Water X Scapes Blog

Lake Treatment Chemicals

Chemicals are a common control method to treat problematic plants, algae, disease, and insects in and around lakes and earthen bottom ponds.  Most lakes and earthen bottom ponds at some point struggle with some of these nuisances.  Fo...

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Preparing your Fountain, Bubbling Rock, & Pondless Water Feature for Winter

Another year has gone by and the weather is beginning to change. Once again, nights are becoming cooler and the scent of fall is in the air. Sad but true, it is time to start packing up yard ornaments, putting away the lawn furniture (unless you h...

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Identifying Common Pond Fish Problems

Ever wonder if your fish can talk to you? Paying close attention to their behavior or noticing symptoms on their body can speak loudly as to how your fish are feeling. Use this “symptom checker” guide to help pinpoint common fish problems and wha...

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Learn how to Repair Pond Liner with Seam Tape and Primer

Patching Pond Liner Properly with a Seam Tape Kit could Save you the Trouble of Rebuilding your Water Feature..There comes a time in the life of a pond when leaks happen. Whether it’s from an overlapped liner, roots pushing through, or a hole chewe...

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5 Trees to Keep Away from Your Water Garden and Why

Although some of these plants are very attractive and have a reputation for growing near a natural earth bottom pond, it does not mean that they will do you any favors being planted close to the edge of your water garden. Birch Trees are...

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The Life of a Pond: Sun vs. Shade

Everyone has their own opinion about whether a pond can be built in the sun or should it be built it the shade. Here are a few facts that may help you determine where exactly to put your pond. Sun Benefits:Arguably the most common reason to build...

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Chlorine, Chloramine, and Pond Water Conditioners

As a water gardener I am sure you have heard one or more of these terms over time. But what are they? Below, we define what each are, when to watch out for them, and when to add them.If you have “city water” running from the tap in your home then...

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Biology in Your Own Back Yard!

With the world in its current pandemic, spending time at home has become more prevalent than ever. Make your water garden more than just a stay-cation spot, let it become a world for education as well.Getting Fresh Air:Kids these days are all bu...

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Pond Dyes are Safe for Fish, Wildlife and Swimming

POND DYES - for lakes & large earthen bottom pondsUsing pond dyes for lakes is like putting sunglasses on your water’s surface. The dyes will protect your body of water from the UV rays of the sun that activate and promote the growth of submerg...

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Potted Versus Bare-Rooted Pond Plants

A water garden is not complete without aquatic plants. In fact, they play an essential role in keeping your pond water clean, clear and healthy! Some plants are used for shading and keeping the water temperatures cooler, some are used for filterin...

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The Sustainability of Pond Keeping

Besides providing serenity through the peaceful sounds of running water and the graceful movements of swimming fish, your pond holds potential for providing you with so much more. This is to suggest the idea of growing fruits and vegetables in a b...

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Best Hardy Marginal Pond Plants for Filtration

Filtration plays an important role in the health of your pond water. Did you know that many pond plants help naturally filter your pond water? Follow along as we cover the top 10 hardy marginal pond plants that will help with your pond filtr...

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Pond Lights: Lighting in and Around your Water Garden or Water Feature

Adding lights to your water feature adds hours of enjoyment to be had while being able to take advantage of sights and feelings that you would typically miss out on during the day. Landscape and pond lighting can create elegance, dimension, mystiq...

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Identifying Good and Bad Pond Snails

"Are All Snails Good for my Pond?"As with anything, there are pros and cons to having snails in your water garden. Here, we identify the most common snails found in a backyard pond and discuss what they can do (or not do) in the water. Trapdoor...

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Why is my Pond Losing Water?

The heart-sinking feeling of walking out to your pond and hearing the pump sucking air because the water level is down, is enough to put anyone into a panic. Don’t fret, we are here to help you determine whether it’s a leak or possibly evaporatio...

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Our Pondless Water Feature Maintenance and Care Tips for throughout the Season

There is no such thing as a ‘no maintenance’ water feature, but a pondless water feature is about as low maintenance as you can get. Here are a few tips to make it even easier.WHILE BUILDING YOUR PONDLESS WATER FEATURE:A few suggestions to take i...

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It Is Better to Give Than to Receive | Ronald McDonald House Charities

Charity is the act of extending love and kindness to others unconditionally. This is a conscious act, but the decision is made by the heart. Our hearts, this year, are pouring out for, and with, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeast Ohio,...

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Lake Aeration Improves Water Quality of Earthen Bottom Ponds

What is Aeration?Any procedure by which oxygen is added to water can be considered a type of water aeration. This allows for various techniques to add dissolved oxygen to the water; but they also have varying degrees of successful benefits.Natural...

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Top 5 Tropical Marginals for Pond Filtration

Filtration plays an important role in the health of your pond water. Did you know that certain pond plants can help naturally filter the water? Follow along as we cover the top 5 tropical marginal pond plants that will help with your pond filtrati...

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Rules when Stocking and Feeding your Pond Fish

There are many things in a pond for your koi and fish to eat - such as insects, plankton, string algae, and sometimes pond plants. So sometimes it may not be necessary to feed your fish at all. BUT feeding your finned friends can be f...

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The Differences Between Using Chemical and Natural Water Treatments for your Earthen Bottom Pond

Chemical treatments (like copper) for lakes and larger earthen bottom ponds are often the first thing reached for to control, or eradicate, algae blooms or excessive and invasive plant growth. Application is initially a success. Water is “cleaned...

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Learn How to Keep your Pond's Eco-System Balanced for Crystal Clear Pond Water

Keeping your pond’s eco-system balanced can be tricky at times but does not have to be hard.When you build a water garden, you are not just creating a space for your koi and fish to live. You are creating an eco-system where your pond fish can thr...

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How To Fix Green Pond Water

A common question amongst many pond owners is;  “Why has the water in my garden pond turned green?”  Let’s take a look at what this green pond water is, what may cause it, and some effective ways to treat and remediate the p...

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What is the difference Between a Lake and a Pond?

If we are comparing two naturally occurring bodies of water, then size is what matters. If we are speaking in terms of the treatments for a lake versus the treatments for a koi pond (or backyard water garden), then there is much more to discuss.&n...

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Pond Salt Treatments

Why Pond Salt Treatments? Adding salt to your pond has many benefits, but the one thing in question here is whether maintaining salt levels throughout the season is good for your fish. It is true that pond salt, at certain dissolved l...

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The Benefits of Barley Straw Products: What Does Barley do for a Pond?

The Wonders of Barley StrawEveryone has an aversion to seeing algae growing in their beautiful water garden, but where there is water, sunlight and nutrients, algae will grow. Let’s explore a natural solution to keeping that unsightly green stuff...

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Pond Cleaning versus Changing Water

To clean or not to clean… that is the question.Whereas many of us love to see a sparkling clean pond, as if it was brand new every spring, it is not always best to clean it out. Follow these guidelines to keep your water feature healthy and beaut...

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How do I Protect my Koi & Pond Fish When There is no Plant Coverage?

When Spring has sprung, not only are the pond predators waking up or returning, but it is also time for mating season. They are hungry, after a long winter’s nap, and so are the newly pregnant mommas. What can you do to save your fish when it is...

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Common Calculations to Know for Building and Maintaining Your Water Garden

Knowing your pond inside and out will help you to have a successful and pleasant ponding experience for years to come. From planning your build to maintaining the water quality, these calculations below will prove useful at some point in your pond...

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The Signs of Spring in and Around your Water Garden

Excitement abounds when the signs of spring start to show after a long gloomy winter in north east Ohio. Soon we’ll hear the sounds of running water and feel the sun on our faces again.There are many things I have learned to look forward to each S...

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Ponds Aren’t Just for Fish Anymore

Ever consider what your water garden can be used for besides homing your favorite pond fish? Let’s take a look at the versatility of your back yard oasis. What is a pool but a hole in the ground capable of holding water so that on the hottest day...

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Hoffman's Water X Scapes is More than Meets the Eye

The stresses of modern living are abundant and becoming increasingly so - with pandemic scares, social distancing, and uncertainty of the future. Staring at a computer screen all day, whether you are entering data, home-schooling, on a ZOOM call,...

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De-bunking Some Water Garden & Pond Myths

With all the stresses in society these days, who wants to add more maintenance and responsibilities to their daily chore list? We have heard from many people who love the idea of having a water feature, but express that they just do not need anot...

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Winter is for the Birds

We are not the only ones out there longingly awaiting signs of spring and warmer weather. But at least we don’t have to forage for our food under a foot of snow - or take a bath in a frozen puddle.With your help, these charming symbols of summer...

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Pond Winterization Preparation: A Checklist

Backyard ponds require some extra attention when preparing for fall and those cold winter months ahead. Temperatures start dropping which means more and more questions on what to do next are arising. Remember, doing some fall pond maintenance mean...

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What Happens to the Frogs in my Pond During the Winter?

Our amphibious friends can sometimes become just as special to us as our koi fish and other pond fish, but where do they go to survive the cold winter months?Frogs can be found hanging out at the bottom of the pond where the water temperatures are...

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Pros And Cons Of Running Your Pond Pump All Winter

“Can I Keep my Pond Pump Running All Winter?” Many pond owners have had success with leaving their pond pump run all winter. And I am of the opinion, at times, “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” However, with the unpredictability of Ohio we...

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How to Keep Pond Fish Alive in Winter

Do Koi Hibernate? Other common questions that will be answered: How to keep koi fish alive in winter? Feeding Pond Fish in Winter? Should I cover my pond in winter? What to do with pond fish in winter? How do fish survive in a frozen pond dur...

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Just What the Doctor Ordered: Promote a Healing Space in Your Yard Through Water Gardening and Landscapes

People who suggest that water gardening is a dying fad, have clearly not heard about the beneficial effects splashing water can have on your environment and incidentally on your physical well-being. In case you need another excuse to have a pond,...

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It’s Never too Late to Add-On New Features or Upgrade your Backyard Pond

Often times we build exactly what we think we want for a water garden…and then learn of something new. Or, it may just be time to upgrade. Either way, it’s not too late to add-on extra features like waterfalls, skimmers and bog filters to your pr...

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Rain Water Harvesting is Nothing New - How To Collect Rain Water

Anyone who has lived in Northeast Ohio, for any amount of time, knows the instability of the weather is one could bank on…going from one extreme to the other at any given time. Harvesting rain water is a great way to plan for droughts as well as m...

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Have you Decided to Build your Own Water Garden? Here are the Pond Supplies you Will Need to DIY

Knowing what the job entails before you start is half the battle. Of course, Hoffman’s Water X Scapes is your one stop pond shop. We have all the pond supplies and knowledge you will need to help you become a successful water gardener from the ver...

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Pond Start Up - First Steps

A Pond Start Up can seem daunting at first.  You've just built that backyard pond you've been dreaming of and now what? Right now, it is just some rocks and water, but not for long.  Before you start adding koi...

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Pond Filtration Techniques For Backyard Pond Owners

Pond Filtration Techniques: There are three types of pond filtration systems and each has its own job to perform, but having a combination of all three is the best solution for keeping your pond water clean, clear and healthy.  Le...

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3 Common Mistakes to Avoid when Building a Pond

Every pond is like a snowflake or a thumbprint, no two are exactly the same. But often times, these same 3 topics get overlooked or underestimated in the pond planning and designing stages.  1. LOCATION  Low lying areas in the ya...

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HELP! This Pond was Here When I Moved In..

Every so often a customer will come in or call us saying; “We recently bought a new house BUT it came with a backyard pond.. The problem is I have no clue what to do with it, can you help?!” The answer is yes, of course we can help you with your...

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How to Hide a Waterfall Spillway

Tips for Hiding your Waterfall Spillway  A pond waterfall box provides biological filtration as well as serving as the starting point for the re-circulation of your pond’s water. But who wants to see a big black box at...

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Learn why we use Pond Underlayment Every Time we Install a Pond Liner – There are MANY Benefits in Using Underlayment!

Is it Necessary to use Pond Underlayment with my Liner? Keep reading to learn the benefits of installing underlayment when you use pond liner.There are many ways to get a job done, but we are here to tell you ways that will save you the most trouble....

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