Mother Nature always has her own plan. Even though you did your fall pond shutdown and just cleaned the leaves off of the net, they're back again. New leaves fell from the trees...old leaves blew back from the wind. Fall is a long season...especially if you're surrounded by a bunch of trees--all loosely depositing their leaves around your watergarden. Inevitably, if left untouched, leaves that fall on top of pond nets start to weigh down into the pond. This allows for the decomposition of the leaves into the water which contributes to sludge and poor water quality over the cold winter months.

Last year, Dreamscapes Watergardens started recommending a POND TENT for backyard ponds that struggle with the changing season. Pond tents can be put up as early as September and should be taken down before the first snowfall so as to not put unnecessary weight on the structure. If stored correctly, pond tents are reusable year after year.

***Pond tents also have the added benefit of helping to protect your fish from predators.

Depending upon the size and the shape of your pond, a few different shape tents are most effective. The dome is created for ponds 11x16 and under, as the arch made with conduit piping can support the weight of itself and the gusts of wind. For ponds larger than 11x16, we recommend making an angled structure with straight pvc poles for better support of the structure's weight. To secure the structure from moving, ditch the plastic stakes for sod staples!

The actual design of tent structures are custom for every pond because every pond is different. Unless the waterfalls are left running late into the year, the pond tent structure only really has to cover the pond portion of the waterfeature. The edge of the net should be pull taut against the waterfall so that no leaves can blow in an open space. The waterfall can be covered with a separate piece of regular net.

Let the experts handle the hassle for you! Dreamscapes has a full service maintenance program that travels all over the Lebanon, Lancaster and Dauphin County areas constructing and installing pond tents. We also carry 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 koi ponds and waterfalls in 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

HAPPY MONDAY!!! Maybe your pond already looks like the photo above or you're getting ready to shut it down, however, today we’re going to talk about leak detection in your Central Pennsylvania water feature--- which is important to trouble shoot NOW before the temperatures get too cold, causing hoses to freeze.

Slight fluctuations in your watergarden pond are normal – evaporation and splashing can cause your waterfall or pond to lose up to one (1) inch a day. Large drops in water level, however, is a pretty good indicator that something else is going on. There are 3 areas that the leak issue can be found in:
                              Pond, Piping, or Waterfall.
Luckily, leak detection is simply a series of trouble shooting steps that we’re going to walk you through! The Dreamscapes Team uses these steps faithfully during every leak call we get.

A plumbing leak could be obvious before troubleshooting the pond/waterfall. If you have saturated mulch around the filtration boxes or around the perimeter of the pond, check there first! If obviously saturated mulch is not present, follow the steps below:
Step One: Fill your pond up to a normal level.
Step Two: Turn off your pump
Step Three: Wait 12 – 24 hours and check the water level.
Step Four: Depends on if the water level continued to drop or stayed the same.

If the water drops past an initial inch, the leak is in your pond. At this point, you want to let the pond continue to lose water until it stops because it will eventually find the hole and stop dropping. This is important to troubleshoot in the fall because of not knowing where hole is. In the unlucky case that the hole was in the very bottom of the pond, imagine adding water to the pond when the hoses freeze.

If the water level falls right at the line where the screws and gromets are on the skimmer  box, double check to see if the screws have rusted and disintegrated. If the screws are intact, move a few rocks around the front checking for obvious tears or chew holes and slide your hand behind the liner checking for wet soil indicating that the faceplate silicone has dried out. Remove the faceplate, clean the old silicone off the liner, and refer to your skimmer instruction manual for the proper way to seal the faceplate to the skimmer.

No issues with the above items? You can concentrate your search around the perimeter of the water level by removing any rocks, checking the pond liner for a puncture or hole. If the water level continues to drop to 6"-8" from the bottom, please be advised that it would be wise to remove the fish into holding tanks at this point in order to not compromise their safety. A holding tank should have aeration and a net over top to not only prevent predator attacks but to also prevent curious fish from jumping out. Once found, you can patch the leak with a liner patch kit. You can replace your rocks once the patch has finished sealing.

If the water level stayed the same in Step Three, your problem might lie in the waterfall.

Waterfall leaks can be caused by:
-low liner,
-splashing,
-obstruction or
-chew holes/liner tears.




Low liner -- found around a waterfall's edge. As dirt around the stream or waterfall settles, it can create low liner spots that may cause water to escape over the liner’s edge. This can be easily found by looking for wet mulch or muddy areas around the edges of your stream or waterfall. If you find the low spot, lift up the liner and backfill the liner area with soil to raise the edge and contain the water.
“Splash leak” – one that’s caused by water splashing out of the water feature, can be easily remedied by moving rocks in the area to redirect the water back into your feature.
Obstructions -- in your stream and waterfall caused by excessive plant or algae growth can restrict and divert water flow.
Chew Holes -- harder to find, chew holes can be anywhere inside the waterfall length/width and requires the moving of rocks. We set up test pipes in order to work in 2 foot increments starting at the bottom of the waterfall. Move the test pipe up another 2 feet after 24 hours has passed where the water level has not changed. When water level has dropped, begin lifting rocks in that 2 foot section. You can patch the hole with a liner patch kit and replace the rocks once the patch has finished sealing.

Finally, if none of these solutions work, it’s time to check the pipe, plumbing fittings, and pump connections.

The pipe runs along the outside of the pond and usually saturates the mulch if there is a significant leak like in the picture to the right. A cracked pipe could result in the loss of inches and inches of water in an hour.

The connections to the filtration system could also saturate the mulch. Check all three areas for saturated mulch before digging up/exposing connections and piping. If it is a SLOW LEAK...it may not have saturated the mulch. Dig'em up and  tighten/replace necessary components if found.

As mentioned above---you certainly want to have troubleshooted the leak to know the location before the outside temperatures get too cold, freezing the hoses. If you've narrowed the leak to the waterfall--no rush! That can be addressed in the Spring upon opening. A hole in the bottom of the pond, however, could be fatal for the fish come mid-winter.

Let the experts handle your leaky mess for you! Dreamscapes has a full service maintenance program that travels all over the Lebanon, Lancaster and Dauphin County areas. We also carry 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 koi ponds and waterfalls in 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

Pond Fish are pretty hardy and usually survive the winter with barely any effort year after year. But there are times when you find one, or two…or maybe even all of your pond fish have died over winter.

So what gives…what could be the cause of your winter pond fish loss?

• Aerator – An aerator is one of the most, if not the most, effective ways to prevent winter fish loss. An aerator produces a column of bubbles also known as oxygen that is used by your pond fish, plants, and by the beneficial bacteria.
  

 

• Pond Heater/De-Icer – In winter, you should have a hole open in the ice to allow for the exchange, and escape, of gases. However, breaking a hole in the ice manually could fatally shock your fish.   Pond heaters are thermostatically controlled and safely keeps a hole in the ice as it forms, allowing the lethal gases to escape.
  

Dreamscapes offers Spring Opening, Fall Shutdown and even Routine Pond Maintenance packages seasonally! We also carry 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 koi ponds and waterfalls in 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

Generally speaking, you should plan to prepare your plants for the chillier days of autumn in late September. When the days are shorter and the temperatures begin to drop giving way to the morning frost, you can be sure it is time to take action. Fall aquatic plant care also helps when trying to secure pond nets during the fall shutdown process to the waterfeature. For more information on the fall/winter shutdown process, please read our blog!

Dreamscapes keeps in stock only HARDY AQUATIC plants. So if you bought your aquatic plants at Dreamscapes Watergardens, rest assured they should come back or you in the Spring of 2018 when you start opening your pond for the season. When these plants are turning yellow and brown, it is not only a signal to stop fertilizing them, but you may consider trimming the dying foliage to about 2 inches above the water level. Semi-evergreen varieties can be left for longer interest. And the best news? You may leave these plants where they are in your pond!

Even if we don’t carry them, we can’t forget the TROPICAL MARGINAL aquatic plants. Here in our Zone 4-5 climate, we treat these plants as annuals, by replacing them each season. Keeping tropical waterlilies indoors over the winter is difficult so we advise our customers to treat them as annuals and purchase a new plant each season and to certainly remember to remove the plant entirely in the Fall so that the foliage doesn’t contribute to sludge build up after it decomposes. An alternative is to treat these tropical plants as houseplants and bring them in for the winter. They may be potted in a sealed clay pot with no drainage holes, or an ordinary pot if you add water regularly. When kept moist, the plants do well in a sunny window or sunroom.

Taking the time to properly care for your aquatic plants will mean happier and healthier plants next spring, and (in turn) a cleaner, healthier, pond ecosystem for your fish. Dreamscapes carries a full line of pond supplies from water treatments and fish medications to pond pumps, heaters, fountains, plants and fish available at our Aquatic Retail Center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania seasonally.  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 koi ponds and waterfalls in 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

Every Winter Dreamscapes gets quite a few calls about the best practices for Winterization of ponds and waterfalls in the Lebanon County, Lebanon Pennsylvania area. If you're looking for the answer to how to keep your fish safe over Winter, you should read our "Life Supports" blog. One of the most frequent questions we've gotten this 2016 season is:

Should I keep my Lebanon, County PA waterfeature running over Winter?

First we will look at the cons to running your waterfeature over the Winter:

1) Accompanied with Winter weather in Pennsylvania, we inevitably go through periods of freezing and periods of thawing of water. During the periods of freezing water, if you are running your waterfall, ice formations on the waterfall could divert the water outside of the pond; ultimately draining your water level. While your pump does not turn off automatically, it will continually try to pump water that is not in the skimmer box and could burn out--costing you the price of a new pump.
Worse yet: If your pump sits submerged in the pond, it will keep pumping your water until there is no water left in your pond--leaving your fish without the most vital part of their survival: water to swim in.

2) If you lose electric and/or your GFI trips, shutting off your pump--it is likely that the water in the plumbing could freeze in the interval between the electric tripping and you fixing it. This freeze of water in the pipes could crack them and cause a major leak issue the next time you get the pump running again. In order to fix cracked pipes you have to replace the entire section that is damaged which is no fun at all.

One of the very coolest parts of owning a pond is being able to see the seasons take shape on it i.e. a Summer pond is a completely different world from a Winter pond. Without all the lush plants and activity going on, what is left to enjoy when Winter hits?

One word: ICE.

Ice formations can be one of the coolest natural occurrences to happen to your waterfeature because they happen all on their own and are never the same from freeze to freeze! Watching water freeze as it trickles is also a pretty fascinating activity as well. The ice sleeks and shines as water trickles over it and is definitely a pretty sight to be seen. But is it worth the hassle that goes into maintaining your water levels, plumbing pipes and pump health?

Namely, if you are a homeowner who works extra long shifts, go away for long weekends or are not home to be around your pond to double check it's levels, running your pond year round could be a huge problem for you! Needing to babysit the waterfeature and constantly top it off with water could be more of a worry and hassle than it's worth for you if you are not home enough to enjoy it. There is nothing more sad than coming into the backyard to greet your pets and finding out that the water has diverted elsewhere.

So we recommend to disconnect the pump, store it in a bucket of water somewhere where it won't freeze (like a garage or basement) and make sure to disconnect the check valve if one is present! Follow the steps in this blog about fall shutdown for more information to shutdown your waterfeature!

Especially in the Lebanon, Pennsylvania area, Dreamscapes recommends to shut ponds down for the Winter by pulling the pump (store it in a bucket of water in a place that doesn't freeze), bleed the pipes (especially if there is a checkvalve in place) and plop in a deicer and/or air station (especially fish that are 8" or larger). For more information on the complete steps to take to shut down your pond or waterfall contact Dreamscapes Watergardens directly at 717-272-6555.

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

It is true: Summer 2016 is behind us. The great "Pond Shutdown" -so to say. The temperatures both inside and outside the pond continues to drop and the tree leaves have fallen as the aquatic plants have died back. Our pond fish in Central Pennsylvania are beginning to go into their own states of torpor and are not eating anymore.

At this time of year, Dreamscapes always gets a increase in calls inquiring about proper actions to be taken during Winter for ponds and the fish that live in them in Central Pennsylvania.


Some of the top questions/statements we hear are as follows:
Do I need a Deicer/Heater in my Lebanon County, Pennsylvania pond?
What can happen if I don’t have a pond deicer?
I never used a Pond Deicer and my fish were always fine.
My neighbor does not use a Pond Deicer and their fish always survive.

A pond deicer, also referred to as a pond heater, is a piece of equipment that is designed to maintain a hole in the water during the Winter months, when water typically freezes. But why? Simply put, even though your pond is dormant in the winter, there is still biological activity occurring. Specifically, fish are obviously still breathing, using up oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. This natural occurrence means that the metabolic processes continue to occur, meaning that your fish still poop! The process to break down fish poop and other dead organic matter contributes to the toxic gasses being released under the ice in your pond. If you are not familiar with the how a pond's nitrogen cycle works, please read this article!

If these gasses remained trapped under the ice and are not released to the atmosphere, the supply of dissolved oxygen in your pond will continue to decrease and carbon dioxide will increase, creating a toxic environment. Fish and other inhabitants (frogs and turtles) will not be able to survive in the toxic conditions such as this because they will essentially be suffocating underneath of the ice.

By maintaining an open hole in your ice, you not only allow these gasses to escape, but you also allow more dissolved oxygen to be held by the pond, allowing your fish to breathe.

Thus, the bigger your fish get, the more oxygen they need, the more they poop and the more they contribute to the toxic gases that will need released from underneath that ice. Believe it or not, the bigger the fish gets, the more care they need to ensure they are smiling at you come Spring. If your fish were fine last year, but they grew, they might not have the same outcome this year.

It has always been true that no two ponds are alike. Let me repeat that: No two ponds are alike. Therefore you can not rely on friends and neighbors for what worked for their pond when determining what will work for yours. There are so many factors that contribute to the balance of an ecosystem -- what type of filtration you use, how many fish you have, how much/often you feed your fish, when your last pond cleaning was, how many plants you have, how routinely you add beneficial bacteria to your pond, if at all, etc. It all matters!

Many misconceptions about Deicers/Heaters is that the deicer is designed to HEAT THE POND.

This is untrue. The purpose of a de-icer is ONLY to keep a hole open in the ice on your pond, not to heat the entire pond. As long as you can see water around (and under) your deicer, it is functioning properly.

It is important to note that the pond heaters that Dreamscapes Watergardens carries are THERMOSTATICALLY controlled. This means that the pond deicers only turn on when the water temperature hits 32 degrees or below. This saves costs of operating the pond deicer and lengthens the life span of the deicer as well. It does take some awareness on the pond owner's part to check that your deicer/heater is working when the time comes. Please do not just set it and forget it.

In the event that your pond does freeze completely over, you NEVER want to try to manually break the ice a part. Whenever you smash the ice, it sends out pressure waves through the water that could absolutely cause harm to your fish. Fish are very sensitive and get more sensitive the bigger they get.

If you find your pond has frozen all across the top, you can consider sprinkling “Pond Salt” on the place where your deicer is currently trapped underneath, or where you intend to put your Deicer. Pond Salt acts in the same way road salt does during the Winter, while maintaining a safe approach to protecting your fish.

To purchase a pond deicer/heater at Dreamscapes Watergardens, please stop out during our regular operating hours.

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 is located at 2155 State Route 343 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Please note that your GPS is ending you at the correct address, as some GPS devices do NOT recognize State 343 as an address. Some GPS recognize this street as South Pinegrove Road and others recognize it as North 7th Street.

Fall is officially here and it is a very crucial time to be caring for your waterfeature. In the fall, water is almost always very clear because of the cooler temperatures and the full, lush plants that are continuing to filter waterfeature water.

*Here are the most important "Life Supports" that you should have in place to not only keep your water garden looking good, but also to ensure your fish are safe and healthy over Fall and Winter so they are smiling at you come Spring 2017. Keep in mind that your ecosystem is still active under all that ice - everything you do or do NOT do now will affect your waterfeature in some way over the next 6 months and may surprise you when you open it in the Spring.

*Please note that some of these bullet points do not apply to Pondless® Waterfall systems.

1. Pond Thermometer – Keep one on hand at all times so you can gauge water temperatures.   This will help you know when to switch fish food, cold weather beneficial bacteria and when to stop feeding your fish entirely.

2. Fall Fish Food/Cold Weather Bacteria – We recommend switching to a fall fish food (low in protein) around late September or when water temperatures in your pond drop below 65 degrees. Cold weather food contains a wheat germ that helps with fish digestion. Beneficial Bacteria should still be applied to your waterfeature so as to continue breaking down any dead organic matter in the pond. Some beneficial bacteria are ineffective when water temperatures drop below 50—double check the one you have on hand. Cold Weather Beneficial Bacteria by Aquascape can be used in the Fall when water temperatures drop below 50 degrees and until the water begins to freeze for the year. It can also be used again in the Spring when water temperature is between 40 and 60 degrees.

3. Keep the Leaves Out – Cover your pond with a net to keep harmful leaves out of your pond that produce toxic gasses when decomposing.  This will go a long way towards keeping your fish safe this winter. Please note: Leaves will need to be continually removed from the top of the net, so as to not weigh the net down into the pond. A leaf blower is great at removing leaves from the top of net in an efficient manner. You may also consider using a tenting structure that is constructed with PVC pipe and prevents the net from sagging into the water due to the weight of the leaves. Dreamscapes offers this type of tenting service from October through November every year. Please click here for additional information on Fall Shutdown Services. 

4. Clean Your Pond – If your pond is filthy – Clean It!  Fish have a harder time surviving the winter in a dirty pond.

5. Cut Back Plants – Foliage from waterlilies, marginal and stream plants should be cut back to keep dead foliage out of your pond/pondless. Cutting back the hardy plants also helps ensure that they will grow again in the Spring. Plants that are not properly cut back in the Fall may not grow again when the temperatures rise. Make sure to discard any annual floating plants like water lettuce and water hyacinth. Decomposing plants contribute to poor water quality which can lead to fish health complications.

6. Pond Heater: Keep a Hole in The Ice – We ALWAYS suggest a two prong approach for keeping a hole in the ice.  You should have a strong, energy efficient bubbler or pump for continued use and a Pond Deicer for times of severe cold or prolonged heavy snow. Generally controlled by a thermostat, the deicer only runs when the water temperature is at or below freezing, heats the water to just above that, and then shuts off again. It is important to note that pond de-icers (also called pond heaters) ONLY heat enough water to maintain a hole in the ice to allow methane gas exchanges. If you use a floating de-icer, place it away from the bubbler. The movement of the water can move the heated water away from the de-icer, making it run more than necessary.

7. Keep a Hole in The Ice Don’ts – NEVER BANG ON THE ICE- it could send your fish into shock and they will die. If a dome of ice is created over your aerator bubbles, use “pond salt” to melt it by sprinkling it over where you want the hole to be.

8. Stop Feeding – When water temperatures are below 50 degrees, stop feeding the fish.  Period. Fish are unable to digest foods at temperatures lower than 50 degrees and it could be fatal for fish who consume food past that point.

9. Protect Your Electric Source –Check your GFCI periodically throughout the winter, as many pond owners lose power when snow reaches their electric source. It is important to make sure that your electrical outlets are covered and protected—this can be achieved by use of a “faux rock cover” which are designed to withstand all seasonal conditions.  

10. Aeration Needed – Koi fish 8” or bigger or a pond heavily stocked with goldfish need supplemental aeration in the winter. The bigger the fish or the more fish there are in a pond, the more oxygen that needs to be present for them to survive. We recommend an aerator or a small bubbler pump.