heaters are much more economical to run and, in most cases, will do a fine job of allowing the gases to dissipate from your pond.  If you are using one of these low-wattage heaters, you may get a bit of ice forming over the hole if the temperatures drop below zero for too long, but a light tap will be enough to break this ice.  If you have a very large pond, you may want to use more than one floating heater.  The floating heater alone will most likely be adequate protection to keep your aquatic friends alive and well over the winter, but if they are considered family pets or if your pond is over-crowded, you may want to consider going one step further and also install a small aerating pump or bottom aerator in your pond which will bubble the water’s surface and provide additional aeration for the winter.

If you decide to keep your pond running for the winter, you have several options; just let it run all winter the same as it does in the summer, Install a winter bypass line, or install a winter return de-icer.

Depending on how your pond and waterfall/stream is laid out, you may want to simply let it run all winter.  This will provide the needed aeration as well as keep the pond open for gasses to escape.  Your pond can be absolutely beautiful during the winter months when you can see glimpses of your waterfall and stream through the ice and snow.  If you choose to let your waterfall run for the winter, your pond must be monitored.  There is always a chance that a clump of debris or ice will get caught in your stream and divert the water out of your pond, which may result in a damaged pump.  Also, your pond water is still evaporating during the winter months and your auto-fill valve will not be working, so it is a good idea to keep a garden hose somewhere warm which will allow you to top off the water if it gets low.  A short steep waterfall will be less problematic over the winter months than a long meandering stream as there will be fewer places for ice or debris to build up and less evaporation.

If you have a long stream and would like to keep your pond running for the winter, you can have your pond builder install a winter bypass line which would allow you to aerate and circulate your pond with out the worries of a long stream.  This winter line would connect to your pump just like the line to your biofalls, but it would run into the very end of the stream or anywhere that it could provide water movement and aeration.  You should be aware that it is possible to super cool the water in your pond by circulating the water too much over the winter.  This can be harmful to the fish.  They will be looking for calm, protected areas where the temperatures remain fairly stable.  If your pond is over-circulated, which may happen if you have a small pond with a big pump, you may not leave them with a good place to spend the winter.

Another option would be to install a winter return de-icer.  This de-icer hooks up to your current check valve in a matter of minutes.  This attachment simply extends out over the top of your skimmer and directs the water flow onto the pond’s surface, which will keep an opening in the ice and keep the water aerated as well.

The choice is yours, you can shut it down and forget about it or you can keep it running and enjoy it.  If you are going out of town a lot this winter, or simply do not want to go out in the cold and monitor your pond, you should shut it down and get a floating heater.  But, if you will be around to enjoy and monitor it, an ever-changing winter water garden could be the focal point of your winter landscape.

Do you genuinely long for a beautiful yard?  A yard that’s an absolute showplace?  A yard where your family and friends are awestruck every time they visit?  Just imagine getting up each morning and seeing a naturally beautiful and vibrant pond and waterfall out your window.  Wouldn’t that be a great way to start off your day?  If you want your backyard to have the “wow” factor, then you’re reading the right article.

If you’ve never seen a water garden before please don’t presume that you know what I am talking about.  I am not talking about one of those pea-green cesspools that take you hours to maintain.  No, I am talking about a living ecological entity, a sparkling, clear, freshwater pond with fish, turtles, tadpoles, frogs, blooming flowers and a magnificent waterfall.  These ponds are alive, overflowing with life, and they take very little time to maintain.  You don’t even have to feed the fish, but you’ll want to.

Hurth Waterscapes, Wisconsin’s leading experts on ecological water gardens, is selling hundreds of these ponds to customers who want relief from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  Doug Hurth, owner of Hurth Waterscapes says “we’re not just building ponds…we’re changing lifestyles.  People love water gardens because they are tranquil, relaxing, and beautiful and they attract a multitude of wildlife.  In this day and age of computers, cell phones, deadlines and spreadsheets we are constantly bombarded with information.   It is great to have your own special paradise that allows you to get away from it all and relax”.

All of Hurth Waterscapes water gardens are designed to be very low maintenance and are backed by a ten-year warranty.  All that you should need to do to maintain your pond is occasionally clean leaves and debris from the intake and add bacteria and enzymes as needed.  The fall and spring of the year are the toughest.  At these times there is a bit more work, with the falling leaves and the spring clean up very similar to the attention that a typical flower garden requires.

Each year, 40% of our work consists of rebuilding ponds that were built incorrectly by other companies.  If you are considering having a pond professionally installed, there are a few questions that you should ask your installer; are they insured?  Do they have photos and customer testimonials?   How many ponds have they installed?  Are they a certified pond contractor?  Do they have a warranty?  Do they provide maintenance?  Do they have a pond at their home?  All of these questions are important, but probably the most important question of all is; can we go see a few of the ponds that you have installed?  A reputable pond builder should have plenty of beautiful ponds for you to look at.  Remember, most landscape companies specialize in designing, planting and maintaining grass, flower beds, trees and shrubs, not ponds!  There are quite a few landscape companies that build a few ponds, realize that they are a bit more difficult to install correctly than they thought and then never build another one.  What good is a pond if it cannot be properly maintained and has no warranty?  Why not call someone who specializes in ponds?  We understand that a water garden is a sizeable investment, which is why we offer our standard ten-year warranty on our workmanship and honor all manufacturers’ warranties.  We want you to be confident and proud of your new pond, so that you can tell all of your friends and family about it.