Waterscene has made another humanitarian trip to Uganda

Steve Kovacs and Tim Muttoo of H2O4All celebrate as fresh clear water runs through the newly installed system

Existing wells, lakes and water reservoirs are becoming contaminated. The only hope for these communities is to provide new access to fresh water supplies. The team completed a system in the orphan village of Gulu, then traveled to Kiyindi, a small fishing village near the shores of Lake Victoria. Here, they set up a 20,000 gallon RainXchange™ system that will support a school of 950 children.

During the dry season, the school sometimes has no water at all and is forced to close down because there is no water to cook the nutritional meal that the students count on. Existing water supplies have become contaminated, and new wells are expensive to construct. Rainwater collection systems are effective and much less costly than building new wells. The team worked alongside locals to help build and install the system. Working with Aquascape contractors and International Network, we installed a reservoir made up of 650 Aquablox® that stabilized a large reservoir that can hold about 80,000 liters of rainwater. The contractors, experienced in working with these systems, raised their individual funds to be part of the trip. During construction, and with our consulting support, the community gained enough knowledge and expertise to maintain the system for long-term use.

Arriving in the heat of the area’s mid-summer season (January-February), we encountered some challenges getting supplies through customs but the officials complied quickly and we were underway. A project that would typically take 7 days to install was completed in just 4 days! When the project was completed and the water turned on, H2O4All’s ionization system delivered sparkling clean water. As the area had been going through a drought, it was highly rewarding to test the system and see the fresh water flowing from the pipe.
Team members also assisted by spending time in schools working with the children.

Water: a vital and threatened commodity

Villages in Africa face a daunting threat as water supplies are rapidly being contaminated with chemicals like cyanide and lead due to poor well design. In some cases, entire communities are forced to abandon their homes as the village water supply turns deadly. Lakes, too, have become heavily polluted. Rainwater harvesting systems provide a sustainable, solar-powered supply of fresh water. Humanitarian water projects like this one are important to help these communities.

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Waterscene is returning to Uganda for fifth humanitarian mission

Steve and Linda Kovacs with some of the children from the orphanage

The team from Waterscene is working with a team from H2O4ALL, and a team from the Aquascape Foundation. The first week, the team will be in the village of Gulu, installing a clean water system at the Watoto Orphanage. The second week, they will be installing a system near Entebee.

We will provide a detailed update of our trip after we return.

Water: threatened, precious commodity

Throughout Africa, water supplies are threatened. How these valuable efforts are making a difference. Villages in Africa face a tremendous threat as water supplies are rapidly become contaminated with chemicals such as cyanide and lead due to poor well design. In some cases, entire communities are forced to abandon their homes as the village water supply turns deadly. Rainwater harvesting systems provide a sustainable, solar-powered supply of fresh water.

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Bursts of red, gold and orange in the trees signify an important event for pond owners… it’s time to do a little fall maintenance in your water garden. Preparing your pond for the winter greatly reduces the amount of work you need to do in the spring to get your pond in tip-top shape.

While the colorful spectrum of leaves are still clinging to the tree’s branches, now’s a good time to determine your strategy for keeping that beautiful foliage out of your pond. Sure, the lacy, colorful leaves look pretty floating on your pond’s surface, but eventually they’ll sink to the bottom where they’ll decay and wreak havoc with your water quality. As leaf matter decomposes, the balance of your water changes and can become toxic for your fish.

Netting your pond is an easy, obvious choice for addressing leaf control. It doesn’t take much time to set the net up over your water garden, and the hours of future work it saves you is priceless. You can purchase pond netting from your local garden center or an internet pond retailer.

If you choose not to net your pond, you’ll need to make sure that you’re checking the pond’s skimmer basket every couple of days to remove the pile-up of leaves. Luckily, this is an easy task and doesn’t take much time. Once you pull the leaves out of the basket, be sure to toss them in your compost pile.

Finally, if you failed to net your pond and all those colorful, floating leaves have found their way to the pond’s bottom, you’ll want to remove them before they decay into ugly sludge that has to be cleaned out in the spring. Grab a long-handled pond net and scoop the debris from the floor of your water garden. Or if you don’t mind getting your feet wet, wade on into the pond and fish them out by hand.

Whatever your strategy to combat the onslaught of beautiful fall foliage that floats into your pond, you can rest assured that your efforts to control it now, will be well rewarded come springtime.

Here’s a helpful video on getting your pond ready for winter:

This article originally published by Aquascape

Autumn officially begins this year on September 23rd. While you may hate bidding adieu to the long, sunny days of summer, you have to face the inevitable approach of cooler, shorter days. For pond owners across the country, what you do with your pond during this seasonal transition depends largely on where you live.

In most of Canada

What a wonderful feeling during the summer months to see your plants thrive to the point of producing flowering buds almost at will, or the constant activity of growing fish that crave attention and food. Hopefully you were able to spend ample time by your pond to enjoy its many nuances and pleasures.

And now, as we turn the corner into another season, fall pondering is really just beginning. What do you have planned for your water feature? If you’re like many other water feature enthusiasts, improvements and change are always at the forefront. Here’s a few things to consider, going into the fall months. Please keep in mind that these suggestions may vary based on the zone in which you live.

Aquatic Plants

Most aquatic plants are installed in the spring and early summer months however, don’t discount the beauty and maturity of the aquatic plants that may be supplied in late season by a dedicated grower. In most regions of Canada, water gardeners typically stop planting in September. As they say, “It’s never too late…” until the end of September.

If you’ve decided to plant this fall, keep in mind that most aquatic marginals prefer to be planted at 0 to 2 inches of depth. Reference the plant’s information tag for planting instructions specific to that plant.

Fish

In most Canadian climates, growing fish will begin to store massive amounts of energy. This survival process will carry them through dormancy during the approaching winter months. Furthermore, during these important months of energy consumption and storage, attention to the fish’s diet is critical. Where applicable, a low-temperature fish food should be considered. The formulation of this food will be easier for the fish to digest during these cooler days and nights. Aquascape Premium Cold Water Fish Food contains high quality protein and is specifically formulated for pond fish (including koi and goldfish) at colder water temperatures.

Water Feature Aesthetics

When was the last time you gave your water feature a face-lift? Now’s the time! A few simple improvements can have a dramatic impact on your water feature’s appearance. For example, hand select and install a few character boulders around the pond’s edge or stream. Pick up a bag or two of gravel and cover that annoying exposed liner. How about adding some extra lighting to the waterfall, pond, or stream? This is a great way to create additional nighttime interest. Aquascape’s Pond and Landscape LED Light Kit makes it easy to add lights to your water feature, and once you add lights, you extend the length of time you can enjoy your pond. This is especially important as the days grow shorter!

It’s Still Pond Season

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed your water feature as much as possible through the summer season. But remember, just because one season ends, doesn’t mean that the pond season has ended. Enjoy the changes in your pond as the seasons transition from one to the next. There’s always something new to discover in the wonderful world of water gardening.

In mild Vancouver

Unlike your neighbors in other parts of the country, fall rolls in without much fanfare. Here, you can still wear a tee-shirt some days in late fall and early winter. Even when there are cold snaps (and there are), water usually won’t freeze until late December or January.

Don’t Ignore Your Pond

In the mild Vancouver area, there’s no doubt things are still happening in your pond. Your aquatic plants, for example, should be looked at, because once the water temperature gets below 15°C, you should stop fertilizing them and continue to remove all the spent leaves from the waterlilies so they can keep producing more.

This is a good time to grab those tropical lilies and store them in a water-filled container somewhere inside so they don’t get hit by a winter frost. And don’t forget about your marginals; they could use a good pruning around this time too.

You’ll want to stop feeding your fish so they can go into hibernation. Don’t feed them too much before these temperatures hit. While feeding a healthy amount prior to the end of the season is great, overfeeding can be deadly to them. A nice low-temperature fish food, containing highly digestible food, is a good fit for fall.

If you’re not sure about your water temperature, invest in a small pond thermometer and keep checking it as the temps begin to drop. You don’t need to pack your fish up and bring them inside, as long as your pond is over two-feet deep. They’ll be just fine hanging out at the bottom of your pond. And don’t forget about how lazily your fish move around once the water starts to chill’. Unfortunately, their predators are still hungry and see fall as an opportune time to feast on fish as they slow down a bit. Make sure your decoys and motion detectors are ready to keep your fish safe.

Trees around your pond will drop leaves this time of year, so keep an eye out for them and be sure to clean out your debris baskets a few more times per week. You’ll want to keep the nutrient levels low for your fish when they decide to take a long winter’s nap.

Design Ideas

When you aren’t taking all your fall precautions, remember that fall is a great time to work on those design ideas. It’s not too hot to spend a few weekends by the pond, and it’s not too cold to chill you out. Make your pond bigger, add some more rocks, or even work on that waterfall you’ve always wanted. Now is a great time to put all those thoughts into action. Imagine beginning the spring season with a whole new pond. Now wouldn’t that be exciting?

Enjoy the Lifestyle

No matter where you live, these special considerations should be given to your pond as summer rolls into fall. No need to be melancholy over the shortening of days. Now’s a great time to pick up a fire pit on sale to warm your bones as you relax by the pond, or add some pond and landscape lighting for cozy, cooler evenings listening to your waterfalls. You still have plenty of time to enjoy the water garden lifestyle.

For information on where to buy fall maintenance pond products, visit www.aquascapeinc.com/shop-online.

This article originally published by Aquascape

CanWest Horticulture Show, Western Canada’s Premier Landscape and Nursery Trade Show, takes place under the Green Roof at the Vancuver Convention Center from September 28–29, 2011.
 
ALSO… the “POND GUY” Greg Wittsock will be in attendence at the show and will be available later that same day for one-to-discussion in the hospitaliaty suite at the Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside Hotel in the Port of Singapore Room on the 3rd floor from 6-10pm.  Come and meet him and chat!

It’s a rare opportunity to get firsthand information from the world leaders in pond design and rainwater harvesting systems.

With summertime temps reaching their peak in many places the past few weeks, it’s a good idea to make sure your pond isn’t becoming troublesome. Once the water temperature rises above 80 degrees, you could run into problems.

Do your fish appear stressed out, gasping for air close to the water’s surface or especially close to a fountain or waterfall? Warm water has a low capacity for holding oxygen, while cooler water can hold very large amounts of oxygen.

Warm pond water and increased activity go hand and hand, and that increased activity also means your fish require more oxygen when less oxygen is available, thus creating a vicious cycle. Stressed fish often begin to develop diseases, and soon enough you’ll have a domino effect.

Beat the Heat

There are some preventative measures you can take in order to keep your pond from becoming a warm, unhealthy mess. It all starts with a well-designed water feature. Depth, plant coverage, shade, and circulation should all be considered when building a pond. A minimum depth of two feet is suggested so the bottom can remain cooler.

You’ll also want to stock your pond with a lot of plants to provide shade for the fish. A good rule of thumb is to provide plant coverage of approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of the pond’s surface area.

Perhaps one of the most important parts of pond design is circulation. If possible, you’ll want to place your biological filter and mechanical filter across the pond from each other, so that all areas of the pond are skimmed and the water circulated. And keep in mind that waterfalls, streams, and even fountains play a huge part in the oxygenation of the water in your pond.

During the hot summer months, you can use some of these tips to help keep your pond performing optimally:

• Add oxygen to your pond by placing an aerator or AquaForce® pump in your pond. You can also install a fountain with a pump if your pond doesn’t have a waterfall or stream built in.
• If you feed your fish, feed them in the morning and be careful not to overfeed. Uneaten food decays faster in warmer water and can pollute the pond.
• Be sure to remove dying leaves and flowers before they have a chance to decay in the warmer water.

The bottom line is that you need to keep an eye on your pond and let your fish and plants do the talking. If you have a balanced ecosystem, you don’t need to be checking your pond out everyday, but you do need to check it out every once in a while to make sure your plant and fish friends are healthy.

This article originally published by Aquascape

You’ve seen the house before. The one that sits in the middle of the block, void of any landscaping that helps tie the home to the yard. It just… sits there. Uninviting and uninspiring.

Now turn your eye to your pond and give it the same critique. Is it void of plant life and simply looks like a big rocky hole filled with water? Or maybe it’s only half-dressed and could use a few more leafy adornments? You’ll want to use both aquatic and terrestrial plants to make your water garden look as though it occurred naturally in the landscape.

When you installed your pond, you hopefully designed it so the waterfall faces the viewing area, such as a patio or deck. Similarly, when you plan the aquatic or terrestrial plantings in and around your pond, you should have the same point of view in mind. You want to create maximum appreciation for the pond so it looks its best from the most important view on the property.

Mother Nature Has No Hands

In nature, marginal plants are typically found along the perimeter of ponds, lakes, wetlands, and streams. In a man-made pond, these plants soften the hard edges of the rocks, and provide a smooth transition from the water in the pond to the grass and shrubs beyond.

There are some basic ideas that might help you in your quest to mimic Mother Nature. First, remember that Mother Nature has no hands. Her style is guided by the wind. Taller marginal plants, placed as a backdrop, would naturally catch the flying seeds of other plants. The seeds would then drop to the bottom of the pond and at least some of them would live again as a new plant where they landed.

When you’re looking to imitate nature, placing taller plants like reeds, cattails, and cannas near the back of a planting cluster works well. Then, add to the look by placing medium and shorter plants on the viewing side of the taller ones.

Playing with Colors

Random placement of plants with different textures and colors will give your pond a complete, yet unstructured, appearance. Choose the colors that you like best and let your creativity take care of the rest. It’s always a good idea to emphasize primary colors with larger plants, and complete the look by adding some daring contrasts of texture and other colors around the edge.

Play with the color of foliage, too. It’s easy to understand when someone says there are many different shades of green out there, but foliage comes in many other colors besides green. Getting creative with the colors and textures of foliage will help create a lush and inviting look.

Flowers, and the multitude of colors they come in, make easy work of naturalizing the water garden canvas, much like Monet mixed the various dots of color in order to bring the canvas to life to the eye of the beholder. You should aim to create something very similar with the various colors of your water gardening plants.

The Height Factor

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the mature size and habit of the plants that you include in your plan. Since you don’t want to hide the shorter plants by placing them behind taller ones, it’s important that you place the shorter plants in the foreground and gradually work your way back to the taller ones. It’s much like how a photographer lines up a group of people in order to get all faces in the photo. In this case, you want to get all the faces of the plants in view.

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when planting a water garden is failing to realize how large some plants will grow or spread. When this mistake is made, the result is an overgrown jungle that requires much more work to keep them from taking over the pond. If you want to create a truly low-maintenance water garden, have a good idea how large a plant is going to grow before you plant it. And when you actually plant it, give it sufficient room to grow.

Tying it All Together

In summary, the more fully you take all of these factors into consideration when designing and planting your water garden, the better the results will be. Your pond will be fully dressed and will tie naturally into the rest of the landscape. You’ll also have an enhanced view of your pond with even more features and colors to delight your eye.

This article originally published by Aquascape

Ecosystem ponds can be easy to understand if you have a good grasp of what components go into a basic, functioning ecosystem. An ecosystem pond works with Mother Nature to provide food, shelter, and safety to the wildlife around it. It also provides you with an all-natural, low-maintenance piece of paradise.

It’s important to remember, however, that every piece of the ecosystem puzzle must be present in order for a true ecosystem to be in place. Eliminate one of these elements and you’ve got an unbalanced ecosystem that won’t be so low-maintenance anymore. Check out the things you’ll need to get your ecosystem pond fired up:

Circulation System

Circulation System is really just a fancy way of saying “pumps and plumbing.” The proper size pump and pipe diameter are extremely important for the aesthetics of a water feature. More importantly, an efficient circulation system keeps the water moving and provides the necessary oxygen levels for healthy fish and plants.

Proper Filtration System

A proper filtration system includes the use of both a biological and a mechanical filter. A biological filter provides surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize and remove excess nutrients from the water. A mechanical filter will not only pre-filter the water and house the pump; it will also skim debris from the water’s surface to prevent the accumulation of organic materials on the pond floor.

Fish

Fish are an integral part of any ecosystem. Unfortunately, fish are often seen as creating a maintenance nightmare. Contrary to popular belief, fish will actually reduce pond maintenance, as they graze on string algae and bottom feed from the pond floor.

Aquatic Plants

Aquatic plants are Mother Nature’s true filters. Plants are great for adding character to a pond by providing color and texture, but from a filtration perspective, they’re second to none. Thriving from the excess nutrients in a pond and depriving algae of its food source, the aquatic plants in a water garden, given proper coverage, are critical for the overall health of the ecosystem.

Rocks, Gravel and Bacteria

Rocks, gravel, and bacteria have been a controversial element in the hobby for many years. Many enthusiasts have steered away from rocks and gravel out of fear that their system will become a maintenance nightmare. On the contrary, rocks and gravel will not only make your pond look more natural, they will also protect pond liners from UV light degradation and they provide tremendous surface area for beneficial bacteria to break down excess nutrients in the water and dissolved organic debris on the pond floor.

Having all these things in place makes all the difference in the health and success of your water garden. Use them and work with Mother Nature, not against her, for a chemical-free wonderland of water! The truth is that most people opt for the ecosystem way of water gardening because it’s easier and it just makes sense. A low-maintenance ecosystem pond provides you with more free time to enjoy friends and family … while gathered around your pond, of course!

Click here to view a video about the installation of an Ecosystem Pond using our professional grade AquascapePRO™ product.

If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you can find Aquascape pond kits at Waterscene. Come by or call for details.

If you prefer to have someone install your ecosystem pond for you, we’ll help direct you to qualified landscape contractors who are familiar with Aquascape installations and can do a superb job of meeting your needs. Just call!

This article originally posted by Aquascape

Koi varieties are numerous, and each year new colors and patterns are cultivated – very similar to the way nurseries produce new varieties of flowers to pique the consumer’s interest and pocketbooks. Koi are no different. Each year sees a new fad, and some of these fad fish become mainstream, must-have collectibles. The asagi and shusui are two examples of koi that are somewhat new, but are now a great favorite among many hobbyists.

One Fish, Two Fish

Shusui and asagi are quite simply blue fish with bright red or orange markings. So when you see orange and blue fish, you know that you’re looking at some variety of shusui or asagi. There are specific pattern requirements that differentiate these two koi beauties, but the biggest difference between asagi and shusui is the scalation.

Shusui

To picture a nice shusui, you would have a blue koi body, and paint a darker blue, almost black, row of brick-like scales down the center. To either side of this midline path, you paint a white stripe. On either side of the white, you put a uniform stripe of red. The fins and tail would be white with a sunburst of red in them.

The shusui has a soft, scaleless, pale-blue body. The belly will be bright orange (almost red) up to the lateral line. There should be an orderly row of armor (large) scales on the back running from the head back to the tail. These scales are a defining factor for the shusui. If the scales are rectangular and neat, even in size, and uniform, the fish is worth more than if the row of scales is uneven, doubled, or if the scales are wedged and triangular. To summarize, a blue body, red fins and cheeks, and a continuous stripe down the length of each side represent the ideal shusui.

Asagi

The asagi is a scaled fish. Its body is dark blue with a beautiful, diagonal crisscrossing or fishnet pattern that is created by navy blue scales rimmed with pale blue. The belly up to the lateral line should be bright orange (or almost red). To be considered “perfect” the scalation should be impeccable with straight orderly rows of scales. The less wavy and the more complete the back is diamond-scaled in navy blue, the more the asagi is worth. To summarize, a blue body and red fins and cheeks represent the ideal asagi.

How They’re Patterned

In general, the pattern of shusui and asagi are not well served by the appearance of any orange on the fish in any location except the belly or the stripe on its back. A blotch of additional orange on the back of the fish may be very pretty but is not a favorable addition for judging. In some cases, especially the un-scaled shusui, the orange may come up the sides of the fish to encroach on the top of the fish, highlighting the row of scales in the case of the shusui. But opinions vary on how much orange a shusui or asagi should have as a young fish.

Normally the asagi and shusui would be viewed from the top and look like a stripe of dark blue, light blue, bordered on both sides by a band of orange. Sometimes the orange doesn’t come up the sides enough to be viewed from the top. Sometimes the pale blue blends with or borders on a whitish blue, and these fish are really pretty.

Buying a Good One

When you’re presented with a tank full of shusui and asagi to choose from, here’s a step-by-step decision making process.

Step One: Decide if you’re looking for shusui or asagi because the amount of red you’re looking for is different.

Step Two: Select the fish that are pale blue with orange bands up each side and visible from the top. Do not choose the all orange fish or the all blue fish.

Step Three: Remove all fish that have blotches of orange in their backs or on top of their heads. The orange color should be in a band or uniform stripe up each side, the length of the body, instead of a broken or blotchy pattern.

Step Four: Select shusui that have the row of scales from their head all the way back to the tail. Do not take a fish with red over this line of scales. The red should barely encroach on the top line of scales, but in fact should highlight a band of pale blue between the red and the navy blue row of scales. Select asagi that have less interference from red in the back, and the navy blue fishnet pattern is uniform all the way head to tail and don’t look smutty and black.

Step Five: Look at these fish from the side and select the ones that possess more orange from the belly-midline up the slightly above the lateral line, like they were swimming in orange paint and that’s how high they got colored.

Step Six: Now you have fish which are uniformly blue and red, neatly from front to back, with the red being visible from the top, and a proper row of scales from head to tail. The final cut is made by examining the rows of scales. For Shusui you want to see the most neat, rectangular scales with a little space between each scale, in a single row. For Asagi, look for the most distinct, straight rows of diagonal scales, clear white or blue between each navy blue scale is the most desirable. In both color patterns of fish, the tail, and the two pectoral fins should be shot through with a radiating sunburst of red or orange.

Aging Not So Gracefully

As shusui and asagi age, they lose their orange or red. When a shusui or asagi is more than 15 or 20 years old, it is not uncommon for them to be just a pale blue or even white fish with a few remnant navy blue scales on their backs. This is a sad thing because a young asagi or shusui is a thing of great beauty. But if you’ve had a fish for 15 to 20 years, you’ll cherish it for all the pleasure and memories it provided you.

This article originally posted by Aquascape