Demi Fortuna is Director of Product Information for industry leader Atlantic Water Gardens, traveling and working with contractors and distributors alike in developing targeted Atlantic sales support materials. Fortuna has over 25 years of experience in all aspects of water garden design and construction, the last ten years in product research, development, sales and product training. When he isn't presenting complex topics via seminars and lectures in an accessible, enjoyable manner, he can usually be found up to his elbows in pond slime working with his two sons, Edwin and Ely, in their water feature design/build business August Moon Designs.
Atlantic Oase Confernece 2023

2023 Atlantic-Oase Professional Conference Recap

By Demi Fortuna / December 30, 2023 / 0 Comments

The seventh annual Atlantic-Oase Professional Conference began Oct. 25, 2023, with check-in at the well-appointed hospitality room at the hotel, multiple tours of the factory and offices, and a welcome reception across the compound on the patio at the Blue Canyon restaurant. The warm, low-key get-together, a perfect introduction to the conference, was for many […]

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Gunite hack

Greybeard Hacks for Pond Builders

By Demi Fortuna / August 29, 2023 / 2 Comments

Back in the mid ’80s, pond builders had far fewer off-the-shelf solutions available. We built and rebuilt what we needed to get the job done — often many times before we got it right. Here are some of my more successful Greybeard Hacks. Bulletproof Bottom Drains My first ponds were large, occupying the whole of […]

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Atlantic-OASE Conference Education

2022 Atlantic-OASE Professional Conference Recap

By Demi Fortuna / December 28, 2022 / 0 Comments

By Demi Fortuna and Caitlyn Winkle On Sep. 14, 2022, contractors, distributors and pond industry professionals reunited for the sixth annual Atlantic-OASE Professional Conference, face-to-face once again. The conference also offered participants a good measure of recreation and networking. Medal Play and Pond Ed The event began with the shotgun start of the Golf Outing […]

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Victorial Pool Feature

Gravel Sediment Traps for Large-scale Pond Filtration

By Demi Fortuna / June 30, 2022 / 1 Comment

Big ponds and lakes have the same water quality and clarity issues as smaller features, but most of our small-scale solutions don’t scale up well. We’ve had to develop a different strategy that combines biology and physics to deliver clear water in features over 50,000 gallons. The Culprits When it comes to a lack of […]

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Atlantic-OASE Professional Conference Award Winners

By Demi Fortuna / February 25, 2022 / 0 Comments

The 2021 Atlantic-OASE Professional Conference was held virtually Dec. 2, 2021, with more than 150 attendees via Zoom. At the end of the conference, the year’s awards were given out to three noteworthy recipients. APC of the Year The Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractor (APC) of the Year is awarded to those who exemplify the finest attributes […]

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2020 Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractor Conference Recap

By Demi Fortuna / February 27, 2021 / 0 Comments

The first virtual Atlantic-OASE Professional Contractor Conference kicked off Wednesday, Dec. 2. Like most events these days, the two-day conference was held remotely. Using Zoom allowed the conference, which is usually held in person in Cleveland, Ohio, to expand from Europe to Australia, from Mexico to Canada and all over the United States. The decision […]

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Tech Tip | How To Calculate Waterfall Flow

By Demi Fortuna / December 28, 2020 / 0 Comments

>> This is a sidebar to Demi Fortuna’s main feature, “A Pump and Plumbing Pond Primer” What if you wanted to know the flow of an existing waterfall, perhaps because you want to recreate the same effect? You can measure the thickness of the water flowing over a spillway or fall rock. Turn a ruler […]

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Flow, Friction and Total Dynamic Head: A Pump and Plumbing Primer for Ponds

By Demi Fortuna / December 28, 2020 / 0 Comments

When I was asked to revisit the subject of pump hydraulics, I was honored — and a little intimidated. I immediately wondered how I could make this article in some way more interesting than the mathematics involved. Let’s face it — as important as knowing what Total Dynamic Head (TDH) is, how to calculate it […]

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The W.E.T.S. Method for Diagnosing Water Loss

By Demi Fortuna / June 29, 2020 / 0 Comments

One of the more confusing issues that pond owners and contractors have to deal with is water loss in what is designed to be a closed system. Even if you’re sure that there are no leaks in your recirculating pond or fountain, the water level can still drop. How is That Possible? Well, the answer […]

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How to Site a Water Feature: A Checklist

By Demi Fortuna / February 23, 2019 / 1 Comment

Just like in real estate, the location of a water feature is key. The most natural-looking man-made pond is one that could have been created naturally, given time and the interaction of weather, geology and gravity. The processes are always the same, though geology and terrain will vary. Water flows out from the side of […]

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