As the seasons change throughout the year, all life adjusts in unique ways. Of course, the scope and magnitude of seasonal changes vary depending on the different locations and climates all over the world. As Shakespeare once said, “How many things by season season’d are, to their right praise and true perfection!” Each season brings […]
Read More
Ponds and lakes are living systems. Inside that giant puddle of water, there is an intricate ecosystem with many important players coexisting and shaping the characteristics of the lake from the inside out. As easy as it would be to focus on the surface of the water, it is what lies beneath the surface that […]
Read More
Maintaining a decorative waterscape is a byword for eternal vigilance. When it comes to caring for streams, ponds and lakes, it is as though each individual water feature has its own distinct personality. Some are easygoing and never seem to require anything more than simple preventive measures, while others are a real challenge, more resembling […]
Read More
Consider a body of water. Some call it a lake; some call it a pond. Others call it a pain. Oftentimes, property owners build a pond or lake thinking that because natural lakes and ponds seem to fare well without any attention, their water feature will as well. This does not hold true for any […]
Read More
Almost every day I am asked to outline a water treatment plan. New clients and old friends alike expect the answer to be simple, but there are many “it depends” caveats. Each body of water is unique and responds best to a slightly different approach. Even if the dosage is simple, the application is as […]
Read More
Arthur Pendragon, the mythical Breton King, meets the Lady in the Lake, who imparts to him the legendary sword Excalibur. It is with this authority that the chaos of the isles is eventually subdued. Arthur is taken to Avalon to either die of his wounds or be healed to return as the first and true […]
Read More
I remember my mother refusing to get me a turtle as a pet after hearing that they could transmit salmonella. (She probably had no idea at the time that they can also transmit Hepatitis B.) She also told me not to touch the ducks in the neighborhood lake. She probably had heard that they can […]
Read More
Aeration introduces oxygen into an aquatic ecosystem through various methods. Air compressors, waterfalls and fountains inject small oxygen bubbles, increasing the dissolved oxygen (DO) level of the water feature. DO is one of the most important facets of a healthy body of water, since it affects overall water quality, fish and plant health, not to […]
Read More
Imagine you have a golf course with 10 water features. Two are functioning perfectly, three are much harder to manage, and five may only require simple preventative measures. Usually, the tougher cases will eventually motivate golf course superintendents to seek a specialist, for every lake has its own distinctive features. Maintenance and upkeep can be […]
Read More
Part of the commitment you make when you decide to install a water feature is maintenance. In many respects, the smaller a water feature, the more maintenance it requires (per unit of size). Forget about relying totally on chemicals and an occasional cleaning. Water features aren’t pools, especially when you decide to include fish. Filtration […]
Read More