Other Water Features

I want to catch some of you up on other water features. If you are not in the market for a full water garden, you can still have the sight and sound of water. No matter what your budget, you can get a disappearing fountain, pond-less waterfall, or desk top fountain.

Disappearing fountains are often pieces of pottery turned into a beautiful water feature. These features can be put into any setting, inside or out. Their basin can be burried so the water seems to be 'disappearing' into the ground, or they can have beautiful tiled or wooden basins. Check out my page and look for the disappearing fountains link. We have many pictures and examples on the page. Also check out www.nelsonwatergardens.com in Houston and watersedge.com in Lawrence, Kansas, they are some of the original disappearing fountain people.


Pond-less water falls are another recently popular water feature. These pieces are beautiful additions to any backyard. They give you the beauty of a water fall, without the size requirements or maintenance of a full body of water. Be careful with these features though, there are a few things that you must know, so make sure they have done this before. Once again I could do a how section on these, but I'm just getting you started today. We also have some examples of these features on our web site, and most water garden specialists have at least some experience with them.

Finally table top and 'other' fountains are the last option we will discuss. This is probably the most competitive feature on the market, and the most options too. Anyone that has looked around a Home Depot or Lowes has seen inexpensive fountains. These are not 'quality' fountains, but if you can't drop over 75 dollars they are an option. There are many better options from many sources, just take a look around on the net or a specialized retail store. There are beautiful copper fountains and ceramic bowls with bamboo spouts. It just takes a little searching.

If you have any questions about these features just post a comment and I'll be sure to respond quickly. Or check out my website, www.pondibilities.com

If you are a veteran water gardener this will be old news to you, but if you are thinking about getting involved, or just went through your first year there is one thing you need to know. No matter what you do, there will be algae. Sorry, its just the way it is. And quite frankly, unless you have a well installed Ultra Violet light, algae will grow before your other pond plants are big enough to shade out the algae. There are a couple of things you must decide before you attack your algae problems.

1. Natural or Chemical
2. Ultra Violet Light

There are very good options when it comes to treatment and how to handle algae. You should decide if you wish to use beneficial bacteria and other biological treatments, or treat your water garden chemically. Pond biological boosters can help jump start your pond's ecological balance, but they are not necessary, nor always a great answer. Actually, taking a bucket of established pond water and/or a used filter mat can be as helpful to boosting your beneficial bacteria as anything you can buy. There are many options, such as Aqua-One and many of the Winston products, but make sure they are not heavy in phosphorus. This can actually make the ecology more conducive to algae blooms, it doesn't make sense, but its true. There are many other products and treatments, but these are two of my favorites.
Chemical treatments and other algae-cides are functional treatment options. They will get rid of algae for a certain amount of time, but they are a band-aid. This is also true for biological treatment, but even more so for chemical. Another warning, you can over treat your pond chemically and kill fish or plants, so make sure to read instructions carefully. For instance we had one client use a whole gallon of Aqua-One on a pond when they should have used closer to a quart. It really worked, but we wouldn't recommend this. If it had been a chemical treatment pretty much everything alive in the pond would have died. No matter which road you prefer, getting the right balance of fish, oxygenating plants, and surface plants is the best option to limit algae growth. Unfortunately the first year and early spring these factors are not established before the algae begins to bloom.
Ultra Violet Lights have not been very popular, in many areas, in the past, but these lights are quite simply the best answer for many green water issues. Any algae that travels through the UV light is killed, if the right wattage and flow is considered. Once again, read and follow direction carefully if these are not being installed by a professional. Unfortunately string or angel hair algae is attached to rock and is not affected, but another post will get deeper into that topic. UV lights are more expensive initially, but think about how often you re-apply your treatment. It may cost a good chunk of change to buy the fixture and pump, but its a one time cost, plus replacement bulbs every few years. In the long run, it really isn't that expensive.
All three of these treatment options have had excellent results from different individuals. Believe me, one is not always better than the other, each pond has different variables. Please don't be afraid to try something even if it didn't work for your friend's pond. I wish I could say "product X" will work every time in every situation, but I can't. If someone does, they're trying to sell, not help you. S0, I hope I have explained your options and illuminated what has worked best in my experience. I Good luck.

Well . . . Blank pages can be daunting so I'll just start typing.

I'm here to educate you, answer question, and maybe even entertain you every once in a while. Watershaping is not the most common title for water gardens and other water features, but it fits best for what I do. There are so many different ways to get water into your back yard or house that calling myself a pond builder kinda limits what I do. I specialize in water features, whether they are water gardens, pondless waterfalls, disappearing fountains or other features. I've been building features for four years and have been surrounded by water features for over ten years. I freely admit I may not be able to answer every single question, but I will be able to connect you with someone who can. Go ahead and ask any questions you have, and I'll do my best. Since this is a new blog, I'll start off the conversation.

There are so many topics to cover that I'll just throw out one that is probably on your mind if you are looking to build a pond.

Can I build this thing or am I going to have to hire someone?

There are so many quality water shapers out there that hopefully you will be able to find one near you. Check the NAPP members list, these are true professionals and specialists that will build a quality and unique feature. (Nat Assc of Pond Pros) If you don't have one in your area, I have two tips to at least narrow your search.

1. Look at the business cards and signage, if 'water falls & ponds' is three or four items down their list of specialties . . . it isn't.

2. If 'kit' is a staple of their vocabulary or they use aquascapes, lets just say your water garden is probably going to look like everyone elses.

If you are a DIY type of person, it can be done. I would suggest talking to a professional and pay for some consulting. Things like depth, marginal shelves, skimmers, uv lights, levels, liner patching, and etc all have tricks and secrets you want to know about. There are so many excelent educational resources online. I'm always looking and will post some more, but here are 5 of the best water shapers and most knowldgeable pros in the nation.

Water's Edge - Kansas
Nelson Water Gardens & Nursery - Texas
Allgood Outdoors / Wakoola - Georgia
Nature's Expression - Kentucky
Nevada Water Gardens - Nevada

I would love to be able to list my own business website on a top five list, but I will offer my own information as a helpful page. www.pondibilities.com Feel free to take a look around and see some of the different options there are for water features. I will also be posting free informational packets and times of workshops and seminars. Thanks.