One of Dreamscapes' highest honors to date, has been the opportunity to contribute to the therapeutic offering that patients receive when at the Sechlar Family Cancer Center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.  Built in 2015 and opened in January 2016, this new cancer center was designed with the comfort level of the patient in mind, going above and beyond in even the smallest of details. Specifically, the addition for an elaborate waterfeature was desired for not only aesthetics reasons, but for therapeutic reasons as well, as the soothing sound of running water has been known to be great for relaxation and to reduce stress. The tranquil sound of water moving can also improve concentration.

Where could be a watefeature be more appropriately placed?

The architect's master vision for this property was to create a peaceful setting from the moment you arrive to the Cancer Center, to the waiting area and even for the patients inside the intake bays--encouraging peace, tranquility and relaxation with a waterfeature that wraps around the side of the building and meets the patient's room window. The patient's room window has a different optimal viewing point than the next.
 
Que Team Dreamscapes!

Mother Nature does not follow a cookie-cutter pattern and neither should man-made waterfeature. With two separate 20' long waterfalls spilling into a 20 foot by 60 foot pond, the Sechlar Family Cancer Center waterfeature has a variety of elements that contribute to an overall tranquil feel that is difficult to replicate. But first, the ground work.

With almost 500 labor hours and 60 tons of boulders, this massive waterfeature features a wetland filtration system to promote crystal clear water by use of filtering the water through the roots of plants. The wetland filtration system is generally used to filter larger ponds, as larger ponds tend to see a lot more sediment and an excess in nutrient build up around the water column. (If you don't know: excess nutrient build up can and will promote the growth of algae!)

Because this waterfeature is viewed from multiple different angles, Dreamscapes incorporated at least a dozen absolutely beautiful driftwood enhancement pieces at various viewing locations. This gives the waterfeature new unique life for viewers from every angle of involvement: the parking lot, the entrance, the waiting room, each individual intake room. We believe this gives the waterfeature an edge for interest, as it seems to be a has so much detail to discover.

One of the most differentiating characteristics between pond installers is the amount and style for which they lay their rock. Dreamscapes installs in a style to mimic Mother Nature with her natural artistic appeal that is anything but symmetrical or cookie-cutter. With 60 ton of boulders, 3 tons of cobble stones, 15 tons of river gravel, and dozens of driftwood pieces of stumps and logs, natural artistic style flows during the installation process for a beautiful breath-taking result.

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 | [email protected]

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.

The warm weather is obviously the best time to be able to enjoy watergardens in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. When the cold weather sets in, our beloved pond fish slow down and they tend to keep themselves concealed as they begin to go into their own states of dormancy. It is hard to imagine what is going on underneath those layers of ice and snow to know whether or not our fish are safe.

Koi and most pond fish are cold-blooded which means that their body temperature is regulated by the surrounding temperature of the water. Similarly, their body functions also respond and change according to the water temperature that they are being kept in. The activity and metabolism of koi and pond fish is greatly reduced during the Winter months which is why they do not feed at this time. Specifically, it is recommended to STOP feeding fish entirely when the water temperature is 50 degrees or below-- as they are not only uninterested in eating it and unable to digest the food in a healthy way, but the wasted food that sinks to the bottom also contributes to toxic waste described later in this blog.

Koi and other pond fish go into what is called a “state of torpor” when during the Winter months in zones 5 and 6. “Torpor” is not quite full hibernation, because it is of a shorter duration than the length that hibernation is. Torpor, however, is a very similar state of being to hibernation to include: reduced body temperature, slowed metabolism, slow reaction times, reduced breathing rate and primary body functions. When in the state of “torpor” the animal to is able to save the energy that would otherwise be needed for higher levels of activity.

Though in a state of torpor, pond fish still contribute waste to the pond and that waste still goes through it's own nitrogen cycle, creating toxic gases. Toxic gases can ultimately kill fish if the gases do not escape the pond. Keep your fish safe by maintaining an open area in the ice try using a floating de-icer or an aerator. If not familiar with either of these items, please read our de-icer blog and/or our aerator blog. This open area in the ice will allow noxious gases, like ammonia, to escape from the pond. If they do not escape, however, you risk your fish suffocating on the gases underneath the ice. Which, logically speaking, you will not notice until the ice thaws and you see your fish belly up.

For more information on koi pond fish and pond deicers, please contact us directly!

Seasonally, Dreamscapes carries a full line of pond supplies from water treatments and fish medications to pond pumps, heaters, fountains. Hundreds of plants and fish are available between the months of April and September every year! If you think you need it for your Central Pennsylvania waterfeature pond, 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 | [email protected]
2155 State Route 343, Lebanon Pa | 717-272-6555 | [email protected]

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,

What do you do when you possess all of the pond installing passion in the world, design ponds for a career and own a pond installation business? You build your absolute dream pond in your own backyard because where else are you able to enjoy a beautiful serene paradise the best?
That's right -- this is Dustin and Tara Stohler's pond!

Literally speaking, this pond is 25’x35’x3’ with a 20’ long and 10' wide waterfall.  The pond boasts crystal clear water, some really nice imported koi, and a pathway of floating steps. 

This pond is five years old and has been on the Dreamscapes Pond Tour multiple times... so you just might recognize it. But have you ever thought about what went into building it? 

Wetland filters are designed for larger ponds, as larger ponds are subject to a lot more sediment and an excess in nutrient build up around the water column. To work, this type of set up filters through the roots of bog and wetland plants in order to promote PRISTINE water quality on a level that is much higher than any other filtration system.

Steppers in ponds are great for a multitude of reasons from aesthetics to exploring opportunity...you absolutely can't go wrong with having steppers across your pond. Not only does it give you access to the other side (which comes in handing when the pond is large) but it also allows anyone who enjoys the pond a different type of up close experience to the ecosystem in that water. Dustin and Tara's son, Chase, loves to come out and sit on different parts of the steps to stick his feet in the water. Sometimes he even lays right down on his belly and sticks his face in the water, too.

For more information on koi pond installation for the Lebanon, Pennsylvania area, please contact us directly!

Located in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Dreamscapes Watergardens installs and renovates 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 | [email protected]

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

Hey Dreamscapes, Is it okay to add new fish to my pond at this time (November) of the year?

One of the great things about getting new koi, or any new pond fish for that matter, in the very early Fall is that you can find some great pricing on koi and other pond fish. Especially in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, most fish sellers are anxious to get rid of stock toward the end of the season before it gets cold, as they are looking to not have to maintain them indoors over the Winter. For that reason some good deals and great pricing can be found on koi from late August through September. Dreamscapes recommends that if you are interested in taking advantage of these deals, to do so no later than mid-October for the Lebanon County, Lebanon PA area.

By adding fish to your Zone 5/6 pond later than the beginning of October, you are risking the health of the added fish. It is absolutely true that fish undergo a level of stress when it comes to acclimating them to a new environment. Stress can reduce their slime coat and make them more susceptible to the parasites that are inevitably living in your pond water. Fish should be given a substantial amount of time to adjust to their new environment before going into torpor (fish “hibernation”).

Pond fish in Central Pennsylvania should also establish their new eating patterns before cold weather hits, which also gives you the opportunity to observe the pond fish for any health issues. Even if they do survive, you may find you have a very unfriendly and/or skittish fish come Spring because they are not use to YOU either!

Introducing pond fish, whether it be Koi, Goldfish, Orfes, Sharks etc, to new environments with only weeks before they stop eating or even as they begin to go into torpor is not a practice that the Dreamscapes team recommends.

It could ultimately end fatally for the fish.

There is often a lot of different recommendations about how to properly add fish to ponds. It is important to note that an outside ecosystem is VERY different from an inside fish tank, as Mother Nature happens to the outside pond and not to the indoor tank. The follow set of instructions is how Dreamscapes Watergardens recommends to acclimate fish. This guideline acclimates the fish to not only the temperature of the pond, but also to the pH, which is very important.

1) Float bag for 30 minutes in pond
2) Add approx. 1 cup pond water to bag
3) Float bag for 10 minutes
4) Add approx. 1 cup pond water to bag
5) Float bag for 10 minutes
6) Add approx. 1 cup pond water to bag
7) Float bag for 10 minutes
8) Individually release fish by hand into pond

For more information on koi pond fish, please contact us directly!

Located in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Dreamscapes Watergardens installs and renovates 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 | [email protected]

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.

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 | [email protected]

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.

Have you seen your pond fish lately? Don't panic!! Though frustrating, it is absolutely not uncommon to have periods of time exist where your pond fish seem to be hiding. Fish are sure to become one of the most prized possessions in the backyard-- after all, you get to watch them grow, eat out of your hands and bring smiles to all of your visitors!

While often temporary, pond fish tend to "hide" for a few different reasons. Given time and small adjustments to your fish will show themselves again! First step is to determine the most likely reason your fish may be hiding:

If you have recently introduced new fish in your backyard pond, you can expect them to be a bit skittish until they figure out their new homes and their new roommates. Think about it literally: standard retail tanks are not only smaller with a sterile feel to them, but they are also generally housed inside and do not experience the elements from Mother Nature. When considering all the different seasonal changes that Lebanon County in Central Pennyslvania experiences, making the move to an outdoor world could absolutely be scary!
Adding new fish to you pond could cause your existing koi or goldfish to hide too. You can try to coax your pond fish out from hiding by being consistent: feed the fish at the same place and time every day, ensuring that your shadow is not casting itself over the pond. They need to learn to trust you!

Your fish may also be hiding if there is a sudden change in the water quality, pH level or oxygen level inside of your backyard ecosystem. In order to know if this is the reason for the hiding of your fish, you would have to be testing pond water regularly for ammonia levels and pH levels. The Dreamscapes Pond and Aquatic Center carries several test kits to read an array of different levels to include ammonia, pH, nitrate and nitrite. You may want to test the water in the morning and evening and use the average since the pH does change throughout the day.

As temperature rises during the summer, the need for dissolved oxygen in the hot summer also increases. If ample oxygen is not available, the health of the fish can be compromised, stressing them out-- oxygen is especially important as your fish grow. A great way to dramatically increase the aeration is by the addition of a air station, also known as a bubbler.

Bubblers can be used on the bottom of the pond during the summer and on the plant shelf during the Winter to maintain a hole in the ice. Dreamscapes sells air stations (bubblers) in their Retail Aquatic Center year round!

Pond predators, like raccoons, mink and heron love to snack on backyard pond inhabitants. Your koi fish always hiding could indicate a predator has been frequenting your pond. Koi caves, also known as fish tunnels, are great additions to your pond to give your fish some place to take cover when a predator is lurking. Depending upon how often the predator was frequenting your pond, it may be a couple weeks until you see your fish again.

In order to keep heron out of your pond, you can try a combination of different measures:

1) String fishing line 1-2 inches apart laterally across the pond in areas where plant shelves exist. The fishing line, if strung correctly, deters the heron by making it difficult for them to step into the pond.
2) Use a "Heron Decoy" by Aquascape, Inc. making sure to move the decoy every other day when you know the heron is lurking. Heron are very territorial birds and they do not like to share with others. They are also smart birds and they will know the decoy is a fake if they realize it has not moved in some time.
3) The use of a pond net, though unappealing, protects the fish by making it absolutely impossible to get into the pond. This could be the same net you use during Fall/Winter Pond Maintenance.

These are a few of the more common reasons and solutions to you koi fish always hiding. It’s important to remember that most of these issues can be resolved and given time, most fish will become comfortable in their home and show themselves more frequently.

For more information on koi pond fish, please contact us directly!

Dreamscapes carries a full line of pond supplies from water treatments and fish medications to pond pumps, heaters, fountains, plants and fish! 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 | [email protected]

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.

Fish are great pets but believe it or not, your pond could get a little crowded, causing an imbalance in water quality. Think of it this way: the more fish you have, the more you feed your fish, the more waste (poop) is produced and the harder your plants and filtration system has to work in order to get rid of that produced waste.

Generally speaking, the maximum amount of fish you should keep in your pond is calculated by allotting for 1” of fish for every 10 gallons of water.

The first step in knowing the magic number  for your pond is to know how big your pond is in terms of gallons of water! In order to figure that out, you first must be aware of whether or not your pond is covered with rocks and gravel or if it is a bare liner/preform pond.

The calculation for actual gallons of pond water is as follows:
Ponds with rocks and gravel:                                           Ponds with NO rocks and gravel:
Length x width x Average Depth x 3                                      Length x width x Average Depth x 7.5

If your pond was installed the Aquascape way and/or by the Dreamscapes install crew, the breakdown should look like this:
Size:          Gallons           Max Inches of Fish
  4'x6'            300                            30"
  6'x8'            400                            40"
 8'x10'           500                            50"
11'x11'           700                            70"
11'x16'         1000                          100"
16'x16'         1500                          150"
16'x21'         2000                          200"

So you know how big your pond is and you know how many inches of fish you're able to have in your pond- now what? Before heading to Dreamscapes' pond store and buying a dozen of the greatest looking fish you can find, it is imperative to consider how BIG you're looking for your fish to grow (koi never stop growing and have been known to reach 48" in length). If your pond can hold 100" of fish and you buy 10 different koi that are each 10" in length, you've given your fish no room to grow. So how big do you want them to be? The secret in growing your fish is in the way you feed them!

 The truth about pond fish is that they can eat and eat and eat, way past the point that they're even hungry. If you're looking to grow your fish, there are high protein foods that contribute to high growth and energy. If you're looking to have slow growth, ask yourself what would fish eat if they lived in a natural pond/waterway? Unlike goldfish, koi fish will actually feed on algae growing off of rocks in the pond in the event that they're hungry (not enough to make a noticeable difference in algae reduction but enough to keep them fed). We have successful ponders from both sides of the spectrum: those who feed 2x daily and those who choose not to feed at all!

BUT DID YOU KNOW that fish waste fertilizes more algae growth which requires more maintenance? It's true! If you find you can't keep up with the water balance, consider cutting back on how much or how often you feed your fish! Click here for more information about pond algae.



REMEMBER: the more you feed them, the quicker they increase in size and the more waste they produce-- so give yourself some room to grow or be prepared to up your maintenance obligation.

Koi fish and goldfish will be available at Dreamscapes Watergardens Aquatic Center mid-late April this year! For more questions or to check on availability, contact Dreamscapes today!

Dreamscapes Watergardens | 2155 State Route 343, Lebanon PA | 717-272-6555