ADVICE:
If the only thing you want is advice, that's fine. Give me a call at 309-310-5098 or write me at pondgal@gridcom.net. The only thing I ask is if you decide to actually FOLLOW my advice, and get whatever product you need to get to solve your problem, you get that product through us if you can. (Which, of course, you can!) You're kind of on the honor system here. It takes time to figure out what is causing a problem and then try to figure out how to solve it, so the only way we get paid for our time, when all you want is advice, is if you purchase products through us. We do our best to keep our prices competitive and we treat all of our clients the way we would want to be treated.
INSTALL IT YOURSELF:
Of course, we can provide you with all the right equipment for installing a pond. If you would like to install it yourself, but want a professional's opinion on the best way to do it, we do that too. Remember, I started out with my own pond in the summer of 2000, with no experience in ponding. Had I known then what I know now about filtration, I wouldn't have made the mistakes I made back then, and would have saved myself literally MONTHS of reworking the filter system. Our goal is to make this a positive experience for you. We want your pond to be successful from the start. That means low maintenance, clear water, and healthy fish and plants. There are lots of different opinions out there. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for all. Get it right the first time and you'll save thousands in time and changes to the system.
There are basically three types of water features that are out there (excluding fountains, of course). They are: 1. a water garden, 2. a pond, and 3. a koi pond. All are contained systems, meaning you don't have to run plumbing to them. Once they are filled with water, you will only top off the feature when water evaporates or when you do a water change.
1. A water garden is a very simple water feature. No water movement is necessary in this system as it is designed to grow plants, with no fish ever being intruduced into the system. The types of plants you want to grow here and the number of them you want to house will help determine the size and depth of this feature. You DO NOT need to have fish to have a successful water feature.
2. A pond, for the sake of this discussion, houses both plants AND fish. Once you add fish into the equation, things change. You need to circulate the water, and depending on the number and type of fish you want to keep, you will need to filter it somehow.
3. A koi pond is a pond that is designed specifically for the needs of these exquisite fish. A koi pond is not designed to house plants of any kind, just great, big, beautiful koi. As these fish can get upwards to 20 pounds a piece, special considerations need to be taken to keep the water quality optimal for their health, growth and color.
We can design any of these for you, but most of our work concentrates somewhere between a pond and a koi pond.
INSTALLATION:
Any pond that we design, we can install. We strive to install complete systems. That means once it's done, you don't have to purchase anything else to make it work properly, like filter media, an aerator, or even a pond thermometer. It is a personal pet peave of mine to have something done and then be told, "Oh by the way, you should probably have one of these". Everything you are getting is written out and approved by you prior to any dirt being moved. We take care of everything, from having the site marked for utilities to showing you how to add your fish and plants. The only thing you need to do is provide an electrical outlet, and we will turn the completed pond over to you, ready to plug in and enjoy. We will even show you how to maintain it!
MAINTENANCE:
Once your pond is installed, we can maintain it for you if you don't want to do it yourself. Our ponds are extreamly low maintenance, but if you have an aversion to fish poo or getting into your pond to remove spent foliage, we can do it for you. We will custom tailor a Maintenance Agreement to meet your specific needs, depending on the extent of work you want to do yourself.
SERVICE CALLS:
If you have a problem that needs immediate assistance, we will be happy to make a service call. Service calls are $50.00 and do not include any materials that may be necessary to fix whatever problem you are experiencing. Currently we are servicing McLean and Livingston Counties.
Questions? Give me a call at 309-310-5098, or write me at pondgal@gridcom.net.