Pond Myths: All pond algae is bad

In proper proportions, algae is considered beneficial and reflective of a healthy pond ecosystem. A completely algae-free pond is unnatural! There are simple explanations for an overabundance of algae. Your pond may be receiving too much sunlight or oversaturated in nutrients. You can combat algae by integrating more aquatic plants. They consume the nutrients that attract algae in the first place. And don’t forget, your fish enjoy snacking on algae that cling to rocks!

Myth: You had to test and treat pond water daily

Rivers, lakes, and oceans aren’t tested and plenty of wildlife thrive in their waters! If your pond isn’t chemically dependent, then there is nothing to test. A balanced pond with menial maintenance should remain healthy throughout the year. Granted, there might be outside forces that can alter water chemistry, but as a rule, you won’t need to test your pond water.

Myth: Large ponds mean more maintenance

It is actually much easier to achieve a healthy, stable system with more water, not less. The bigger the water feature, the easier the maintenance! Small water features don’t have the flow or capacity necessary for long-term stability. This is not to say small ponds cannot achieve balance. A properly designed pond will become more stable with each passing year as plants, bacteria colonies, and other vital life become established, regardless of size.

Pond Myths: Ponds are breeding grounds for mosquitos

Mosquitoes breed in still, standing water. Water in a well-designed pond has lots of movement if not constant. Also, ponds support fish, frogs, toads, and other wildlife that are natural predators of mosquitoes!

Myth: All the fish will be eaten by predators

Sure, there are predators that would love to snack on your fish, but there are many modern solutions available to keep your fish safe! A great way to deter predators is by using decoys such as a floating alligator or a blue heron. You can also install a built-in fish cave or faux log fish cave which creates a safe retreat for your fish to hide in. Additional solutions include netting that covers your pond and the criss-crossing of fishing line over your pond. Both have proven effective methods for keeping herons from wading in pond waters. Contact us for more information.

The post Have You Heard These Pond Myths? appeared first on FNC PONDS.

You have had your Dallas pond for a few years and you are ready for a change.  A way to improve your pond.  Here are some ideas we have to help you make your pond look better than ever!

Dallas Fish Pond

Dallas Pond Lighting

Winter is a great time to add lights to your pond!  Lights can be used to highlight certain features in the pond, such as your waterfall or stream.  They can also be used strategically around the pond to create shadows and focus.

We offer both LED white lights and color changing lights.  The lights are both made for underwater use to really shine the light on the beauty of your pond.  You can place the lights on a timer or even use an app to change the colors on your color changing lights.

Dallas pond driftwood

Faux Driftwood

Looking for a way to make your pond look even more like nature?  Think about driftwood!  Driftwood makes a pond look natural, but it can be hard to find and pricey.  We recommend using faux driftwood instead.  It lasts a longer time than real wood and looks the same!  You can either use it around the pond for decoration or place it somewhere to hide the skimmer.

Dallas pond fountain

Fountain in a Dallas Pond

You’ve might have had your pond or water feature a few years and you’re looking for a new way to make it stand out.  A popular trend in Dallas ponds and ponds throughout the world is to place a fountain or urn in the shallow end of the pond.  These can offer a whole new look and feel to your pond.  They can add depth and visual pleasure, a well as create a whole new look for your water feature.

Dallas pond fish

Pond Fish

How do your fish look?  Healthy?  Happy?  A variety of colors and sizes?  If not, maybe it’s time for a fish upgrade.  Fish are the life of many people’s ponds.   They provide visual interest and help create a personal connection to your pond.  Fish are fun to watch, feed and follow.  They can even be trained to eat out of your hand.

Are you ready now to add to your Dallas pond?

From lighting and driftwood to fountains and fish,  there’s something for anyone looking for a change.  Contact us for more information.

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A beautiful DFW koi pond can make any yard complete.  But you don’t want to start digging your pond until you know exactly where you want to put it and why.  Here are five things we recommend considering when building a DFW koi pond.

DFW koi pond: Terrain

You can’t always change what is already there.  For example, a pond dug out of rocks may not be the best option.  A lot of people think they want the pond in one place but when they take a good look around, they realize another space is better.  Don’t be nervous to change your plans due to your surroundings.  And remember, natural steep inclines are beautiful places for a waterfall.

Sun vs. shade

This can be a tricky one, as there are advantages to both.  Think about your yard in the summer.  Is it heavily shaded or full sun?  Or some of both?  A shaded DFW koi pond is beautiful but can add extra leaf debris.

A water feature in full sun may be less susceptible to leaf debris, but algae can thrive in these conditions even with adequate filtration. Adding an ionizer and/or an auto doser can help.

Remember, too, that your fish will want a break from the summer sun’s heat. Incorporate aquatic plants to cover some of the surface or install a fish cave to provide respite from the sun. A balance of sun and shade is a good thing, and you probably want to create your feature where it will get at least a little bit of both.

Koi pond: Budget

As you plan your budget, don’t forget everything in the DFW koi pond.  Not just water and tools, but your filtration system, rock and liner. And don’t forget to budget in money for landscaping around the pond.

Filtration

A healthy pond needs filtration! Mechanical and biological filtration components remove suspended debris and excess algae that cause toxic gases like ammonia.

A skimmer will protect the pond pump, which helps keep the water circulating. Beneficial bacteria will cultivate in areas of your filtration like in the media mats.

Rocks and gravel in the pond provide places for beneficial bacteria to live, too. In turn, these bacteria help keep the water clear of fish waste and organic debris. Finally, aquatic plants will absorb nutrients that algae feed on and will release oxygen into the water. This keeps the fish in your DFW koi pond happy.

Here to help!

Regardless of what you decide to do with your ecosystem pond , Fnc can help.  We can help you design, build and maintain whatever water feature is good.  Call us for more information at 972-762-4076.

The post 5 things to consider before building a DFW koi pond appeared first on FNC PONDS.

Among inexperienced Koi Fish seekers, one question looms early in the process of finding that perfect pond addition, pet or show quality? This is an inquiry often asked by breeders, but you may find yourself wondering, “how should I know?” or “why does it matter?”.

Well, when it comes to purchasing Koi, there are usually two categories of shoppers –those looking for pets and those looking for a prized collection. Just like in dogs or horses – bloodlines, markings, and size can determine the price associated with your Koi.

Understanding the difference between show quality and pet quality Koi – and how breeders arrive at those assessments – can significantly demystify the selection process for many new owners.

So, let’s take a look at the various groups of Koi to help better understand what is important to you and what you’re paying for when selecting Koi for your water garden.

Koi Fish: The Domestic Group:

The Domestic group is exactly what the name implies.  Attractive and healthy, this fish has been spared a long trip from overseas.  The bloodlines of most domestic fish are short, and the classic ancestral stock is not long ago. So, the fish are tough and of good quality. But with a lack of refinement comes a less refined look. Domestic, durable koi of average to good quality make wonderful, sturdy pets and are an enjoyable addition for your pond.

The Import Group:

Typically imported from Asia, these koi are more expensive than their domestic counterparts, but in general, they are more attractive. So, just like most things, fancier equals more expensive. Why are they more expensive?  Their prettier appearance is more desirable and the cost of shipping is high.

The Handcrafted Exotic Group:

The definition of handcrafted is to “make skillfully by hand” and as you can imagine there is a much higher price associated with anything “handcrafted”.  However, it is safe to assume that the type of koi owner looking for a handcrafted koi, is also the type of koi owner who doesn’t care about price, they simply need to have the best.

The grand champion koi is much like a vintage Italian race car, no one cares about the skills of the driver, just the beautiful car.  It’s a profoundly expensive fish that is bred, raised, and shown by a Japanese craftsman, then sold to a trophy hunter in America. No skills are called upon to buy a fish that already comes with a trophy- just a fat wallet.

Koi Fish: The Handcrafted Domestic Group:

Just like the Domestic Group above, these Koi are handcrafted right here in America. They are fast and beautiful. The comparison in koi is the hand-selected small import or domestic koi that goes on to take a trophy in a local show.

In this case, the owner of the fish chose it based on its assessed future quality and they raised it to sub-adult or adult status and put it in a koi show. There is a lot to be said about a triumph in a koi show with a fish you chose and raised by hand. A true testament to your skillset to judge fish, to identify quality, and to provide the kind of husbandry needed to produce a champion from a small fish you hoped was a prized jewel.

The “Ordinary” Group:

The ordinary, unadorned and unembellished Koi is the last group of Koi on the market. There’s nothing wrong with an “ordinary” koi, but exceptional colors or patterns don’t generally occur in this group. These fish are certainly pleasant to own – just recognize that they aren’t going to win any shows.

Novice koi collectors often mistakenly assume that a koi with orange pigment is adequate to be a proper koi, but that isn’t the case. The all-yellow koi, called the Lemon Ogon, is wildly popular and easy to produce. It could be considered one of the finest koi of this ordinary group because it is abundant and not unlikable to own.

Often times breeders will sell the poorest of their culled baby koi into the fish bait market, and as feeder fish for consumption by larger fish in pet shops. The common alternative is to either bury the fish, or sell them as pond grade koi.

What Do These Different Groups Mean?

What this ultimately means is that there are different pedigrees of koi to choose from when purchasing your next finned friend. But more importantly, acknowledging there are very different types of koi owners as well. But you want to know the amazing part?

While the owners of economy koi are unlikely to expect all koi to be low cost and lower quality – the converse is not true of some of the folks who keep and show the finest koi. It’s important to remember at the end of the day, there’s a vast difference in the way koi need to be kept, and the way they are kept by the koi aficionados.

Want more information or some koi of your own? Contact us here!

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