We are ramping up for a busy year. We would like to invite you to join us on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Go to our website: http://www.aquaticinnovators.com/, and part way down the home page you will see links our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. You can view the basic pages even if you have not joined any of them. To see more, you will need to sign in and/or create a profile.
Become a fan of our Facebook page and invite others to become fans as well. There you can view our postings, as well as fans or ours. You can add comments of your own. You can also share pictures of your water features, fish, plants, landscaping, and just about anything else you want. We do monitor the postings, so in the event something inappropriate is posted, we will delete it. No need to spread that stuff around. :-)
Just like this blog, you can subscribe to our Twitter posts ("Tweets"), and automatically get the "Tweets" as they are posted.
You can discontinue being a fan or unsubscribe to our "Tweets" at any time.
We look forward to having you join us!
Enjoy the rest of winter and hope for more sun and warmth.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Winter Pond Care
Winter has set in and your fish are resting patiently under the snow and ice waiting for spring to come. Be sure to give your fish the best chances of making it through until that time comes.
You prepared your pond for winter by trimming the plants back and removing the bulk of the organic matter (leaves, sticks, etc.). You installed a small bubbling pump too agitate/recirculate the shallow water to promote gas exchange. You also installed a de-icer to keep a small opening in the ice. What else can do? Keep the snow from covering the openings created by the bubbler and de-icer. As the snow builds up in depth and drifts creep across the ice, the openings created by the bubbler and de-icer can easily get covered and rendered useless.
Snow is a great insulator and can prevent the much needed gas exchange from occurring. So go out and look over your pond. If the snow has covered up the openings in the ice, carefully clear the snow away. Your fish will be happy you did.
You prepared your pond for winter by trimming the plants back and removing the bulk of the organic matter (leaves, sticks, etc.). You installed a small bubbling pump too agitate/recirculate the shallow water to promote gas exchange. You also installed a de-icer to keep a small opening in the ice. What else can do? Keep the snow from covering the openings created by the bubbler and de-icer. As the snow builds up in depth and drifts creep across the ice, the openings created by the bubbler and de-icer can easily get covered and rendered useless.
Snow is a great insulator and can prevent the much needed gas exchange from occurring. So go out and look over your pond. If the snow has covered up the openings in the ice, carefully clear the snow away. Your fish will be happy you did.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
It's Official - We moved!
Yes, it's true, we moved to a new location in the area. Please update our contact information to the following:
We are excited about the move. Sure, there was a lot of work involved with the move, and we have a long way to go to get fully organized, but our new location will give us more room to grow and the ability to increase the efficiency of our day to day operations.
You can continue to pick up your pond products from Dave's Ace Hardware stores in Milton and Evansville, or contact us and we will get you the products you need to build, renovate, or maintain your feature.
This season has kept us busy, and we are excited to tell you about areas where we have expanded our offerings, including rainwater harvesting, and adding a new water treatment line by Aquatic Logic for you to choose from.
We are continuing to work on our new pond. It tends to be lowest priority, so it is taking longer then we hoped it would, but it will be completed soon. Next time you talk to us, ask us about The Stump.
Have a great day!
Shawn
Aquatic Innovators, LLC
4321 E Maple Lane Rd
Janesville, WI 53546
Office - 608-373-7040
Cell - 608-359-9824
We are excited about the move. Sure, there was a lot of work involved with the move, and we have a long way to go to get fully organized, but our new location will give us more room to grow and the ability to increase the efficiency of our day to day operations.
You can continue to pick up your pond products from Dave's Ace Hardware stores in Milton and Evansville, or contact us and we will get you the products you need to build, renovate, or maintain your feature.
This season has kept us busy, and we are excited to tell you about areas where we have expanded our offerings, including rainwater harvesting, and adding a new water treatment line by Aquatic Logic for you to choose from.
We are continuing to work on our new pond. It tends to be lowest priority, so it is taking longer then we hoped it would, but it will be completed soon. Next time you talk to us, ask us about The Stump.
Have a great day!
Shawn
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Spring Ponds and Algae Control
It is time to get your ponds and water features up and running. A thorough cleaning of your system is likely in the works to get you off to a good start. To see if you need to do so, take a close look at your pond, especially the bottom. If there is a build-up of organic debris, then you are going to want to get it out of there.
An annual cleanout is recommended for best results and enjoyment of your water feature. However if the debris is mainly leaves and sticks that can be easily removed, then that may be all you need to do this year. The goal is to remove as much organic debris as possible to minimize the chances that nasty toxins will build up due to the oxygen demand placed on the system to break down all of that debris. Your fish require oxygen to survive, and if it is all being used up by the bugs breaking down the debris, your fish and water quality will suffer.
For the algae in your pond, there are a couple of options. Physical removal of the algae is the first line of defense once the algae is there, especially for the string algae. Water temperature is a key component determining which options are available to you when it comes to water treatments. If your water temperature is greater than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, then you should be ok for most algae control products. Some varieties are specially formulated for colder water, such as AquaClearer Extreme Cold Water bacteria. Other products are not temperature sensitive, such as EcoBlast, and can be used any time the water is not frozen. Let's hope that the ice is off of all of your ponds by now.
Keep in mind, that some algae in your pond is usually a sign of a healthy ecosystem.
Remember to add a good dechlorinator to your pond when adding water that is chlorinated, especially if you have fish. Some dechlorinators have additional benefits such as addressing nitrates, ammonia, heavy metals, chloramines, etc. Read the labels to see what the products that you are using are able to do.
This is a brief overview of what you want to do. Contact us for more details or with any questions about algae control or starting-up your water feature.
Have a great pond and water feature season!
An annual cleanout is recommended for best results and enjoyment of your water feature. However if the debris is mainly leaves and sticks that can be easily removed, then that may be all you need to do this year. The goal is to remove as much organic debris as possible to minimize the chances that nasty toxins will build up due to the oxygen demand placed on the system to break down all of that debris. Your fish require oxygen to survive, and if it is all being used up by the bugs breaking down the debris, your fish and water quality will suffer.
For the algae in your pond, there are a couple of options. Physical removal of the algae is the first line of defense once the algae is there, especially for the string algae. Water temperature is a key component determining which options are available to you when it comes to water treatments. If your water temperature is greater than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, then you should be ok for most algae control products. Some varieties are specially formulated for colder water, such as AquaClearer Extreme Cold Water bacteria. Other products are not temperature sensitive, such as EcoBlast, and can be used any time the water is not frozen. Let's hope that the ice is off of all of your ponds by now.
Keep in mind, that some algae in your pond is usually a sign of a healthy ecosystem.
Remember to add a good dechlorinator to your pond when adding water that is chlorinated, especially if you have fish. Some dechlorinators have additional benefits such as addressing nitrates, ammonia, heavy metals, chloramines, etc. Read the labels to see what the products that you are using are able to do.
This is a brief overview of what you want to do. Contact us for more details or with any questions about algae control or starting-up your water feature.
Have a great pond and water feature season!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Changes for the New Year - New Phone Number, Website, etc.
Happy New Year! Has it been cold enough for you yet? Are you still having fun shoveling the snow? The good news is that the cold snap it over and the rest of the winter should feel pretty darn warm in comparison. How did your pond/water feature do during the extreme cold? How many of you had your waterfall and or stream running throughout that time? We would like to hear your stories or see some pictures if you have them. Did you have any trouble keeping the stream running? What sort of techniques did you initiate to keep the water flowing back into the pond? If you pond has frozen over and you have fish under the ice, you will want to get an opening in the ice ASAP! Be sure not to bang or pound on the ice. Your fish will be very thankful.
We are excited to tell you that with the new year, changes are on the way.
Effective immediately, we have a new cell phone number is:
608-359-9824 - Cell
Additionally, we are in the process of developing a new website (www.aquaticinnovators.com)! The address is the same, but the site itself will be updated. Be sure to check back often to see the changes.
If you go to our website now, you will see that we already have a new look. What you will see is a stepping stone until our fully built site is ready. There are a few new pictures on the portfolio page. We also added a separate page with a link to the blog to make it easy to get to. We are very excited about our new website that is being developed. We hope to provide you with all the information, resources or links to resources you need or want to become the master of your water feature, all on one site.
We are looking forward to a great 2009, and talking with you soon. As always, your feedback is welcome!
Shawn
We are excited to tell you that with the new year, changes are on the way.
Effective immediately, we have a new cell phone number is:
608-359-9824 - Cell
Additionally, we are in the process of developing a new website (www.aquaticinnovators.com)! The address is the same, but the site itself will be updated. Be sure to check back often to see the changes.
If you go to our website now, you will see that we already have a new look. What you will see is a stepping stone until our fully built site is ready. There are a few new pictures on the portfolio page. We also added a separate page with a link to the blog to make it easy to get to. We are very excited about our new website that is being developed. We hope to provide you with all the information, resources or links to resources you need or want to become the master of your water feature, all on one site.
We are looking forward to a great 2009, and talking with you soon. As always, your feedback is welcome!
Shawn
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Thank you for a great 2008! Your help requested for preparing for 2009.
Thank you for a great 2008! We have had a great time working and talking with all of you this year. We are looking forward to the people we get to meet and the projects we get to complete in 2009.
I don’t think anyone will argue with me saying that winter has definitely set in this year already. The snow, the ice, the cold, the wind chills, the brief thaws, the freezing rain, and everything else that comes with winter has been thrown at us already. It is snowing now, and they are forecasting 8” to 12”+ for Thursday, more on Saturday, and again for next week.
What does this have to do with your pond, aquatic plants, and fish? Hopefully you did not hold off on your winterization too long and were able to remove and clean the filters, remove the organic debris, and trim the aquatic plants back. If you removed the pump from the system for the winter, you should be storing it in water to keep the seals from drying and possibly cracking. Be sure to check the water level in the container periodically throughout the winter to make sure the water did not evaporate away. Add water as needed.
Your aquatic plants and fish should be just fine with the temperature fluctuations that we are having. With the snow that has fallen in some areas already this year, there is plenty of protection for your plants (e.g. their roots are protected from drying out). The water temperature in your pond likely did not fluctuate much, if at all, with the short warm-up. If you have a stream running with large drops, the water temperature may have changed a bit a bit more. However, the layer of ice over your pond probably just melted a bit more (like ice cubes in a glass of lemonade).
Your fish are probably just hanging out at the bottom of the pond, dreaming of warmer more active days. Our pond was about 4/5 open two days ago. Overnight, if froze over to only be about ¼ open, with the small pump and de-icer being responsible for maintaining the openings – so far so good. If you have not put a de-icer in your pond yet this year, you will want to do that now. There several varieties of de-icer's available. Make sure that you get one that is suitable for your pond. The size of your pond (volume of water), and the type of liner present are the main factors to consider when choosing the one for you. The varieties available through us are save for EPDM liner ponds (i.e. even if they came in contact with the liner, they won’t melt a hole through it – very important!!!).
If our pond has frozen over and you still need to get the pump and/or de-icer installed yet, do not “bang” or “pound” on the ice. The sound waves are detrimental to your fish. Some de-icer's are able to melt their way through the ice if it is relatively thin yet. One approach is to use hot water, but that can take a while. I have heard of people using ice augers. This should be fine as long as there is no banging. Also, be sure you do not fall through the ice, and make sure your family members or your neighbors are not around to take pictures of you with the auger on your pond – but the stories could be interesting.
With winter set in and our fish resting until spring, we are busy preparing for next year. We are currently working on a couple of designs for some projects to get started as soon as the frost is gone next spring, and then there is all that paperwork – a necessary evil. Where we would like your help, is with assessing and improving our services, product line, and availability. We strive to provide excellent customer service, and high quality products. We are continuing to attend seminars and training events that are focused on the landscaping and water gardening industry, and on operating a successful business. In 2006, we joined the Water Garden Excellence (WGE) program, and in 2007, we were honored to become part of the Certified Aquascape Contractor (CAC) program. Anyone interested in joining the WGE can do so, but only a select few are allowed into the CAC program. We are proud of being accepted into the CAC program. We are currently the only CAC in this area of Wisconsin.
We have offered, and will continue to offer, the full Aquascape, Inc. product line – both the Aquascape™ products for DIY consumers (available directly through us or at Dave’s Milton Ace Hardware store, and Dave’s Evansville Ace Hardware store), and the AquascapePro™ products that are available to contractors that we use when installing water features for you (you can get these through us or as special order items through Dave’s Ace Hardware stores). In addition to the pond products, we also use high quality material for the landscaping projects such as the edging for planting beds and quality plants from well-established nurseries, and hardscaping projects such as quality blocks for paver patios and walkways, and retaining walls.
Please contact us and give us your feedback. We want to hear from you regarding what you like, and dislike regarding our current products and services. Are there products that that you would like us to offer, such as something that you are having a hard time finding? We hope to improve our website over the winter, so let us know what you would like to have available there? Are there any services that you would like us to offer, that we currently do not. We are currently developing a maintenance program for those of you that want someone to do all the dirty work for you (monthly, bi-weekly, weekly, etc.). Let us know if you are interested in taking advantage of this.
Are there improvements that we need to make to our existing service, whether it is when we are on-site working on projects, or are there things we can improve on regarding how we handle your calls and emails? We are here to serve you and help give you the lifestyle that you want and deserve.
Thank you in advance for your feedback. Have a great winter!
I don’t think anyone will argue with me saying that winter has definitely set in this year already. The snow, the ice, the cold, the wind chills, the brief thaws, the freezing rain, and everything else that comes with winter has been thrown at us already. It is snowing now, and they are forecasting 8” to 12”+ for Thursday, more on Saturday, and again for next week.
What does this have to do with your pond, aquatic plants, and fish? Hopefully you did not hold off on your winterization too long and were able to remove and clean the filters, remove the organic debris, and trim the aquatic plants back. If you removed the pump from the system for the winter, you should be storing it in water to keep the seals from drying and possibly cracking. Be sure to check the water level in the container periodically throughout the winter to make sure the water did not evaporate away. Add water as needed.
Your aquatic plants and fish should be just fine with the temperature fluctuations that we are having. With the snow that has fallen in some areas already this year, there is plenty of protection for your plants (e.g. their roots are protected from drying out). The water temperature in your pond likely did not fluctuate much, if at all, with the short warm-up. If you have a stream running with large drops, the water temperature may have changed a bit a bit more. However, the layer of ice over your pond probably just melted a bit more (like ice cubes in a glass of lemonade).
Your fish are probably just hanging out at the bottom of the pond, dreaming of warmer more active days. Our pond was about 4/5 open two days ago. Overnight, if froze over to only be about ¼ open, with the small pump and de-icer being responsible for maintaining the openings – so far so good. If you have not put a de-icer in your pond yet this year, you will want to do that now. There several varieties of de-icer's available. Make sure that you get one that is suitable for your pond. The size of your pond (volume of water), and the type of liner present are the main factors to consider when choosing the one for you. The varieties available through us are save for EPDM liner ponds (i.e. even if they came in contact with the liner, they won’t melt a hole through it – very important!!!).
If our pond has frozen over and you still need to get the pump and/or de-icer installed yet, do not “bang” or “pound” on the ice. The sound waves are detrimental to your fish. Some de-icer's are able to melt their way through the ice if it is relatively thin yet. One approach is to use hot water, but that can take a while. I have heard of people using ice augers. This should be fine as long as there is no banging. Also, be sure you do not fall through the ice, and make sure your family members or your neighbors are not around to take pictures of you with the auger on your pond – but the stories could be interesting.
With winter set in and our fish resting until spring, we are busy preparing for next year. We are currently working on a couple of designs for some projects to get started as soon as the frost is gone next spring, and then there is all that paperwork – a necessary evil. Where we would like your help, is with assessing and improving our services, product line, and availability. We strive to provide excellent customer service, and high quality products. We are continuing to attend seminars and training events that are focused on the landscaping and water gardening industry, and on operating a successful business. In 2006, we joined the Water Garden Excellence (WGE) program, and in 2007, we were honored to become part of the Certified Aquascape Contractor (CAC) program. Anyone interested in joining the WGE can do so, but only a select few are allowed into the CAC program. We are proud of being accepted into the CAC program. We are currently the only CAC in this area of Wisconsin.
We have offered, and will continue to offer, the full Aquascape, Inc. product line – both the Aquascape™ products for DIY consumers (available directly through us or at Dave’s Milton Ace Hardware store, and Dave’s Evansville Ace Hardware store), and the AquascapePro™ products that are available to contractors that we use when installing water features for you (you can get these through us or as special order items through Dave’s Ace Hardware stores). In addition to the pond products, we also use high quality material for the landscaping projects such as the edging for planting beds and quality plants from well-established nurseries, and hardscaping projects such as quality blocks for paver patios and walkways, and retaining walls.
Please contact us and give us your feedback. We want to hear from you regarding what you like, and dislike regarding our current products and services. Are there products that that you would like us to offer, such as something that you are having a hard time finding? We hope to improve our website over the winter, so let us know what you would like to have available there? Are there any services that you would like us to offer, that we currently do not. We are currently developing a maintenance program for those of you that want someone to do all the dirty work for you (monthly, bi-weekly, weekly, etc.). Let us know if you are interested in taking advantage of this.
Are there improvements that we need to make to our existing service, whether it is when we are on-site working on projects, or are there things we can improve on regarding how we handle your calls and emails? We are here to serve you and help give you the lifestyle that you want and deserve.
Thank you in advance for your feedback. Have a great winter!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Pond Winterization
It sure has been getting cooler at night. Yesterday morning I had to break out the ice scraper to clear the windshield. That was a good reminder that winter is on its way. Watching the weather, I saw that there is another snow storm out west, with a chance for some flurries to get to our area later this week or over the weekend. It won't last though, right?
With the coming of winter, you need to decide once again if you want to keep your pond running all winter, or shut it down? Either way, you will want to get as much organic matter as possible out of the pond (leaves, sticks, etc.), cut back your pond plants - marginals should be cut back to about one inch above the water level, and your lilies (hardy) should have their pads and remaining blossoms cut back close to the tuber. If possible, you should cover your pond with a protective netting to keep the leaves and other flying debris from blowing into your pond. The netting can be removed after your leaves and your neighbors have dropped and have been cleaned up. Some people leave the net on all winter. Be sure to support the net so it does not droop into the pond.
You should stop feeding your fish when the water temperature drops to 50 degrees F and below.
You will want to have a smaller pump available for when you shut your main pump off for the season, the one that runs your stream, waterfall, and keeps the biological filtration operational. The smaller pump will be used to agitate the water throughout the winter. You can use the main pump you use throughout the season, but it may be too large/powerful for this purpose. This is done to increase the gas exchange between the water and the air. Be sure to set the pump on a shelf, rather than the bottom of the pond. This is done to minimize the risk of supercooling the water in the pond. Furthermore, the water coming out of the pump should be directed to the surface, but only so that it disturbs, but doesn't break, the surface. If the water breaks the surface of the pond, you could end up with an interesting ice sculpture when the freezing temperature comes to stay.
In addition to a smaller pump on a shelf, you will want to have a de-icer. A de-icer is a small heater type of device that will maintain an opening in the ice for gas exchange between the water and the air. When used in conjunction with the smaller pump, you can rest assured that one or the other will be operating for you throughout the winter. The de-icer will be place away from the pump. Placing it to close to the pump could force the de-icer to run more than it need to and cause it to burn out before the winter is over. De-icers come in various sizes, colors, shapes, etc. Be sure to select one that is the right one for your pond. We have a few different styles/strengths in stock. We have 100-watt, 200-watt, and 1250-watt options in stock to choose from. Each one is thermostatically controlled so it will only operate when necessary. This saves electricity and money, but will still ensure an opening in the ice for your fish.
If you have an Aquascape system, or other system that relies on biological filtration with filter pads, biomedia, and such, you can remove and clean these items and store them in a dry location for the winter. Your pump should be stored submerged in a container of water in a location where it will not freeze. This is to help prevent the seals from cracking, until you start your system up again in the spring.
You may need to blow the water out of the pipes if they were not installed to allow them to drain when the pump was turned off/removed. Leaving water in the pipes over winter will likely result in split/destroyed pipes that need to be replaced in the spring. Believe me, it's no fun replacing those.
As always, this is just a brief discussion on some of the things that can be done to winterize your pond. Every manufacturer will have their own specific maintenance procedures to follow. The main thing is to protect your fish so they will be around to greet you again in the spring.
Please contact us with any questions or post a comment or two for all to read.
Thank you once again for visiting our Blog, and if you would like us to cover any particular topic, please let us know.
Shawn
With the coming of winter, you need to decide once again if you want to keep your pond running all winter, or shut it down? Either way, you will want to get as much organic matter as possible out of the pond (leaves, sticks, etc.), cut back your pond plants - marginals should be cut back to about one inch above the water level, and your lilies (hardy) should have their pads and remaining blossoms cut back close to the tuber. If possible, you should cover your pond with a protective netting to keep the leaves and other flying debris from blowing into your pond. The netting can be removed after your leaves and your neighbors have dropped and have been cleaned up. Some people leave the net on all winter. Be sure to support the net so it does not droop into the pond.
You should stop feeding your fish when the water temperature drops to 50 degrees F and below.
You will want to have a smaller pump available for when you shut your main pump off for the season, the one that runs your stream, waterfall, and keeps the biological filtration operational. The smaller pump will be used to agitate the water throughout the winter. You can use the main pump you use throughout the season, but it may be too large/powerful for this purpose. This is done to increase the gas exchange between the water and the air. Be sure to set the pump on a shelf, rather than the bottom of the pond. This is done to minimize the risk of supercooling the water in the pond. Furthermore, the water coming out of the pump should be directed to the surface, but only so that it disturbs, but doesn't break, the surface. If the water breaks the surface of the pond, you could end up with an interesting ice sculpture when the freezing temperature comes to stay.
In addition to a smaller pump on a shelf, you will want to have a de-icer. A de-icer is a small heater type of device that will maintain an opening in the ice for gas exchange between the water and the air. When used in conjunction with the smaller pump, you can rest assured that one or the other will be operating for you throughout the winter. The de-icer will be place away from the pump. Placing it to close to the pump could force the de-icer to run more than it need to and cause it to burn out before the winter is over. De-icers come in various sizes, colors, shapes, etc. Be sure to select one that is the right one for your pond. We have a few different styles/strengths in stock. We have 100-watt, 200-watt, and 1250-watt options in stock to choose from. Each one is thermostatically controlled so it will only operate when necessary. This saves electricity and money, but will still ensure an opening in the ice for your fish.
If you have an Aquascape system, or other system that relies on biological filtration with filter pads, biomedia, and such, you can remove and clean these items and store them in a dry location for the winter. Your pump should be stored submerged in a container of water in a location where it will not freeze. This is to help prevent the seals from cracking, until you start your system up again in the spring.
You may need to blow the water out of the pipes if they were not installed to allow them to drain when the pump was turned off/removed. Leaving water in the pipes over winter will likely result in split/destroyed pipes that need to be replaced in the spring. Believe me, it's no fun replacing those.
As always, this is just a brief discussion on some of the things that can be done to winterize your pond. Every manufacturer will have their own specific maintenance procedures to follow. The main thing is to protect your fish so they will be around to greet you again in the spring.
Please contact us with any questions or post a comment or two for all to read.
Thank you once again for visiting our Blog, and if you would like us to cover any particular topic, please let us know.
Shawn
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)