Wanting fish is one of the top reasons why people get a backyard pond to begin with--so they can house and then interact with their beloved fish pets. Fish feeding naturally comes with the territory of owning pond fish. When to feed pond fish and how much to feed pond fish and should you feed at all certainly is always the topic of conversation for newer pond owners. In this blog, we're going to answer the last question.

Koi pond fish are really awesome fish not only because of their unique patterns and colorations but because they are vivacious algae eaters. While goldfish don't love algae as much as koi, they will eat other micro-organisms in your pond, when they're hungry. In fact, when you think about it logistically in Mother Nature, fish fend for themselves all day, every day when it comes to their food sources.

So with that logic, you could quit feeding all together and let your fish eat up the algae and other nutrients in the pond as they would in nature. If you get your fish accustomed to looking to you for food, however, it may be hard to switch them to only what they find inside their ecosystem.

The more consistent you are with your fish feeding (i.e. feeding your fish at the same time from the same spot every day) the more personable they will become-- seemingly coming to greet you as soon as you come outside to the pond. We also have been able to HAND-FEED fish and even pet them! Imagine the interaction your kids and grandkids will have with fish who literally are happy to see you.

If you neglect feeding your fish, they wont look to you as friends and may consider you a threat if they don't understand what role you play in their lives. You may notice fish bolt really fast when they see a shadow or sense quick movements and they may even go as far as hiding from you!

It's important to remember the more YOU feed your fish, your fish will look to you as their source of nutrition and will become more personable and friendly.

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, PA

Aquablox are made by Aquascape Inc. for the purpose of optimizing space for the reservoir for pondless waterfall, disappearing waterfalls and fountain. We often relate them to four-side milk crates because of their physical appearance. Aquascape Inc describes their Aquablox product like this: "A lightweight structure that provides area or void space for various water storage projects and water features".

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, PA

We're taking it back to the basics again on this blog to explain another one of the components of a proper filtration system: a biofalls box.

A Biofalls box serves the purpose of a biological filtration system for a backyard pond and is where your waterfall 'starts". The biofalls box works as the 2nd part of the filtration system; the first part being the skimmer box. After the water is "skimmed" from the pond into the skimmer box (where the pump lives), it is then pushed up to the "biofalls box" at the top of the waterfall where it then spills over into the stream portion that flows down into the pond.
But then what happens and why?

Inside a biofalls box is where 2 more of your filter pads and all of your biomedia are housed. Biomedia, whether it be bioballs or lava rock, is where all of your beneficial bacteria colonies grow (as well as in the rocks and gravel on the bottom of your pond). The purpose of your biofalls box is that as the water passes through the biofall boxes' biomedia, the beneficial bacteria can essentially break down the invisible particles of dead organic matter in your pond that contribute to poor water quality if not taken care of. It then spills over to your waterfall where it makes it's way down into the pond, completing the recirculating system.

If set up properly, your pond should have no stagnant areas and you should be recirculating your pond's total water volume 2-3 times an hour.

YES a biofalls box is necessary!

LESS work for you means more time to enjoy your water feature free of hassle if you set up the right elements so your pond works FOR you instead of against you. Always remember, there are 5 elements to keeping your pond water clear and if one of them is missing, you have a harder time maintaining that crystal clear water that you strive for. Preventing a maintenance nightmare is much easier than fixing one!


 1) Filtration: Removes harmful debris and provides an area for additional bacteria colonization
 2) Rocks and Gravel: Provides surface area for bacteria to colonize
 3) Recirculating System: Keeps water flowing and oxygenated
 4) Pond Fish: Helps keep algae in check and fertilizes the plants with their waste.
 5) Aquatic Plants: Cleans pond by using nutrients and growing vigorously.

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,

Building a backyard pond can be an amazing opportunity, that is not only fun to build but full of reward for years to come. But how do you make a pond ? Where do you start? Do you want to tackle this backyard pond project yourself or let a hired professional pond contractor take control? In order to answer this question, you have to understand just how much work is involved in building a pond, and whether or not you're ready to tackle such a project.

The bottom line is, in order to install your own water feature, you should be prepared with all the equipment, knowledge and for a great deal of physical labor. Building a pond usually involves digging a decent-sized hole, knowing how to level all areas correct to consider the sustainability of aquatic plant life and proper skimming levels and be able to place a few tons of rock and gravel. It can be easy if you have all the equipment and a lot of time...or it can be really hard and cause you a world of frustration with poor water quality and leaking issues!

Aquascape Inc. has a 20 step process that we follow here at Dreamscapes Watergardens for every single build that we do. When it comes to pond construction, if you have all the right tools (equipment and knowledge-wise) to get the job done, following 20 easy steps should get your pond in the ground pretty quickly.

Here's a quick synopsis of what should be going on during your pond project.

1. Locate and mark out your basin area with orange marketing paint.
2. Place skimmer and biological filter into position
3. Lay Plumbing
4. Hook up and level biological filter
5. Excavate your pond basin
6. Install the underlayment and then the liner.
7. Install the skimmer
8. Hook up pump and plumbing
9. Rock in pond
10. Wash Stones
11. Fill pond.
12. Build the waterfall
13. Bring in topsoil
14. Build the retaining wall
15. Plug in and teak the waterfall
16. Trim the liner.
17. Mulch the berm.
18. Clean up
19. Add bacteria and refer to owner's manual for daily maintenance questions
20. Enjoy

Or maybe you're a visual person. That's okay, too! Without the meat and potatoes, a list of steps might not make all that much sense. Fortunately for you, Aquascape has put together a video of that same step-by-step process and you can view it below here!

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, PA