Not all fish like the same environment. The Midwest can be a tricky habitat for some aquatic friends. But we’ve found some fish species that thrive in Kansas City:

• Japanese koi
• Shubunkins
• Orandas
• Sarasa comets
• Comets

There are some area nurseries and shops that carry fish who love the Midwest. The Water Garden Society of Greater Kansas City is a good resource, too.

When a pond doesn’t have enough oxygen in the water, plants and fish suffer. But an aerator can help.

When you add aeration, your pond is clearer and smells better. Here’s why:

• The amount of dissolved oxygen in the water goes up. Your fish and plants are less stressed. But these higher levels of oxygen are especially awesome for the beneficial bacteria in your pond. The bacteria will be more efficient and eat the gunk in various areas of the pond. And the bacteria won’t produce that icky rotten eggs smell. More oxygen = better smell.
• The pond water is no longer divided into warm and cool layers. Aeration circulates and mixes water. That means you no longer have warm water at the top and cooler water at the bottom. You have fairly consistent water throughout the pond, and that helps beneficial bacteria do their job cleaning. Those bacteria tend to live on the bottom of the pond, and typically thrive when water temps are warm.
• The water quality and clarity improves. When an aerator circulates the water and increases oxygen, the water looks clearer. Nutrients and debris are less likely to accumulate at the bottom of the pond. This gives the mechanical filtration a chance to remove this gunk.

The right aeration can help balance out a pond ecosystem. Want more detail? We’ve got you covered.

Of course! If you enjoy your water feature during the day, imaging being able to experience the beauty when the sun goes down. Night lighting transforms the ambiance around your water feature into a completely new atmosphere.

We think it’s worth it to have a professional install lighting in and around your pond. But if you’re dedicated to DIY, it’s not impossible. Here are two things to keep in mind.

Get the right equipment for the job. There are many kinds of landscape lights, but be sure to select a variety that’s designed to work underwater. Also pay attention to the area you want to illuminate. For smaller, compact spaces, use lights that are in the 1-2 wattage range. For larger areas such as the length across the pond or a wide waterfall, lights in the 3-6 wattage range would be ideal. And remember that water dissipates light. So, you may need more lights than you think.

Make tweaks after nightfall. Water can be tricky, and even experienced lighting designers make changes as they go. Don’t be afraid to highlight plants or focus lighting on a waterfall … or completely change things around as you experience your lighted pond at night.

Yes. We’ve worked with a number of clients who installed fountains years ago but weren’t satisfied with the location. The honest truth is that folks tend to get the most out of their fountains when the water features are close to the home and outdoor living space.

Moving a fountain takes some muscle. It requires you to carefully remove all the fountain components – the basin, the fountain and pump, and surrounding rocks. You’ll then need to stage these items at the new location and get working on installation. For water feature pros, it’s all in a day’s work. But depending on the size of the fountain, it can be a back-breaker for DIYers. Don’t be afraid to call in professional reinforcements on this job.

When you’re considering the location of your fountain, think about where you’ll be viewing the water feature. If you’re going to be sitting on your deck, there’s no point in putting the fountain in the far corner of the yard. Consider the terrain, too. Placing a fountain on steep ground can be tricky. Perhaps there’s a more stable option, or maybe a waterfall is a better fit.

Moving a fountain can transform your yard. Here’s a fountain relocation we completed for one family.

This is a common myth – but it’s not true. Most of our ponds in the Kansas City area are only two feet deep in the center, and koi do just fine in the winter. We also know contractors as far north as Canada who say that two feet is OK during the winter.

We do recommend a floating heater and/or an aerator fountain to keep a hole in the ice. This allows the water to still absorb oxygen from the atmosphere and prevents the build-up of toxic gases underneath the ice.

Predators can be a concern, but there are ways to minimize their impact. Around Kansas City, the main predators we see are herons, raccoons, and cats. To protect fish, we normally build fish caves into our ponds. These give fish a place to hide from danger. We have also found that heron decoys help keep herons away. In extreme circumstances, netting is an option.

To keep cats and raccoons away, we build steeper drop-offs into the pond. These animals typically don’t get into deeper water to hunt, so the drop-off is a natural deterrent. Fish caves are also an effective way to prevent hungry critters from snatching a meal from your pond.

No. It seems like gravel would cause these issues, but the opposite is true. Muck is a natural by-product of decomposing organic debris such as plant matter, dead algae, and fish waste. So, it will eventually accumulate in any body of water. Ponds without gravel can have more muck build up because they don’t offer the significant biological component that gravel provides: a home for muck-eating beneficial bacteria.

These bacteria are key to balancing any natural pond ecosystem. And as long as the water feature is properly maintained, ponds with gravel stay much cleaner than ponds without it. We always recommend using round gravel instead of gravel with jagged edges. Sharp corners could potentially puncture the liner.

Want to learn more? Here are additional details about the role rock plays in your pond.

Not if they’re properly designed and constructed. Ecosystem ponds are designed to follow the systems found in nature that are mostly self-maintaining. Here’s how it works.

In a natural system, bacteria break down fish waste and plant material. Plants then take excess nutrients out of the water. And stone and gravel promote good bacterial colonization.

Our ponds are constructed with a mechanical skimmer to help eliminate leaves and debris. Without the skimmer, these materials would fall to the bottom of the pond and create excess nutrients in the water. We recommend a quick check to empty the skimmer basket once or twice a week. You should also check it after a storm. You need to pay more attention autumn as the leaves fall.

Adding bacteria in the form of powder or liquid helps keep your pond’s ecosystem in balance. This easy regular maintenance can take care of about 90% of issues that could pop up. But when you do have a problem, we are always available to answer questions and help.

Another option is an automatic dousing system. It dispenses the proper amount of bacteria on a daily basis. This keeps your water crystal clear.

We usually recommend that you drain and clean your pond once a year. These clean-outs are generally done in the spring. It’s a good opportunity to flush out the pond, inspect it for problems, and make sure it operates perfectly.

In the fall, we recommend covering your pond with a net. This prevents large amounts of leaves from accumulating in the water. These nets are effective and minimally obtrusive to the eye.

String algae are a fast-growing type of algae. They form long hair-like strands and can take over the surface inside your pond or on your waterfall. String algae are a sign that there are too many nutrients in the water. While unsightly, string algae are one of the best natural filters in a water feature. So, a little bit is OK with us.

There are a few ways you can eliminate string algae. First, we recommend a series of bacteria and string algae buster (SAB) treatments. This method is a little more time-consuming because it can sometimes take a few months for the water to come into balance. Eventually, when the nutrient load reduces, the string algae will die off.

For quicker results, we suggest using a copper ionizer (Ion-Gen). It emits copper ions that kill the algae without impacting fish or humans. Every product we recommend is natural and nontoxic.

Autumn pond maintenance basically boils down to one thing: debris. You want to keep gunk from accumulating in your pond.

At Good Earth Water Gardens, here’s what we suggest:

• Prune those plants. Cut back dead plant matter so the leaves don’t fall into your pond. And if you have tropical plants around your pond, remove them.
• Stop feeding everybody – plants and fish. When the weather starts to cool off, you can stop fertilizing your plants. When temps are around 50 degrees, stop feeding your fish, too. Their digestive systems slow in winter, and they’ll develop health problems if they continue to chow down.
• Manage those leaves. Some leaves are bound to find their way into your pond. Empty your skimmer’s debris net as often as necessary to keep up. You’ll want to fish out most of the leaves that end up on the bottom of your pond, too. A net over your pond is a nearly invisible way to keep leaves out of your water feature.
• Battle brown water. If debris is winning and your pond has turned a lovely shade of yuck, never fear. Remove the debris and add activated charcoal. This process removes the tannins from the leaves and should clear up the water.

Keeping an eye on things will enable you and your family to enjoy your pond throughout the autumn season.

A good spring cleaning can help keep your pond in tip-top shape. Many people turn this task over to a professional, but it’s something a dedicated DIYer can take on, too.

Here’s what to should do:

1. Determine if your pond needs to be cleaned. If the water is discolored, there’s visible debris on the stones or you see a layer of gunk at the bottom of the pond, you need to clean. But if the water is clean and you can grab all the debris with a net, it’s possible you don’t need a full spring cleaning.
2. Gather your tools. We suggest:

• A clean-out pump with a hose that’s about 25 feet
• A pressure washer or a high-pressure nozzle for your hose
• Sheers for trimming plants
• A bin, trash can, or kiddie pool to hold any fish, plus an aerator to keep oxygen in the water
• A fish net
• Buckets to collect leaves and debris
• Aquascape Pond Detoxifier

1. Drain the pond. Put the pump in the deepest part of the pond. Drain the water into the surrounding landscape, moving the pipe a few times so the water can seep into the ground. If possible, rinse all of your filter mats with this discharge water. It will remove the major gunk and sediments, but it will preserve the beneficial bacteria and biological activity. If you have fish, fill the holding container with this water, too. Remove the fish with a net and move them to the holding container. Cover the container with a net and add the aerator. The fish can stay there for a few hours as long as the container is in the shade.
2. Clean the pond. Rinse the inside to get debris off rocks and gravel, starting at the top and working your way down. Leave some of the algae and film on the rocks, because it’s an important part of your pond ecosystem. Removing all of the biofilm can completely sterilize a pond. That can give algae a head start if nothing is there to take away its food source. Every once in a while, turn on the clean-out pump to get rid of the dirty water. Once the rinsing water starts to look clear, you can start refilling the pond.
3. Clean the filtration components. Remove debris from the bottom of the skimmer, the biofilter, or pondless vault. Do this by hand or use a shop vac. If you haven’t already remove the bio media and filter pads from the skimmer and biofilter. Rinse all the gunk off of them.
4. Get your fish back home. Once the pond is about half full, add Pond Detoxifier to the water. Dip a five-gallon bucket into the holding container. Fill it with water. Then, catch your fish and put them in the bucket. Set the bucket into the pond that’s filling with clean water, and let the fish hang out for about 15 minutes. This helps them get used to the temperature. Then, put some of the pond water in the bucket. After a few more minutes, the temperature in the bucket should be the same as in the pond. Dump the koi into the clean pond.

Spring cleaning poises your pond for a gorgeous year. If you have questions or decide a clean-out is just too much work, Good Earth Water Gardens has you covered. Call us at (816) 720-7577.

In Kansas City, you can usually let your koi stay in the pond over the winter. This works if you take care of these basics:

1. Make sure your pond is at least two feet deep. Even in our zone 5 winters, water usually won’t freeze any deeper than eight inches. This will leave at least 16 inches for your fish.
2. Keep a hole in the ice. This will allow toxic gases like ammonia to escape and let oxygen into the water to keep your fish breathing. You can maintain this hole by using a floating pond heater/deicer or an underwater aerator or bubbler to churn the surface water. Running your waterfall can also help keep a hole in the ice.

Keep in mind that koi don’t really hibernate – they just sort of survive the winter. Their metabolic processes slow way down and they don’t eat. Learn more about how fish spend the winter.

Some guests just aren’t welcome. Since mosquitoes can carry disease and their bites are annoying at best, they’re on our list of folks we don’t want to hang out with.

There are four easy ways to make your water feature less appealing to mosquitoes.

1. Move the water. Stagnant water is a mosquito’s best friend. They can lay their eggs in as little as an ounce of water. Before you know it, those babies are adults who are laying eggs themselves. Make sure the pump in your water feature is working properly. If you have a pond, an aerator might help, too. Keep an eye on things to make sure no areas of your water feature are still enough to act as a mosquito nursery.
2. Don’t feed the mosquitoes. These insects love algae, suspended plant matter, and the general muck that can accumulate in ponds. Remove the excess vegetation and organic debris from your water feature. An annual cleaning can also stop your pond from becoming a mosquito buffet.
3. Introduce mosquito predators. Tadpoles, minnows, koi and goldfish love to eat mosquitoes. There is even special variety of mosquito fish who love snacking on larvae. Consider adding these creatures to your ecosystem. Natural predators like dragonflies enjoy dining on mosquito larvae too. And believe it or not, bats eat mosquitoes.
4. Think about water additives. Mosquito Dunks and MICROBE-LIFT Biological Mosquito Control are two products that are safe to add to your water feature. They won’t hurt plants or fish, but they’ll stop mosquitoes from reproducing.

Don’t let mosquitoes stop you from enjoying your water feature. Make the area less appealing to the pest and rest easy.

Ponds can usually use a little sprucing up after winter has passed. If there’s a layer of crud at the bottom and water is dark, you need to clean. But if the water is clean and you can gather all the debris with a net, you might be able to skip a full spring cleaning.

If a pond cleaning is in your future, here’s what you need to know:

1. Get your tools together. Here’s what we suggest:

• A clean-out pump with a hose that’s about 25 feet
• A pressure washer or a high-pressure nozzle for your hose
• Sheers for trimming plants
• A bin, trash can, or kiddie pool to hold any fish, plus an aerator to keep oxygen in the water
• A fish net
• Buckets to collect leaves and debris
• Aquascape Pond Detoxifier

1. Drain the pond. Put the pump in the deepest part of the pond and drain the water into the surrounding landscape. Move the pipe a few times so the water doesn’t all end up in the same part of the yard. If you can, rinse your filter mats with this water. This will remove the major gunk and sediments while preserving beneficial bacteria. If you have fish, fill the holding container with this water, too. Use a net to remove the fish and move them into the container, then add the aerator and cover the container with a net. As long as this container is in the shade, your fish will be OK for a few hours.
2. Get to cleaning. Start at the top and rinse the inside of the pond to remove debris from rocks and gravel. Leave some algae and film on the rocks – it’s a useful part of your underwater ecosystem. If you remove it all, you may have too much algae later. Turn off the clean-out pump intermittently to get rid of the dirty water. You can refill the pond once the rinsed water starts to look clear.
3. Wash the filtration components. Remove gunk from the bottom of the skimmer, the biofilter, or pondless vault. You can use a shop vac or do this by hand. If you haven’t already, remove the bio media and filter pads from the skimmer and biofilter. Wash these off, too.
4. Return any fish. Once the pond is about half full, add Pond Detoxifier. Dip a five-pound bucket into your holding container, fill it with water, then put your fish in the bucket. Place the bucket into the pond and let it sit for about 15 minutes. This helps the fish get used to the temperature. Then, put some of the pond water in the bucket. After a few more minutes, the temperature in the bucket should be about the same as what’s in the pond. That’s when you can put the fish into the clean pond.

A pond spring cleaning can take about half a day. It’s not hard, but it does take some elbow grease. If this DIY project just isn’t for you, no worries. Good Earth Water Gardens can ensure your pond is clean and ready to face the spring. Give us a call at (816) 720-7577.

The best way to deal with algae is to prevent it. If that ship has sailed, never fear – there are ways to get your water feature looking clear again.

Algae naturally occur in a pond’s ecosystem. But if your water is out of balance, these aquatic organisms can completely take over.

For preventative measures in the spring, we recommend draining and cleaning your water feature. This will remove excess nutrients and muck that can be food for algae. During this time, establishing a balanced ecosystem is crucial for keeping algae at bay. Beneficial bacteria eat the same nutrients in the water as algae, so giving these little microbes a head start can starve out the algae and keep your pond balanced. Supplemental bacteria like Aquascape Beneficial Bacteria for Ponds can jumpstart the good bacteria. There are even special cold-water bacteria you can add during early cleanings in March and April. Make sure your pond has areas where bacteria can live. They thrive on the surface of rocks and gravel, and love to hang out on filter mats and media inside a biofilter.

Despite doing a spring cleaning, you still may deal with an algae bloom. The most common algae in late spring/early summer are string algae. For small blooms, it may be easiest to just pull it out. Algae may look gross, but it’s harmless. Then, continue to add beneficial bacteria to your water feature. If it continues to occur or you simply can’t stand it, you can install an Ion-Gen. It releases copper ions into the water that target and kill string algae while being safe for your fish.

For filmy, slimy algae that coat your rocks, you can use a combination of SAB Stream & Pond Cleaner and EcoBlast granular algaecide. SAB contains a phosphate binder that makes it harder for algae to adhere to rocks, so it helps keep water clear. EcoBlast kills algae on contact and works best in a stream or a waterfall. When applying Ecoblast, it’s best to turn the pump off, apply the Ecoblast over the algae, and let it sit for a few hours before turning the pump on again.

These products can be helpful throughout the year, but they’re especially useful in the spring. They help balance your pond as the water is warming up and plants, fish, and bacteria are waking up after the winter.

If you have trouble remembering to add treatments throughout the weeks, considering installing an automatic dosing system. This device is like a drip IV for your pond and automatically adds beneficial bacteria and enzymes to your water feature.

When it comes to treating algae, sometimes you need patience. Give your pond time to rebalance. But if you aren’t seeing any improvement, don’t be afraid to call a professional. Good Earth Water Gardens is happy to help – call us at (816) 720-7577.

First, make sure the loss of water is actually a leak. There are several reasons your water level is dropping:

• Evaporation. Depending on the temperature, humidity, and sunlight, it’s possible that extra water loss is due to evaporation each week.
• Splashing. If water splashes off the rocks in your waterfall or stream, be sure that water falls inside your pond liner. If it doesn’t, you can move the rocks to redirect the water.
• Plants. If you have many plants in and around your pond, they’re drinking quite a bit. But if your water levels drop the same amount no matter the weather, plants probably aren’t the culprit.

Low edges are one of the most common causes of water loss. New ponds where the ground is still settling commonly have this issue. Look at the stream and waterfall and look for areas where the mulch or soil are wet. If you find a damp area, lift up the liner. Backfill some dirt to hold everything in the right place. You might also need to shift a few rocks. Work your way around the pond to make sure you find all problem areas.

When you rule out other reasons for water loss, it’s time to do some serious investigating.

Turn off the pump. If you have fish, make sure you have an aerator in the pond to keep enough oxygen in the water.

First mark the water level, then let the water sit for 24 hours. If the water level doesn’t change within those 24 hours, the issue isn’t with the pond itself – it’s with the waterfall or stream. But if the water is dropping? Let it keep dropping. Once the water level stabilizes, you’ll know the depth of the leak.

Look at your liner. The hard truth is that if the liner is older or not high quality, it might have multiple tears. Animals, UV rays, and shifting rocks can all damage a liner. It’s possible you should replace the entire liner. But if the liner is in good shape, you can patch any holes. Once you’ve applied patches and let them dry, replace the rock and refill the pond.

If you can’t find a leak, look at the skimmer faceplate to make sure it’s sealed correctly. It’s also possible that the plumbing is leaking.

There are easy fixes for pond leaks and then there are situations when you should call in the pros. When you need an honest, expert opinion, Good Earth Water Gardens can help. You can give us a call at (816) 720-7577. There are no dumb questions!

When it comes to water features, the only limitations are imagination – and the site. It’s tough to create a huge pond on a steep hill. But other than that? Dream big.

Some folks renovate their ponds because the water feature just isn’t functioning properly. But other homeowners find that what they want in a pond and how they utilize their outdoor space changes. Your water feature can evolve to meet these needs.

Each project is unique, so there isn’t one set of options when it’s time to renovate. As a first step, we suggest that you find images of what you like and what you might want your renovated pond to look like. Then, talk to the pond pros – not just a landscaper who promises they do ponds, too.

Don’t be afraid to talk to several pond builders. We hope you’ll use Good Earth Water Gardens, but we understand that not every company is for every client. However, we strongly suggest you work with a Certified Aquascape Contractor.

A lot of factors determine the cost of a water feature. It’s kind of like car shopping – there are different types and each model has different options. You can drive a basic Chevy or you can spring for a fully loaded Mercedes. There are price points all over the place.

A pond that works for many folks is our Lotus Pond package. It’s an 11’ x 16’ ecosystem pond that’s 2’ deep. It has a waterfall and tons of flexibility – you can add larger boulders, a stream, underwater lighting, fish caves – you name it. This package starts just under $16k. Depending on what you add to it, it can go up to the $20k – $27k range.

At the other end of the spectrum, our small fountains start at around $700. If you’re looking for a creative way to personalize an entry or add some pizzazz to your landscaping, a small fountain is a great option.

Of course, there are all sorts of ponds, pondless waterfalls, and fountains of all sizes. At Good Earth Water Gardens, we do offer easy financing, so the water feature of your dreams is within reach.

The best way to get started is our Pricing Guide. Explore your options, and when you’re ready to talk details, give us a call.