FAQ's     Frequently Asked Questions

• What kind of pond should I build?
  
  The answer to this question will influence all other questions. Basically we build two kinds of ponds:
  
  Water Gardens:      A water garden is a pond that will most likely contain plants and fish. It may be small, for example a 4’ x 6’ pond that is 18” deep, or it may be a large pond that is 25’ x 25’ and 2’ to 4’ deep. It may include a stream that runs from a waterfall to the main pond body.
  Koi Ponds:           Koi ponds are built specifically for the hobbyist who wants to raise a large number of fish and their construction is different from a water garden. The sides of a koi pond should be straight and the pond should be deep.  Extra filtration is needed for this kind of pond and it usually will not contain plants and koi in the same pond as koi love to eat water plants.
  
  
• What type of services do you offer?

  We offer every type of service someone with a pond in there backyard would be looking for.  We service ponds, maintain ponds, monitor ponds, build ponds, troubleshoot leaks, repair ponds, landscape around ponds.  If you don't see something in our site listed place contact us and see if we can do that for you.
  

• Where should I put my pond?
  
  Location is crucial for the enjoyment and maintenance of the pond. We always recommend the pond be as close to the viewing area as possible. Often, there is one room where the owners will spend a lot of time and the pond and/or waterfall should be visible from there. The moving water makes a wonderful sound, the fish are fun to watch and the water plants that sway with the breeze or produce colorful blooms are great to have nearby. If the pond is placed in a far corner of the yard, chances are the owners will not enjoy it as much and maintenance may be forgotten.
  
  Select a level area  that receives good sunlight. Most lilies do best with 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day. Never locate a pond in the lowest area of your yard as that could spell disaster with runoff water finding its way into the pond. Runoff could contain fertilizers and excess dirt that could kill your fish and upset the ecosystem you’ve worked so hard to create.
  
  Do not place your pond near large trees or shrubs that will shade your pond all day, drop a lot of leaves into the water. As leaves sink and decay they can cause havoc with your pond’s chemical balance. Try to stay away from pines they tend to drop foliage year-round. Oak leaves, acorns and pine needles all contain tannins that will leach into and discolor the water, and may also harm your fish.
   
• How big should my pond be?
  
  As large as your yard and budget will allow, as larger ponds are less costly per gallon and require less maintenance. They are more stable ecologically, safer for fish and hold more lilies and other plants. We encourage new pond owners not to start out too small as the biggest complaint we hear is that they wish they had made their pond bigger.
   
• What happens to my fish over winter?

  There are two different things you can do with your fish over the winter

  Add a floating heater:  The fish will survive the winter months with no problem as long as the pond is of the correct depth.  You will also need to make sure the pond does not freeze completely over so the pond can exchange gases.  This can be done with a simple floating pond heater.

  Heat the pond: If you add a superior koi heating system you will heat you water to 50 degrees all winter and this will keep the fish active.  They will not have the dormant stage like without heating.  This also adds a buffer to the irregularity of pond water in the spring.
  
  

• What if I don't want to do the pond maintenance myself?

  Nature's Touch Ponds offers weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly pond maintenance programs. For more information of what types of services we perform visit  Pond Maintenance Programs.

  More FAQ's Coming soon