Pacific Outdoor Living Pro Division (http://www.propondswest.com) has not always been an Aquascape dealer. Originally, we used another similar product line for building ponds. We changed to Aquascape because their pond installation products are innovative and the best on the market. Their service and technical support are superior.

There are many different ways to build a pond, waterfall or stream. One could debate right ways and wrong ways, but there are certainly ways of building water features that are easier, faster, more economical for the customer AND more profitable for you.

There are literally thousands of pond installers who are using the Aquascape system to build completely natural looking, crystal clear water features. Although they all have their own styles and creative touches, the basic system they use is the same.

Here are some of the benefits and features of a water feature made with Aquascape products:

- A water feature up to about 11 x 16 including a small stream can be started and finished in a single day. I have done this myself, I have seen it done many times and it is not that difficult. A pond like this will sell typically between $7,500 and $8,500.

- These ponds are typically no deeper than 2 feet. They are dug with a stair step type pattern with usually two or three levels that permit planting of aquatic plants at different depths. Into this hole is placed an inexpensive cloth underlayment material and a thick rubber liner. This liner is very easy to work with, flexible at cold temperatures, cost effective, and has a 20 year warranty.

- Rock is used inside the pond along all the vertical walls and to build the waterfalls. Then the horizontal surfaces are covered with gravel. By using varying sizes of rocks and being creative in placing them you can achieve a very natural look. In a pond built well with this system you will not see any liner and it blends seamlessly into the landscaping.

- Gravel serves a very important purpose in the pond. Conventional wisdom in the past has dictated that one never put gravel into a pond, because it made it harder to clean out the sludge that would regularly accumulate on the bottom. Aquascape founder Greg Whittstock discovered that if gravel is put along the bottom of a pond, and beneficial bacteria introduced into the system, the bacteria will colonize on the surface of the gravel. The bacteria will consume the majority of this organic matter and convert it into fertilizer for the plants. It is not difficult to create a balanced system that consists of fish, plants, bacteria, a simple filtration system, along with other living things that will show up like birds, dragonflies, insects and frogs. A balanced water system like this requires very little maintenance.

- The Aquascape filtration system is unlike the type of filters used in pools. A pond tends to have a lot more organic matter and this will quickly clog a pool-type sand or canister filter. Aquascape developed a large skimmer to remove leaves and other debris from the pond surface, and a biological filter that screens particles with a filter mat and also provides a home for large colonies of beneficial bacteria. Water is then pumped to a "biofalls" which allows more bacteria colonization, and also serves as the upper waterfall and can be easily hidden in the landscaping. The aquatic plants are also a part of the filtration system as they will remove nutrients from the pond.

- Algae can get out of control and make the pond and waterfalls unsightly. Most algae problems are completely solved by using the beneficial bacteria. The bacteria consume the same nutrients in the water that the algae would, thus starving the algae and keeping it under control. Strong chemicals are not needed.

- The other important components to this system are the pump and the plumbing. For fish and even the bacteria to live, water needs to be well oxygenated. Simply having the pump running and the water circulating over the falls and back into the pond is enough to handle this in all but very large ponds. The pumps we recommend are submersible pumps placed in the bottom of the skimmer.

That is the simplicity of the system. I would be very happy to answer any questions about this system. I look forward to hearing from you.