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How Much Does it Cost to Put in a Small Pond??

5/28/2018

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Did you know...

  • Natural landscapes have a healing effect on the human body and can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, according tot he Sustainable Sites Initiative, Standards and Guidelines Preliminary Report.
  • Ecosystem ponds include a balance  Healthy Elements; Aeration, filtration, plants, fish, rock and gravel
  • Ecosystem ponds are designed to be low maintenance, allowing you more time to relax and enjoy your beautiful water feature with friends and family.
  • Water features attract birds and butterflies, and come in a variety of types and styles, perfect for any budget or landscape.
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Imagine stepping outside your home into your very own backyard oasis, complete with a beautiful water feature. Sit back and listen to the soothing sounds of running water as you enjoy the enchanting sights of nature. Feel the cares of the world slip from your shoulders as you experience your personal vacation spot!
  • Spend more quality time with family outdoors.
  • Enjoy the delight of your children or grandchildren as they explore nature, up close and personal.
  • Gather and entertain friends and family outside near your beautiful water feature.

You'll wonder what took you so long to discover and enjoy the water feature lifestyle!

Small Aquascape  8'x11' Ecosystem Pond

Dreamscapes Watergardens installs koi fish ponds as small as 8'x11' and as large as you can imagine. The smaller the waterfeature, the harder it is to maintain because of the fluctuating temperatures of the water but as long as you stick to your 5 minute maintenance weekly, you'll be alright!

The price quotes below are for complete pond installations by Dreamscapes Watergardens in 2018:
Small Aquascape Ecosystem Pond 8'x11': Starting at $6,999 Installed
Medium Aquascape Ecosystem Pond 11'x16': Starting at $12,499 Installed
Large Aquascape Ecosystem Pond 21'x26': Starting at $24,999 Installed
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So Now What???

Located in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Dreamscapes Watergardens installs koi fish ponds and pondless waterfalls (disappearing waterfalls) all over the Central Pennsylvania area. For more information on koi ponds and waterfeature installations, please contact us directly!

Dreamscapes also carries a full line of pond supplies from water treatments and fish medications to pond pumps, heaters, fountains, plants and fish! Tadpoles and snails are also available at our Aquatic Retail Center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania seasonally while supplies last from May-August.  If you think you need it, we have it!

Retail Hours:  April 5th-October 27th 2018:
                           Monday-Wednesday: By Appt
                           Thursday-Friday: 10am-5pm
                           Saturday: 9am-12pm
                     October 28th-April 2019: HOURS BY APPT


Contact Us
2155 State Route 343, Lebanon Pa | 717-272-6555 | info@dreamscapeswatergardens.com

Dreamscapes Watergardens services the city of Lebanon, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Cleona, Cornwall, Fredericksburg, Indiantown Gap, Jonestown, Kleinfeltersville, Mount Gretna, Myerstown, Newmanstown Palmyra, Quentin, Reistville, Richland, Schaefferstown of Pennsylvania,
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Biological Filtration: Bioballs

5/21/2018

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There are "5 Healthy Elements" of a naturally balanced water feature:
 1. Filtration
 2. Rocks & Gravel
 3. Recirculation System
 4. Pond Fish
 5. Aquatic Plants

Bioballs, also known as biological media, are found within number 1's element, inside a man-made pond's filtration system.

Purpose of Bioballs

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Bioballs, by Aquascape Inc, serve the purpose to house additional space for beneficial bacteria colonies to form to break down the dead organic matter in a pond. There are many different types of "biomedia" out there in the market: some people use the form that look like black plastic ribbon-looking pieces while some people use lava rock. It is important to note that lava rock (though very cheap in price), it needs replaced YEARLY in order to be effective because it is so porous and impossible to clean thoroughly when needed.

While all types of biomedia  serve the same purpose, "Bioballs" by Aquascape, Inc rank as one of the best because of space efficiency in relation to the amount of surface area per ball that allows for beneficial bacteria to grow. The more surface area you have = more beneficial bacteria colonies to break down your dead organic matter which is the whole point.

Do's and Don'ts of Bioball Care

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Bioballs last forever but you still need to maintain them properly in order to maximize the amount of use you get out of them per season. Beneficial bacteria doesn't just EXIST in a pond, you have to add it. We recommend adding it weekly to your backyard pond to maintain colonies; noting that you can never have too much beneficial bacteria. Because beneficial bacteria die over the frigid cold months of winter, we recommend cleaning them every spring during your Spring Maintenance Process to rid any build up of muck that exists. You can hose them off and knock any debris off that you see, however, NEVER hose them off or even expose them to oxygen during the regular season or fall as this causes your beneficial bacteria to die. Allowing your beneficial bacteria to be removed from a pond means an inevitable set back to green algae phase until your colonies establish themselves again.

So Now What??

Dreamscapes also carries a full line of pond supplies from water treatments and fish medications to pond pumps, heaters, fountains, plants and fish! Tadpoles and snails are also available at our Aquatic Retail Center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania seasonally while supplies last from May-August.  If you think you need it, we have it!

Retail Hours:  April 5th-October 27th 2018:
                           Monday-Wednesday: By Appt
                           Thursday-Friday: 10am-5pm
                           Saturday: 9am-12pm
                     October 28th-April 2019: HOURS BY APPT


Contact Us
2155 State Route 343, Lebanon Pa | 717-272-6555 | info@dreamscapeswatergardens.com

Dreamscapes Watergardens services the city of Lebanon, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Cleona, Cornwall, Fredericksburg, Indiantown Gap, Jonestown, Kleinfeltersville, Mount Gretna, Myerstown, Newmanstown Palmyra, Quentin, Reistville, Richland, Schaefferstown of Pennsylvania,
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5 Elements of a Naturally Balanced Water Feature

5/14/2018

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There is a ton of information out there about water gardens, but it's contradictory and just plain confusing sometimes. Remember to plan your decision making about building a naturally-balanced beautiful water feature about the zone for which you live (i.e. don't get pond advice from a Ponder in Florida if you live in Pennsylvania).

Let's talk about the 5 Elements of a Healthy ecosystem, remembering that without one of these could throw off the balance of your pond---promoting poor water quality. Once you understand each element, we can explain how all of them work together .

Filtration System

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A filtration includes the use of a both a biological and a mechanical filter.

A Biological filter provides surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize and remove excess nutrients by way of extra filter mats that trap the particles before the water spills back into the pond. We often refer to the biological filter as the "biofalls box" because it exists at the water"falls".

A Mechanical filter pre-filters the water before the water gets to the pump, reducing the possibility of clogged pumps. The mechanical filter, often referred to as a "skimmer box", also skims debris from the water's surface to prevent the accumulation of organic materials on the pond floor.

Rocks and Gravel

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Rocks and gravel will not only protect your pond liner from UV light degradation, but the rocks and gravel will also provide amazing surface area for beneficial bacteria to break down excess nutrients in the water and dissolved organic debris on the pond floor.

Dreamscapes uses rocks and gravel in every single pond and waterfall project we've ever done since we opened our business.

Recirculation System

Ensuring that your pond has a recirculating system means that not only are you keeping the water moving (this prevents stagnant water that mosquitos really like), but you're also providing necessary oxygen levels for health fish and healthy plants. The proper pump size and pipe diameter are extremely important for the aesthetics of a water feature because you should be recirculating your total pond water volume 2-3 times an hour to ensure proper filtration.

Pond Fish

Even though fish are often seen as high maintenance, they actually play a very important role in the balance of an ecosytem. Fish actually REDUCE pond maintenance, as they graze on string algae and will bottom feed from the pond floor. Dreamscapes carries and sells different pond fish seasonally in our Aquatic Retail Center from late April-September every year. We can let you know how to keep your pond fish safe from predators, answer any questions about fish feeding or even about keeping your fish alive over winter months.

Aquatic Plants

Ah- a pond's natural filterer. Plants are great for adding character to a pond by providing varying colors, textures  shapes and heights to your pond, blending in the edges from rock to landscape. Thriving from the excess nutrients in a pond and depriving algae of its food source, the aquatic plants in a water garden, given proper coverage, are critical for overall health of the ecosystem.

Working Together:

Let's picture life inside a backyard pond ecosystem:
    1) Fish nibble on the plant life, including algae, while absorbing oxygen created by the recirculating system.
    2) Fish produce waste that fall to the bottom of the pond
    3) Debris, and waste, is broken down by the aerobic bacteria and the other microorganisms colonized on the rocks and gravel all over the pond bottom and in the bioballs that live i the filtration system.
    4) Once broken down, these substances are absorbed by nutrition by the plants
    5) The plants grow and are once again nibbled on by the fish.
    6) Unused waste and debris are trapped inside the debris basket and filter mats of the filtration system and removed manually.
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So Now What??

Dreamscapes also carries a full line of pond supplies from water treatments and fish medications to pond pumps, heaters, fountains, plants and fish! Tadpoles and snails are also available at our Aquatic Retail Center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania seasonally while supplies last from May-August.  If you think you need it, we have it!

Retail Hours:  April 5th-October 27th 2018:
                           Monday-Wednesday: By Appt
                           Thursday-Friday: 10am-5pm
                           Saturday: 9am-12pm
                     October 28th-April 2019: HOURS BY APPT


Contact Us
2155 State Route 343, Lebanon Pa | 717-272-6555 | info@dreamscapeswatergardens.com

Dreamscapes Watergardens services the city of Lebanon, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Cleona, Cornwall, Fredericksburg, Indiantown Gap, Jonestown, Kleinfeltersville, Mount Gretna, Myerstown, Newmanstown Palmyra, Quentin, Reistville, Richland, Schaefferstown of Pennsylvania,
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Summer Pond Maintenance Strategies

5/7/2018

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Summertime—the most beautiful time of year and the best chance to truly enjoy the pond.

By Summer, the majority of your pond maintenance should be behind you if you properly performed a Spring Clean-out on your water feature. There are some summer maintenance items that still need to be addressed in order to have a season of clean, clear water to enjoy. By keeping up on these tasks PROACTIVELY, you should have a healthy pond all season long.
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Keep Your Pond “Topped off”:

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You can lose up to an inch of evaporation a day if it’s really really hot outside so you need to make sure the water level stays where it should be. Maintaining the correct water level will ensure that the pump and/or skimmer are able to operate properly which will help keep your pond free of debris. Whether you're topping off your pond with a garden hose or you're filling with an auto-fill valve, the correct operation of your skimmer box provides oxygenated water for your fish, which is important when considering that the summer heat can be tough on oxygen levels.

Add More Plants:

The more the merrier (though there IS  a fine line)! If at all possible, try to cover at least a third of the pond’s surface area with water lilies. Ideally during the summer, 40-60 percent of your water surface should have coverage.

Trim Those Plants:

Keep your plants looking good by trimming them when necessary==same as you would with any regular landscape or house plant. Routine maintenance, including removal of spent blooms, yellowing leaves, and excess growth will get rid of nutrients in the pond (nutrients come from the decomposition of those spent/yellowing leaves), reducing the possibility of algae blooms.

Appropriate Fish Feeding

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In the extreme heat of the summer, over feeding can lead to oxygen depletion and possible algae blooms (the more they eat, the more they poop!). It’s important to remember that fish can eat and eat until they over eat. Ours ALWAYS pretend like they’re starving. It’s possible that they’re just being friendly when they greet you and not begging for food. A good rule of thumb is not to feed your fish more than they can eat in a period of two to three minutes at a time.

Don't Clean Filter Pads

If you have a biological filtration system (also known as a biofalls or “top box” , cleaning off the filter pads will destroy the algae-fighting bacteria that live there, resulting in excess algae growth. It will also disturb the “biomedia” that live up in that box, causing them to either die, or wash down into the pond creating a murky look for a while.

Fertilize Lilies

If your lilies are potted, use fertilizer tabs near the base of the plant to encourage more blooms. Lilies planted into the pond, however, pull the nutrients they need right from the pond. There are a lot of benefits to having lilies in your pond: from shade and protection, to reducing the water temperature and of course the sheer beauty of them.

Add Beneficial Bacteria:

Bacteria sounds bad, but it’s not! Not the beneficial kind anyways. Follow the dosage instructions on the label and add bacteria weekly to compete with the algae for excess nutrients in the water, helping reduce the growth of algae

Control Runoff:

Avoid using fertilizer in areas that may drain into your pond. Fertilizer will cause a surge of excess nutrients in your pond and actually encourage algae blooms. Similarly, runoff from mulch can cause tanins (tea colored water) from making their way into the pond.

So Now What??

Remember, your water garden is there for you to ENJOY and it’s much easier to do so if you’re maintainancing it proactively instead of reactively.

Located in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Dreamscapes Watergardens installs koi fish ponds and pondless waterfalls (disappearing waterfalls) all over the Central Pennsylvania area. For more information on koi ponds and waterfeature installations, please contact us directly!

Dreamscapes also carries a full line of pond supplies from water treatments and fish medications to pond pumps, heaters, fountains, plants and fish! Tadpoles and snails are also available at our Aquatic Retail Center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania seasonally while supplies last from May-August.  If you think you need it, we have it!

Retail Hours:  April 5th-October 27th 2018:
                           Monday-Wednesday: By Appt
                           Thursday-Friday: 10am-5pm
                           Saturday: 9am-12pm
                     October 28th-April 2019: HOURS BY APPT


Contact Us
2155 State Route 343, Lebanon Pa | 717-272-6555 | info@dreamscapeswatergardens.com

Dreamscapes Watergardens services the city of Lebanon, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Cleona, Cornwall, Fredericksburg, Indiantown Gap, Jonestown, Kleinfeltersville, Mount Gretna, Myerstown, Newmanstown Palmyra, Quentin, Reistville, Richland, Schaefferstown of Pennsylvania,
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