April 2010
Greetings!
Spring is often referred to by pond Owners as "String Algae Season". There is a very good reason for this. As the Air and water temperature warms so does the biological activity in your pond. Debris and Sludge that has built up over the previous year promotes a nutrient rich environment. In the fall your plants are thriving and making use of these nutrients and balancing your ecosystem. In contrast in the Spring these same plants are just waking up and have not started thriving and therefore are not using as many of these nutrients. Well good ole Mother Nature is taking care of you and your finned friends by providing you with an excess of String Algae to help balance this nutrient load and keep your water healthy for your fish. Unfortunately, the end result of all of Mother Natures hard work is unsightly String Algae in your Pond and Stream.
Solutions 
Spring Cleanout
A Spring Cleanout removes the previously referred to Sludge and Debris that feeds String Algae. Also, it allows us to inspect your fish for any parasitic or bacterial issues, clean up and replace lights, rocks and other pond areas that may have settled over the winter.
Water Treatments
Organic Water Treatments such as our Eco~Clearer line of water treatments by themselves or in conjunction with a Spring Cleanout help establish and maintain a healthy ecosystem environment. For String Algae in particular we recommend 2 products. 
  1.  
    Eco~Clearer Stream And Waterfall Care Powder: is a white powder that when applied directly to String Algae in the Stream will react and break down the Algae for removal. The process is completely safe for Fish and Plants and results in Oxygen being released into the air. 
  2. Eco~Clearer Pond Care Powder: is a specifically formulated product fortified phosphate binders, enzymes and bacteria that when applied to the pond will help break down and reduce the String Algae in your ponds. Once again the product and resulting process is completely safe for Fish and Plants.
 
We get many calls about the use of Algaecides in the pond to "Kill" the algae. Algaecides such as Copper Sulfate and other over the counter "Algae Fix" products use harmful algaecides to "KILL" the algae. These products stay in your water and can be potentially dangerous and deadly to Fish, Wildlife, Animals and even Humans (KIDS!!!) that interact with your pond. When choosing Algae control methods and products I encourage you to be conscious of the long term effects of the product that you choose will have not only on your fish but also the people and animals that will interact with your pond.
 
Sincerely
Jeff Duggins
In This Issue
Garden Center News
Hydrogen Peroxide & Ponds?
Spring Cleanouts
Free Spring Cleanout?
$10,000 Backyard Makeover
Hanah's Charity "KOIner"
Austin's Pond Life Lesson
Upcoming Events
 
Join Our Mailing List!
 

Pond Life Photos

 2010 Home & Garden Show Display
 Family Time Playing WIth Fish
 

Hanah Playing WIth KOI
Garden Center News
It has been great to reunite with customers and friends this Spring. One thing I want to remind everyone of is our store phone policy. If you have tried to call and either gotten a busy signal or no answer it IS NOT because we don't care about you. Most of you know that we approach every customer interaction with a passionate focus. Therefore, if you call and get the answering machine please leave a message and we will get back to you at our very earliest convenience.
 
Please note the following policies and reasons for their existence.
 
  • We DO NOT answer the phone when we are assisting customers in the store. The reason for this should be obvious. Imagine if you were the customer in the store explaining your situation to a sales representative and we interrupted you to answer the phone. In my opinion this would simply be rude and tells the  customer we are assisting that the person on the phone may be more important than they are.
  • We DO NOT have call waiting. The philosophy behind this is exactly the same as above. If you we are assisting a customer on the phone we will not break away to take another call. Once again place yourself in the shoes of the person we are assisting and think how you would feel if we interrupted you to take another call. If you get a busy signal please try again or email us.
 
I sincerely hope you can appreciate the need for these policies. Additionally, we monitor email throughout the day and usually can assist you the same day. If you have a question or would like for us to call you, you can simply send us an email at info@h2odesignsinc.com and we will get back to you.
 
Fish
All of our fish are out of quarantine and are ready for new homes. We have Chinese Hi-Finned Banded sharks once again this year. We only have 5 left and they are going fast. Additionally we have a huge selection of Straight Finned and Butterfly KOI, Shubunkins, and Goldfish in a variety of sizes.
 
Plants
Our plant tables are full with quality Tropical and Hardy Plants. We even have several Lotus available and our Water Lettuce and Hyacinth are in great shape and about the size of your hand.
 
Until next month I look forward to seeing all of you...
Sincerely
Rachel Duggins
Using Hydrogen Peroxide in a Garden Pond
(Scott Rhodes - Product Specialists, Aquascape Inc)
"Hydrogen peroxide has been used for many years for controlling algae. When using hydrogen peroxide, it is recommended to remove all the fish and invertebrates, treat the pond, and then perform at least a 50% water change the next day. This is a treatment that sterilizes the entire pond, including the biological filtration. Basically, by using hydrogen peroxide, you will completely restart the ecosystem of your pond.
Hydrogen peroxide is used primarily as a disinfectant. As a disinfectant, peroxides can have detrimental effects on your biological filtration and fish. If used incorrectly, it can quickly reduce the dissolved oxygen rates in your pond by rapidly killing algae, which in return will release carbon dioxide. A much better approach is to use traditional biological products to prevent the algae problem from happening in the first place.
Additionally, when using hydrogen peroxide, the pond will become dependent on its use. Even though the inherent problem is treated, the cause of the problem is not addressed, and algae will generally come back worse than before the pond was treated.
Fish
One major concern with using hydrogen peroxide as a treatment is the very real possibility of damage to the fish population. If you are keeping snails or any other invertebrates, it can also have a negative effect on them. Hydrogen peroxide can damage the ability of fish to breathe properly. Long-term use of hydrogen peroxide can permanently damage fish gills. Once this happens, the damage cannot be reversed.
Biological filtration

As hydrogen peroxide sterilizes the pond, it can completely destroy the biological balance. This balance is what we all strive for; it is the thing that makes the pond crystal-clear, balanced, algae-free, and safe for fish and other creatures living in the pond. The Eco-system pond is the goal of all pond keepers and should be protected at all cost.
Common sense and experience teaches us that when you kill the "good guys" along with the "bad guys", you really don't get a net benefit. As a result, you are forced to continue the use of the poison, or the nuisance will simply return, often worse than it was before. Aquascape firmly believes that we have proven alternatives that will more safely treat algae problems over the long-term."
Time is Running out to Schedule Your Spring Cleanout!!
Spring MaintenanceA Spring cleanout/maintenance is simply the most important task that you can perform on your pond to ensure you have a clean and healthy pond all season long. For ponds the process involves draining your pond, setting your fish aside in aerated tubs, pressure washing excessive algae and debris from the walls, removing and rinsing excessive debris from the pond bottom, and finally putting all back together to ensure your finned friends are safe and sound throughout the process.
 
Go to http://www.h2odesignsinc.com/spring-pond-maintenance.html to view our Spring Maintenance agreement and submit your deposit.
Do you want us to Refund Your Spring Cleanout Cost?!?
Were you impressed with how good your Pond looked after your Spring Cleanout? Do you want your Pond looking that clean all year long? For a Limited time only if you sign up for our Bi-Monthly maintenance services we will refund you the labor cost of your Spring Cleanout.
 
Offer Ends April 30th 2010 and terms and conditions apply..Contact us for Details.

Pond Maintenance Services

Our scheduled Pond services is not just service. We like to refer to our service plans as an insurance plan for your pond. Insurance that comes with added service. Does your car insurance company check your car out every other week to ensure everything is running perfectly? Do they wash your car and detail the interior every 2 weeks? Do they pay for your oil changes when needed or replace your tires when they are worn out?
 
DOES YOUR CAR INSURANCE OFFER A LIFETIME WARRANTY!!! And how much do you pay a month for your car insurance?

Now you may be saying to yourself that your car is a necessity and your pond is a luxury. Right? WRONG!! How many of you spend more time around your pond than you do driving your car?  Unless you travel for a living I would say 90% of you spend more time around your pond and definitely get more enjoyment from it. So why would you not invest in the future of something that you have built a lifestyle around so that you can enjoy it without worry?

Go to http://www.h2odesignsinc.com/general-pond-maintenance.html to view our Scheduled Maintenance Overview.
Only a Couple of days left to win a $10,000 Backyard Makeover!!

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) in cooperation with the James C. Salato Wildlife Education Center, located in Frankfort KY, are holding a raffle to purchase chances to win a $10,000 Backyard Makeover. The raffle purpose is to raise awareness for the KDFWR Certified Backyard Habitat program. The winner will be drawn on Earth Day April 22nd 2010.

 

To receive a packet containing Raffle tickets you can stop by our store located at 47 George Wilson Dr in Lancaster KY 40444 or call us at (888) 297-6637 and we will have them mailed to you.

Hanah's Charity "KOIner"

Many of you know that I had to postpone my "Spring Fun Party" last Month. However, Mom and Dad has promised to host this exciting event in May and make it more exciting than ever. We are still working out the details and will have them available in the May edition of Pondering Thoughts. Until then I hope everyone gets out and plays with their pond...
 
Hanah Duggins

Austin's Pond Life Lesson

What Kinds of Plants go in Ponds?

Austin's Answer: "Lilies, Lizards Tail, ummm I think That's All"
 
Austin is right. However, what many people don't realize is there are MANY different varieties of aquatic plants. We offer over 50 different varieties at our Aquatic Garden Center right now.
 
Just like traditional landscaping plants there are aquatic plants that prefer specific hardiness Zones and sunlight specifications. Additionally, some plants prefer shallow (Bog or Marginal) areas and some prefer deeper water to thrive. When purchasing Aquatic plants you should look for an "Information Tag" that details the preferred planting depth, hardiness zone and sunlight requirements. Without this information you will have no way of knowing if the plant you are purchasing will live in your pond.