Summer 2008 Newsletter...

Visit our working ponds and streams at the following events during 2008:

PondMagic installed two permanent Water Features at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds in April 2008.

These can be enjoyed anytime the fairground is open to the public as well as during the August Home Garden and Gourmet Show.

The features include a pond with a 20' stream and a pondless waterfall with a 25' stream and stone bridge. The area around the Water Features is landscaped with a patio, trellis, large seating stones even a few small koi in the pond!

California Home, Garden and Gourmet Show
August 22nd, 23rd and 24th
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds
344 Tully Rd.
San Jose, Ca 95111
www.worldclassshows.com

We have a certain number of complimentary tickets available for each event. Please call our office at 831-464-7663 for more information.

Anytime Pond Tour (Adobe PDF format)

The Anytime Pond Tour shows the location of five Water Features installed by PondMagic in the Santa Cruz area. Addresses, descriptions and directions are included. Each of the five Water Features are roadside features and so can be viewed at anytime without disturbing the owner. The final pond in Soquel is outside the PondMagic Business Office where we would be happy to show you photographs of our work and discuss your project with you. Please click here to download a printable version of our Anytime Pond Tour.

Here is a sample of one of our July, 2007 pond and stream installations in Los Gatos:

Here are some good maintenance tips:

How can I calculate the number of gallons of water circulating in my water feature?
Length x Width = Square footage of the pond
Square footage x Average Depth x 7.48 = Amount of gallons in the pond

Should I give my pond a spring clean out?
Every pond is different, and some ponds do not require an annual clean-out. If your pond is larger than 2,000 square feet, it might only need a clean-out every few years. And larger ponds may never need a complete clean-out because any impurities present are minimal compared to the volume of water in the pond. The larger the pond, the easier it is to maintain (just like a fish tank). Because they are able to sustain bacterial life year-round, ponds in the Bay Area may not require a full annual clean-out. A partial clean-out, where the filter media is cleaned and a 20 percent water change is done, may prove to be beneficial for the entire system. Every two to three years may be sufficient for a full pond clean-out.

What is the best way to tell whether your pond needs to be cleaned out?
If the water looks the same in the early spring as it did the previous summer, it’s probably okay to skip the clean-out.

10 Steps to a Successful Spring Clean-out

1. Start Draining the Pond – An inexpensive pump or a sump pump is sufficient. Be sure you use some of the pond water to fill a container with pond water for the fish.

2. Disconnect the Circulation System – This will allow the water in the plumbing to drain out.

3. Catch the Fish – Drain the pond down to the lowest shelf in order to catch fish easily and safely.
4. Remove Debris – Once the pond is drained, remove the large debris like leaves and twigs.

5. Wash the Pond – A 1,500 psi pressure washer or a high-pressure nozzle on a garden hose is recommended for pond cleaning.

6. Rinse the Pond – Rinse the pond from top to bottom with a garden hose without the high-pressure nozzle. This will help wash any remaining pond debris from under the rocks. As the dirty water accumulates on the bottom, continuing to pump it out.

7. Clean the Filters – Spray the filtration media until relatively clean and rinse down the inside of the filter units.

8. Refill the Pond – Pull the clean-out pump out and begin re-filling the pond.

9. De-chlorinate the Water – Most city water contains chlorine and chloramines and should be treated with a de-chlorinator before fish are introduced. Fill the pond up completely before adding the de-chlorinator. Consider adding some of the original pond water back in.

10. Acclimate the Fish – A spring clean-out can be stressful to fish, so proper acclimation is suggested to decrease stress and avoid future health problems. In order to properly acclimate your fish make sure the temperature of the pond water and the water the fish are being held in is the same by floating them in the pond in an open container before letting them in.

Now your pond is officially ready for spring!
The PondMagic Crew are available for cleanouts on ponds that have been installed by us. Please call to schedule!

DVD Available: PondMagic has a wonderful ‘Create a Paradise’ water garden DVD produced by Aquascape available if you are thinking of installing a water feature.

PondMagic
P.O. Box 860
Soquel, Ca 95073
Phone: 831-464-POND (7663)
E-mail: info@pondmagic.com
www.pondmagic.com