Ponds Aquarium Services by Innerscapes Aquarium Systems

We build and service ponds as well!
You can expect the same great service concerning your pond or water garden!

Design - Construction - Maintenance - Consultation Since 1980

InnerScapes Water Garden Services Include:

- Maintenance of visual presentation of pond
- Maintenance of filtration including cleaning of prefilters and pump maintenance
- Monitoring and partial water changes as necessary - Supply and introduction of additives, conditioners, buffers, etc. as required
- Administration of all medications and treatments
- Provide instructions regarding feeding. You will also be provided detailed instructions on dosage and frequency for use of conditioners, enzymes and/or algaecides.
- Procurement and replacement service for livestock and supply items (fish food, conditioners, algaecides, enzymes, etc. - Regular "brush up" of pond perimeter
- Trim aquatic plants
- "Top off" the pond, pull up stringy algae, sticks, leaves, etc.
- Fertilize aquatic plants

All services are carried out by trained and qualified staff
Early diagnosis of problems saves you money and grief !

Vaillancourt Residence Pinellas Park Designed and built 2002

Residential Pond

Built 2002

Excavation Construction

Hi Bob,
I am enclosing a picture of the pond that you did for us in '02, this is one of the ones that you sent to us after completing the pond. We wanted to let you know how pleased we are with it, you did an excellent job on it and it still looks beautiful! We have been very pleased with your response any time we have had a question on anything. We constantly get compliments on it from people passing by! Please don’t hesitate to send anyone by to take a look if someone is thinking about getting one. Keep in touch!

Thanks,
Lea and Rick Vaillancourt

More of our happy clients:

Dr. Anthony Since 1992

Dr. Anthony
Bay Endo Falls
Built 1993

SH Montessori 2000 - 2006

Gesner Fine Arts-Since 2000 - Bay Endodontics - Residence Clw. Beach

Fantastic Pond Habitat built by Pond Master Matt Whiting. Paradise !

Custom pond design and construction for any application !

Contact us for an Estimate

Pond maintenance includes a regular regimen.
Either bi-weekly, monthly or bi-monthly.

In addition to these regular duties, Seasonal cleanouts will be required which vary in scope
and cost dependant on the condition of the pond, volume of fish. etc.

Fees are quoted based on your requirements, the size of your pond
and your participation in simple maintenance duties.

Top of Page

Pond Tips:

Your garden pond requires serious routine maintenance.

Seasonal cleanings are a very important aspect of owning a pond.

The most important cleanings are the spring cleaning and the fall cleaning.

If you are going it alone - Be ready ! Pond cleaning is a labor intensive and dirty process.

Be prepared for:

• Removing fish and safely keeping them for the duration of the cleaning.
• Carefully removing and hydrating the plants.
• Draining all the water.
• Removing excess organic debris, knows as sludge, muck, and slime. (Really dirty work!)
• Cleaning filter media
• Replacing and treating the water
• Acclimating the fish and plants to the new water conditions. (etc)

If you should choose to tackle your own maintenance, Keep up your routine! Always keep in mind why you are doing this dirty work. You have a very beautiful piece of nature to preserve and... your fish are depending on your not forgetting to clean their filters! You can have the satisfaction of saying "I did it myself" and you'll be getting exercise in the process! :)

Water Changes
Partial water changes removes dissolved and solid waste and replaces depleted trace elements. Water changes provide fish with a healthy and more disease resistant environment. Quarterly water changes will typically maintain healthy conditions in a pond.
Remove the solid wastes that collect on the bottom. There are several methods of doing this. There are even pond vacuums available. You can use a large sump pump on a pole to "vacuum" while doing your water changes.
Be sure to add a water conditioner to the new water that is added to the pond. This will take the chlorine and chloramines out of the tap water. In addition, Some additive reduces fish stress, helps neutralize harmful metals, stimulates fish slime coat and adds beneficial electrolytes.

Filter Maintenance
The filter helps to keep the pond clean. The filter and/or prefiltrers should be checked periodically to ensure that they are clean. Make this part of your monthly cleaning routine. The filter may need to be checked more often if the fish and plants are at maximum capacity. Filters trap waste, which is removed by replacing the filter media. There are some filters that are designed so that you can rinse and reuse them. Manufacturers' instructions for cleaning and maintaining the filter should always be followed.

Monitor fishfood intake closely while comparing the waste buildup in prefilters/filters.

It is very important that the food you are feeding is first being filtered by the fish so to speak. If your filter is picking up food that is not being consumed - you are overloading the system's biological balance!

Please don't over feed! (see fish feeding page)

Water Quality

Water quality affects a fish's health and happiness. Creating proper water conditions is the most important requirement for healthy fish.

Characteristics of Water Quality Include:
   Water pH level (acidity)
   Hardness (mineral content)
   Temperature
   Oxygen content
   Nitrates and Ammonia content

pH Level

   pH refers to the acidity of the water
   pH is influenced by factors including amount of carbon dioxide and fish wastes in water
   The scale ranges from 0 to 14. The scale is logarithmic, meaning each number is ten times stronger than the preceding    number. For example, a pH of 2 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 3 and one hundred times more acidic than a pH of 4.
   Alkaline water has a pH above 7.0
   Neutral water has a pH of 7.0 or no acidity
   Acid water is below 7.0
   Slightly acidic is 6.8 to 6.9
   Extremely acidic is 4.0 to 5.9 (not good for most fish)
   Use a kit to check the pH level-in general, your pond's pH should be above 7.0
   An abrupt drop in pH may indicate an increase in carbon dioxide or fish wastes-an increase in aeration and partial water    change should help

Oxygen Content

Fish need enough oxygen available for respiration. Most filters and water pumps connected to a waterfall provide aeration to the pond. Stagnant water kills.

Nitrates and Ammonia

If a water changes are not performed regularly, or if the filters are not working properly, nitrates and ammonia produced by the excrement of the fish can pollute the water and kill the fish. If nitrate or ammonia levels are too high, a 25% water exchange should be conducted and the filter should be cleaned or replaced. Live plants help to remove nitrates from the water and therefore keep the pond healthier. Test kits are available for consumers to test the amount of nitrates and ammonia in the water.

Water Conditioners

Pond additives have many benefits:
   Removing the chlorine and chloramine from tap water
   Removing Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates
   Reducing fish stress
   Helps neutralize harmful metals
   Stimulates necessary fish slime coat
   Adds beneficial electrolytes
   Adds beneficial bacteria that break down ammonia to nitrites and then nitrate.

There are many water conditioners. They come in several
different forms. We will be pleased to recommend the right water conditioners for your needs.

With a new pond set-up, testing the water is critical to the process.
Water chemistry changes!

Water tests:
   pH (acidity of water)
   Hardness of water
   Nitrogen compounds: ammonia, nitrite and nitrate

WHEN SHOULD THE WATER BE TESTED?
   First month: test every week
   Second month: test bi-weekly
   Third month and thereafter: the pond should be well established and a monthly water test should be sufficient.

In addition, water should be tested if these following warning signs are present:

   Sudden changes in fish health or behavior
   Excessive algae growth
   Water with an odor
   Cloudy water

Algae

Algaes exist in every aquatic system
Most algae species are not harmful to fish. For many fish algae is an important part of their diet.
Algae can tell a lot about the condition of the water in the pond. Excessive algae can be unsightly.
To control algae, there are a few facts you should know:
Algae can be caused by the following:
   Too much sunlight
   Overcrowding of fish
   Overfeeding the fish
   Over fertilization of plants
   Excessive phosphates.

To reduce algae:

Barley pellets are very helpful as is the addition of live Enzymes
   Add a phosphate remover
   Remove any excess debris
   Conduct a 25% water change
   Add live plants
   Add water treatment that is specifically designed to kill algae in a pond. Carefully read the label
most algaecides also can kill or weaken plants.
Adding fertilizers for aquatic plants may also be necessary.

Koi are always hungry Joy