Water X Scapes Blog

What Is Montmorillonite Clay?

What Is Montmorillonite Clay?

Montmorillonite is a naturally occurring and versatile mineral used in various indrustries including agriculture, cosmetics, and environmental management.  Among it's uses, it's proven to be particularly useful for ponds and beneficial for pond...
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How To Repair Pond Liner

How To Repair Pond Liner

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...
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Pond Lights: Lighting Your Water Garden

Pond Lights: Lighting Your Water Garden

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, mystique,...
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Identifying Good and Bad Pond Snails

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 S...
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Why is my Pond Losing Water?

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 ev...
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Rules when Stocking and Feeding your Pond Fish

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 fun and a bondin...
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What is the difference between a lake and a pond?

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. ...
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Pond Winterization Preparation: A Checklist

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 means t...
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Pond Start Up - First Steps

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 or other pond fish, we re...
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HELP! This Pond was Here When I Moved In..

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 wi...
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Keeping Fish Out Of Pond Skimmers

Keeping Fish Out Of Pond Skimmers

“How do I Keep my Fish Out of the Pond Skimmer?” This is a very common question, so do not think that you are alone on this.  Below are the 3 most common reasons your fish might be going into the skimmer box and how to prevent it....
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What Fish Can Live In A Garden Pond?

What Fish Can Live In A Garden Pond?

We, of course, want you to have the best ponding experience possible. When you build an outdoor pond with fish in mind, you are creating a home for your new pets. Use this guide to help you in choosing which pond fish are most suitable for you and yo...
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8 Ideas to Renew Your Pond

8 Ideas to Renew Your Pond

You have now been a part of the ponding scene for years and just desire a fresh look, upgrade, or something new added to your water feature. Here are a few add-ons to bring that “newness” back to your garden: 1. Spitters or Fountains Add...
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Pond Thermometers and Pond Health

Pond Thermometers and Pond Health

“The Importance of your Pond Thermometer” Hard to believe that such a small thing, like a pond thermometer, can give you so much information throughout the pond season, but it’s true. Read on to find out what the temperature of your...
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Koi Fish Winter Survival

Koi Fish Winter Survival

Water temperatures start to decrease in the fall, and that change to cold temperatures start to slow down your pond fishes’ digestive processes. Koi and other pond fish have a hard time digesting protein when it’s cold – water tempe...
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Chemical Versus Natural Pond Treatments

Chemical Versus Natural Pond Treatments

Editor's note: We received this question from a recent customer and thought we would share it with all our readers - as well as the answer! Question: I just bought a house and there is a 1/3-acre pond located on the property. Most of it is covered wi...
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Acclimate New Koi or Fish to a New Pond

Acclimate New Koi or Fish to a New Pond

Properly acclimating your new koi and other fish to your pond is very important!  When acclimating your new fish, the goal is to decrease the stress as much as possible. We do this by gradually allowing them to get used to your pond water’...
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Spring Pond Opening Guide

Spring Pond Opening Guide

Spring pond openings take a little time and energy; however, it will get your pond ready for an enjoyable, fun summer of relaxation. Maintenance of your backyard pond during the late spring, summer and early fall should not take a lot of work unless...
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Keeping Unwanted Critters out of your Pond

Keeping Unwanted Critters out of your Pond

One problem pond owners sometimes run into are when predators come in and get to our beloved fish. This can be both annoying and heartbreaking. Below are a few tips by using decoys, netting, plants and shelters to keep those predators out and your po...
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How Many Fish Is Too Many In My Pond?

How Many Fish Is Too Many In My Pond?

You just finished building this awesome pond and one of the first things you want to do is add some koi and other beautiful pond fish. These fish will soon turn into pets with names and are fun to watch, bringing a lot of enjoyment to your day. While...
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