Mike Gannon is the owner of Full Service Aquatics based in Summit, New Jersey. Mike has been a lifelong pond enthusiast and fishkeeper. Mike began Full Service Aquatics after working as a fish dealer and a stint at the New York Aquarium. FSA has been specializing in pond and water feature design and services since 1995. Mike is host of The Pond Hunter Radio Broadcast found on iTunes. His Pond Hunter videos can be found on youtube.com/thepondhunter, and he is the author of the Love Your Pond blog found on fullserviceaquatics.com.

An Honest Guide to the Pond Building Profession

By Mike Gannon / December 29, 2025 / 2 Comments

I just want to build ponds. That’s all I want to do. Cool. This is a statement many newcomers to the pond world make — a pure, honest goal that captures the heart of this trade. But anyone who’s been around long enough knows that building ponds is never just about digging holes and filling […]

Water Feature Design: A Historical Context

By Mike Gannon / June 26, 2025 / 0 Comments

Creating lasting experiences for clients is one of the key driving forces behind the water feature design profession. Water features offer a form of artistic expression that may outlast nearly every other type of human-crafted art. Shaping water—whether through ponds, waterfalls, fountains, streams, canals, aqueducts or lakes—is a high-level craft practiced by societies that have […]

Driftwood: Sculptures for Water Features

By Mike Gannon / April 29, 2025 / 0 Comments

There’s a rugged and romantic appeal to driftwood. The thought of it often brings our minds to windswept shorelines or desolate, forgotten landscapes. Driftwood has a way of taking us momentarily out of time—acting as a portal to somewhere, sometime else. Most driftwood has been on an epic journey of transformation, and if you look […]

Goldfish: Get to Know Koi’s Timeless Sister Species

By Mike Gannon / October 23, 2023 / 1 Comment

Koi are awesome, right? But how about them goldfish? It is interesting to see how the once mighty goldfish, or Carassius auratus, has transitioned into a much-overlooked secondary fish-keeping choice for pond owners. After sharing such a long and, at times, esteemed history with human cultures, the goldfish has been relinquished to the sidelines. Koi […]

Grow Your International Pond Construction Business

By Mike Gannon / February 27, 2023 / 0 Comments

Many have done it, and many will do it — taking your pond construction company international. You’ll feel great about expanding your business internationally, but taking your show on the road may be a challenge that is out of your comfort zone. Additional risks may pop up for your company as well as your clients. […]

The Conservationist Appeal of Pond Building

By Mike Gannon / June 27, 2021 / 2 Comments

The act of pond keeping is a powerful thing, with an appeal that is broad and deep. Pond keeping can mean many different things to as many different pond keepers. We all have our own reasons for keeping a pond. As a pond professional, I tend to lean toward the romantic side of ponds when […]

Biosafety and Pond Management in the COVID-19 Era

By Mike Gannon / April 27, 2020 / 0 Comments

Biosafety. We all know that word by now — it’s becoming the new norm on a worldwide scale. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the issues surrounding biosafety at all levels have become an essential daily concern. Sticking to our industry’s best practices is a must as we move into the “post-Coronavirus” world. As pond professionals, […]

Let There Be Light

By Mike Gannon / March 25, 2020 / 3 Comments

Editor’s Note: POND Trade occasionally publishes online exclusive articles that feature perspectives from around the industry. These articles do not necessarily reflect the views of POND Trade magazine. In the late 15th century, our planet became a smaller place. There were many worlds and cultures that existed prior to this time, but as the 16th […]

Contractor’s Corner | Think Outside the Pond

By Mike Gannon / November 2, 2017 / 1 Comment

One of these “outside-the-pond” projects presented itself to us at Full Service Aquatics following a pond-construction and backyard-renovation…

From Pool to Pond: A Tributary Transformation, in Concert

By Mike Gannon / March 1, 2017 / 0 Comments

Building a pond can be a bit like a rock concert. Successfully taking a show on the road requires many hometown rehearsals to make sure the performance is the way it needs to be. Each member of the group needs to know his or her role to make the rock show look effortless and wow […]

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