Probably the biggest misconception I see among pond owners is that introducing a catfish to your pond will help keep your pond cleaner. With respect I’d like to burst the bubble on that school of thought. Catfish, although scavengers, will not do anything to actually help keep your koi pond water garden clean; and may actually have a greater impact on lowering the overall water quality of your pond than your traditional koi and goldfish will!

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You say Shubunkin, I say Shuboykin

You say Shubumpkin, I Shubunkin

Let’s call it all the same… or are they?!

 

Shubunkin, the poor man’s koi, are beautiful and easy to care for calico goldfish. Shubunkin make a great choice for the backyard water garden pond adding color and liveliness to any setting. As a pond fish the shubunkin are cold hardy, can tolerate a wide spectrum of water conditions, accept many foods, and will reproduce pretty readily in a typical pond set up. They are available from most pond fish sellers; and with a reasonable price tag they have become a popular choice for water garden and pond owners.

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Could water gardens be the ultimate and most influential form of art ever created?

Follow me back…

Worlds Fair Paris, France 1889, the Exposition Universelle du 1889. 100 years after the French Revolution the world was changing, and at this very moment Paris was the center of it all.

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Many ornamental and natural pond owners will at some point look to add some sort of critter to their pond for some added interest or for another reason like algae and aquatic weed control. One of the options that they are sure to see out in the pond market would be crayfish. Crayfish (Procambarus sp.); also called crawfish, crawdaddys, mudbugs, are pretty commonly offered by pond center retailers. To be sure, crayfish can add interest and a bit of plant and/or algae control to your pond.

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The lotus flower, Nelumbo nucifera.

The relationships that are sometimes developed between man and plant can be very fascinating. This definitely holds true for the lotus. The lotus and human connection goes back well beyond 1000 years, and crosses numerous cultural and geographical boundaries even from ancient times. The lotus is even revered in a spiritual way by several cultures. Still today, lotus is a widely known and popular water garden plant that can be found in about any water garden center, just about anywhere on the planet. The lotus flower has achieved truly an iconic status with its familiar large flower head that is easily identified by even the beginner water garden enthusiasts and chefs.

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Bakki shower filtration is a fairly new approach to pond filtration here in the United States, yet it has enjoyed some popularity in Japan and the UK for some time now. Bakki showers would seem comparable, in concept, to the familiar “trickle” type filters that are well known in the pond and aquarium industry; but there are differences. The design of the Bakki showers typically will consist of deep stainless steel trays. The trays are filled with filter media and have the water delivered on top, trickling down through the filter media, and then discharged from the bottom of the tray. The discharge into the pond looks like it is leaving a large shower head. 

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In many parts of the US the beginning of spring also triggers the beginning of pond season. Some may even think that pond season triggers spring! Who really knows?

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Rain barrel hygiene! Have you been rain water harvesting without a clean up? Your rain barrel could use a good cleaning, its’ been a couple of years now right? Have you taken a good look inside your rain barrel lately? You may be surprised at what you find.

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The new FULL SERVICE AQUATICS website is beautiful, and ready for your visit. It is so easy to use and so smooth. Plenty of beautiful things to look at and watch. Plenty of information too, so easy to access. We are calling the new website LOVEYOURPOND.COM and it was designed with the “koi pond and water garden minded” in mind. Welcome.

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In the month of February there are not too many people thinking about ponds and water gardens. It is cold, weather is nasty, and the ground has not been seen for a month now. Pond and water garden professionals are huddled around their stoves with blankets draped across their backs impatiently waiting on Spring.

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