Off Season Lake Maintenance = Summer Enjoyment

By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

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The summertime beauty and smooth functioning of a water feature can be seriously threatened by conditions that actually develop during the fall and winter. Algae, aquatic weeds, fish kills, and odors are all caused by a buildup of debris from trees, “deposits” from waterfowl and a lack of oxygen. The time to start preventing summer disasters is in the spring. A program of clarification, circulation, and treatment can correct winter contamination.

Rainfall obviously increases during the winter and contains a surprising amount of nitrogen picked up from the atmosphere. This nitrogen content can change the chemical balance (pH) of lakes. Runoff from the rains brings mud, fertilizers, soaps, oils, and other debris into a lake.

The biodegradation process slows during the winter. Organisms in the water that break down leaves, bird waste and dead fish, function very slowly, if at all. Organisms require oxygen and a certain range of pH to do their job. Water hold sonly so much oxygen, depending upon the temperature and circulation in the water.

Fertilizers break down much more slowly. Landscape contractors apply fertilizers that contain nitrates. Nitrates in water features encourage the establishment of aquatic weeds and blooms of algae later. Lake health depends upon spring renovation.

The goal of spring renovation is to bring the body of water back to equilibrium before sunlight and high summer temperature encourage aquatic weed and algae growth; reduction of organic matter suspended in the water; adjusting the pH of water to encourage chemical breakdown; and improving the oxygen content.

Filtration and treatment of the water help to reduce the effectiveness of beneficial organisms. But the lake can be treated to restore proper pH, thus encouraging chemical breakdown and better balance.

Treating a lake with products requires sufficient circulation and an accurate calculation of the volume of water in the lake. The product needs to be both effective and safe for fish and fowl.

Provisions should be made to maintain circulation throughout the year. Deep lakes can develop layers of water at different temperatures. This is called stratification. The temperature of each layer determines how much oxygen it will hold. Cooler water holds more oxygen. By causing water to circulate, the layers are mixed and the oxygen level is consistent throughout the water feature. Circulation distributes oxygen through the entire volume of the water, improves decomposition of organic matter, and helps the lake maintain an even temperature at all levels.

Much goes on inside and outside a water feature. Neglecting a water feature during the other seasons can result in serious problems in the summer. Following these water care guidelines and utilizing licensed and knowledgeable aquatic maintenance professionals your lake should be a source of enjoyment and satisfaction for years to come. After all, lakes are here for us to enjoy.

Spring into Action Now for a Beautiful Lake in the Summer

By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

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Natural waterways may appear to maintain their beauty and health without any special attention. So, it can be easy for us to presume that our man-made ponds, lakes, and streams will fare just as well with little intervention. But in reality, quite the opposite is true.

Because of environmental factors and human impact, natural waterways require constant monitoring and care. That is why our cities, counties, and states spend significant financial and human resources in order to preserve these natural wonders and maintain water quality.

Things aren’t so different for our man-made aquatic features. The beautiful ponds, lakes, and moving water that we design into our landscapes also require monitoring and maintenance in order to keep them beautiful and healthy.

We have all seen it- that problem pond that looks like an opaque bowl of split pea soup or the lake that has so much muck floating around you can hardly see the water (all of which are due to common algae). Or, we’ve witnessed a sudden and inexplicable die-off of aquatic life, like fish or plants. Problems such as these are unsightly and putrid at best. At worst, they can pose a health threat as a source for mosquitoes that spread deadly diseases like the West Nile Virus.

We all recognize when problems occur but how many of us can effectively diagnose and treat them? And how can we prevent such conditions in the first place?

One important bit of advice would be to emphasize proper design when creating our aquatic features. But, as it is likely that many of you have already installed or “adopted” an existing aquatic feature, this bit of advice may not be helpful for everyone. And keep in mind, even the best designs aren’t immune to water quality issues.

Also, remember to set aside adequate financial resources to maintain and, if needed, replace the complex equipment that operates your aquatic features. Many water quality issues can be traced to inadequate, failing, faulty equipment such as pumps, filters, drainages, and more. As is often the case, this is an aspect of maintenance that is overlooked or neglected due to a lack of understanding, a lack of budget or both.

Trying to manage all of this can seem intimidating and overwhelming- especially if your aquatic features are already experiencing water quality issues. This is where the services of an aquatic maintenance provider might be of real help.

A licensed, knowledgeable, and experienced professional can provide the foresight and insight to help keep our aquatic features healthy and attractive by not only solving problems quickly and efficiently, but also offering an effective strategy of preventative maintenance. This can save you significant amounts of time, money, and frustration in the long run. And that means being able to enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of your aquatic features all the more.

Spring Lake Care

By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

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The summertime beauty and function of a pond, lake, or water feature can be seriously threatened by problems that actually develop during the winter. Algae, aquatic weeds, fish kills, and odors are all caused by a buildup of debris and a lack of oxygen. These conditions develop during the fall and winter. The time to start preventing summer disasters is in the spring.

The water in our lakes is actually a solution of various chemicals and contains suspended organic materials. Various techniques enable water to achieve equilibrium — where natural decomposition is balanced with the amount of chemicals and organic materials entering the water. A program of clarification, proper water circulation, and sunlight suppression can correct winter contamination. These are far more desirable than severe measures, such as dredging and mechanical weed control.

Many things happen during the winter that disrupt the equilibrium of water bodies. Some of the most obvious are increased debris from trees and activity from migrating and native waterfowl. Some things take place that you can’t see. Rainfall increases during the winter. Rainfall contains a surprising amount of nitrogen picked up from the atmosphere. Runoff caused by rainfall also moves fertilizers and debris from the watershed into the lake. Rainfall can also change the chemical balance (pH) of water bodies.

More importantly, the process of biodegradation slows during the winter. The organisms in the water that break down leaves, bird waste, and dead fish function very slowly, if at all. They simply can’t keep up. When temperatures rise in the spring and summer, the contaminant load in the water is very high. These organisms require oxygen and a certain range of pH to do their job. Water holds only so much oxygen, depending upon the temperature and circulation in the water. The more oxygen consumed by microorganisms, the less is available for fish and other waterlife.

Fertilizers applied during the fall and winter also break down much more slowly. Landscape contractors apply nitrate forms of fertilizer (ammonium nitrate and calcium nitrate) to enable plants to obtain nitrogen and remain green during cooler times of the year. Consequently, the potential for fertilizer runoff is greater during the winter. Nitrates that reach water bodies encourage the establishment of aquatic weeds and blooms of algae later in the season.

Add it all up and you can see that the water in lakes, ponds, and water features needs help in late winter and spring. Lake health depends upon spring renovation.

Spring Lake Renovation

The goal of spring renovation is to bring the body of water back to equilibrium before high summer temperatures and sunlight favor aquatic weeds and algae. The goal is to reduce organic matter suspended in the water, adjust the pH of water to be favorable to chemical breakdown, and to improve the oxygen content. Other steps can be taken to improve lake health and discourage weeds, such as increasing lake depth, and circulation, using dyes to reduce sunlight penetration, and preventing runoff and debris from reaching the water in the lake.

Reducing organic matter involves filtration or treating the water to cause organic particles to settle to the bottom. Filters are mechanical devices that require pumps, piping, a filter media, and power. The equipment must be operated and maintained properly. The filter media must be flushed or replaced regularly to be effective. The time between filter maintenance events is determined by the load of suspended material in the water and the volume of water passing through the filter.

Treating a lake with chemicals requires sufficient circulation and an accurate calculation of the volume of water in the lake. The product needs to be both effective and safe for fish and irrigation, if the lake is used as a reservoir. It must be applied correctly and evenly distributed throughout the body of water. For these reasons, selecting a professional applicator familiar with treating lakes is extremely important.

Clarification treatment should be followed with other steps to reduce light penetration and increase oxygen circulation. And, of course, now is the time to get serious about preventing debris from trees and lawns from entering the body of water.

The acidity or alkalinity of a lake influences how rapidly organisms function to digest contaminants. These organisms perform best at a certain range of a measurement called pH, which represents the amount of hydrogen present in the water. A balanced pH is 7.0. Tree leaves and rain are acidic. Likewise, a lake with a limestone shoreline can become too alkaline. The lake pH can change over time and reduce the effectiveness of beneficial organisms. The lake can be treated to restore proper pH.

Lake Depth, Weeds, and Oxygen

Depending upon the size and depth of your water feature, some provision should be made to maintain circulation throughout the year. Circulation distributes oxygen through the entire volume of the water, improves decomposition of organic matter, and helps the lake maintain an even temperature at all levels.

A lake should be designed to be deep enough so that sun does not encourage establishment and growth of bottom-rooted weeds. Seed for these aquatic weeds can enter a lake from birds or simply by the wind. Lake dyes can be used to prevent the sun from reaching the lake bottom and to impart a bluer cast to your lake.

Deep lakes can develop layers of water at different temperatures. This is called stratification. The temperature of each layer determines how much oxygen it will hold, with cooler water holding more oxygen. By causing water in the lake to circulate, the layers are mixed and the oxygen level is consistent throughout the entire body of water.

Water that doesn’t circulate will also tend to hold more suspended material. This leads to discoloration and odors. Circulation causes suspended material to fall to the bottom of the lake where bacteria can break it down. Certain treatments can also cause suspended material to drop out.

When the amount of contamination entering a lake is impossible to control, a filtration system might be necessary to help out mother nature. Filters are designed to catch a certain size of material. The right filter media is needed to provide filtration at the most economical cost. Filters are also an additional maintenance concern.

Fountains and Injectors

Floating, motorized pumps can be installed in lakes to either pump air into the water (injector) or to pump the water into the air. While these will provide additional oxygen to a lake, they also increase the temperature of the lake to be more like the air above it. The air pumped into a lake will not be evenly distributed throughout the lake without proper circulation. An injector that uses a pump on the lakeshore can also inject oxygen into the lake through tubes stretched across the lake bottom. All these devices take energy to run and require maintenance to operate properly.

Much goes on under the surface of a water feature. Neglecting lakes during the winter and spring can result in serious problems in the summer. After all, lakes are there for us to enjoy. They add to property values. They are worth investing in maintenance by knowledgeable professionals.

Taking An Offensive Position in Your Lake Management Game

By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

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Proactive Lake Maintenance

Let’s say you have this great water feature you are quite fond of, it adds pleasing aesthetics to your surroundings and is a peaceful contribution to your environment. However, your water feature- like most items in a landscape- causes  you problems from time to time. When these problems arise, you consult a lake maintenance company to fix the problem. You then continue to leave the water to itself until a problem arises once more. Sound familiar? Although this type of reactive maintenance while solve apparent problems, it will not prevent the time consuming and potentially expensive ones from erupting; the kind of problems which brew beneath the surface, and are usually not visible to anyone besides trained professionals.

Lakes, streams, and ponds are complex ecosystems, which when reproduced by man are usually not self-sufficient. For the best results, they require proactive maintenance: a preventative approach to maintenance that works in conjunction with the existing ecosystem in order to prevent overbearing and costly situations from developing.

Often times, lake maintenance companies with a reactive approach hire personnel who are only trained with a defensive understanding of lake maintenance; they have no training in preventing compounding problems, and providing long-term lake plans and solutions. A company with a proactive approach trains their personnel not only to solve problems but also to be forward thinking and take action to prevent them. Proactive maintenance personnel understand the root of problems and are able to eliminate costly problems that build on themselves over time.

Much like gardeners or landscapers monitor plants in our public areas (shopping plazas, community centers, recreational parks, etc.) proactive lake maintenance professionals monitor the growth of aquatic plants and overall quality in water features. Without this care of aquatic and emerging plant life, like terrestrial plants, they will grow continue growing until they are out of control creating algae blooms, fish death, a need for timely and expensive reactive restoration, and in extreme situations like death.

To avoid expensive reactive restoration, a proactive professional treats problems even when they are not visible on surface level. A situation where this would be the case is when sludge occurring at the base of a water feature creates massive plant overgrowth. A proactive professional will identify this problem, and then makes moves to treat the sludge first and prevent more expensive and time-consuming restoration in response to aquatic plant overgrowth. Further, proactive maintenance professionals remain aware of seasonal changes that may affect the body of water. For example, a proactive lake maintenance professional monitors aquatic plants while they are dormant during winter months in order to prevent unsightly overgrowth situations during the summer.

In addition to implementing measures to maintain the actual body of water, proactive maintenance companies train their employees to understand the workings of all equipment in the underground pump vault (electrical panels, pumps, bloomers, fans and lighting systems) which is responsible for keeping water from becoming stagnated by increasing circulation and aeration. A proactive professional would also take the preventative measures to ensure all wiring and equipment in the pump vault is functioning safely and efficiently. This prevents problems such as motors in the pump vault running hot. Preventative measures allow the customer to be informed of the situation and be given options for repair before irreversible pump damage occurs. This proactive action might cost a mere $400, while replacing an entire pump can cost upward of $7,000!

The more you know about your lake maintenance company the more you will know about your lake – a proactive company will keep you informed about potential issues and provide you with preventative, money-and-time saving solutions. Proactive lake maintenance professionals take preventative measures to ensure that expensive, time consuming and stress causing problems do not become overbearing. Ask questions to make sure the company hired is not simply reactive. Any maintenance company can fix problems, but what you really need is a company that can prevent them.

What Is Involved In Managing A Lake?

By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

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What is water? Water is made up of two basic elements: hydrogen and oxygen.

Take care of water can be challenging. A common problem is for contaminants, pollution, algae, weeds, and odor to affect the water. When this happens at a man-made lake or pond there is no way for the water to naturally take care of itself.

We use products, experience, and knowledge to combat these problems. The products we use include chlorine, enzymes, chelated copper sulfate penta hydrate, and alum. They help treat algae and sludge. We also use flocculants and colorants to clarify and shade the water. The result is that algae will grow slower and the water will become clearer and bluer in color. Dyes are also helpful to color the water and used properly they are not a threat to fish or humans.

We treat water with an important product called “double chelated copper sulfate penta hydrate.” This product is the most effective product for controlling algae. It slows the growth of algae and enhances the quality of your water. Copper sulfate recently received a bad reputation because it was being misused but when you use a double chelated copper properly, you are using the safest and gentlest of the copper products.

It is important to have a good filter system to keep your water clean. Remember to drain your water feature every 5 years to dispose of the sludge and then refill it with fresh, new water. Finally, you must care for your water on a regular basis; maintenance is required regardless of the amount of use your manmade lake or pond gets.

What should you do if your water is already contaminated?

Once aquatic plants (like algae, weeds, or foam) are present, they are hard to control. There are all kinds of tools but none are solutions by themselves. The best approach is to hire a specialist who will work with you to restore a natural balance to the lake.

Nature is complex and it takes a lot of work to keep things in balance. That’s why aquatic management is important. Water is more complicated than it appears; each individual water feature needs its own customized treatment program.

When looking for help with your water, first determine if the person is licensed by your state. Does he or she have all the required applicator’s licenses and certifications? Second, ask for proof of Worker’s Compensation and General Liability coverage. Finally, ask for and check current and past references. Remember: the time you invest now saves you frustration and extra work later. This is why there are aquatic maintenance specialists. We aren’t just cleaning pools; we are keeping water in a natural balance and making your body of water beautiful.

Caution: Lake or Pond Care Could Be Hazardous To Your Mental Health

By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

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It’s your body of water; it’ called a lake, a stream, a pond, or a pain. Oftentimes property owners build a pond or lake thinking that because natural lakes and ponds seem to fare well their water feature will also. This idea does not hold true for either body of water.

Every water feature requires attention whether natural or man-made. Look at the Salton Sea, the San Joaquin River or local wetland areas or your lakes, streams, fountains, or ponds. They all experience problems; some problems are seen; some are unseen. Yet, all of these issues need to be addressed. The counties and states are addressing water conditions in their locales. Are your aquatic environments’ troubles being dealt with?

It’s too late to mention the initial design of a water feature being a crucial to proper function as by the time a professional lake maintenance company is consulted it is already done. The features have been completed, filled and the project turned over the Association. Consequently, the features will have to be dealt with as they are and usually cannot be altered. The lake professional accepts this and moves on but may bring it to your attention as the design, or lack thereof, will affect the functionality. Just as man has toyed with nature, man has toyed with his idea of a “natural” water feature.

Example: your water feature has strange, slimy globs of green matter covering the surface. There are huge mats of a bizarre grass are floating up from the bottom. The water is pea soup green. Two pumps have ceased functioning. A large number of fish are either dead or dying. The waterfall has ceased functioning and the one remaining pump is make strong noises. Wow, you’ve been hit with several different problems all at the same time. First, you’re in shock, then you frantically search for “the answer”, then you’re overcome with confusion and frustration. All of the “answers” are different. Your confusion and frustration then morph into anger. Lastly, the realization hits that only one thing rings true. . . this is going to be quite costly to repair.

This example could have two causes. First, there hasn’t been any money in the budget to cover treatment or repairs so the water features and everything that makes them run are dying. Second, after years of having beautiful water features they are inexplicably going bad. Neither one of these causes is unusual.

There are two solutions. The first one is relatively easy but does take some time. Because you have prepared for this in your budget you will authorize your lake maintenance professional to use the additional time needed to treat and remove this alien-like grass. . . Your professional will already have increased their treatment regimen to eradicate the pea soup green water (which is actually algae). You will also approve the removal and subsequent repair or replacement of the pumps and authorize the additional expense for new aeration, fish, and plants. It will take some time, possibly one to two months to restore order. But, it will get done and peace will be restored in the complex. All is good.

The second solution is to remain in frantic mode, scramble to find a reputable lake maintenance company, request bids, conduct an emergency meeting, hire the new company, give notice to the current company and wait for the appropriate time allowed by the contract. The water features get worse with each passing day. The homeowners who have guests arriving want those water features fixed. Complaints abound. The new lake maintenance company comes on board and advises everyone this is going to take time to restore and repair. Some will breathe a sigh of relief and accept their explanation and some will not.

In order to avoid those pitfalls, budget and reserve planning coupled with a regularly scheduled maintenance programs should already be in place. The lake, pond, or stream maintenance provider who implements this program should be a professional. The company should be able to provide proof of experience through verifiable, long-term references. Proof of licenses, permits, general liability, workman’s comp, vehicle insurance and a proven track record should be supplied. Once you find a company with these validated qualifications you should be able to trust their suggestions. Hiring a company with a good reputation and portfolio means you are on the road to fully enjoying your water feature. This does not mean there won’t be problems. This means the problems will be addressed promptly and professionally.

Working in conjunction with the person responsible for the management of a water feature and the board of directors the lake management professional maintains not only the water quality but also brings items that need repair to the attention of the board, usually via the management company. The management company submits the recommendation for repair to the board, which is approved, denied, or tabled. Herein lies what could be another problem.

Many times the board has hired a reputable lake maintenance company yet has not budgeted for repairs or replacements for their water features. They feel there are more important issues than the repair of, say, a pump. “There’s another pump, why do we need to deal with one not functioning?” Rather than consulting with the lake professional a somewhat uninformed decision is then made. This decision could fall under the category of “reserve study” or deferred maintenance”.

The reserve study has been done. The lake maintenance professional was never consulted about repair costs, what is in need of repair or replacement, or what has been repaired or replaced. These costs are never factored into the budget. a pump breaks down, some plants and fish die and the board and/ or management company is scrambling to find the funds as no one realized how much this was going to cost.

Or, the maintenance has been “deferred”, yet the problem still exists. This putting off of repairs is to the detriment of the pumping systems and the water. Here’s an example: one of two pumps is down. The other pump is called to do the work of two. Undue strain is placed on that one operating pump, which results in the pump running too hot and burning out. Now you have two dead pumps. The water feature no longer functions. Fish are dying due to lack of oxygen. Algae are growing everywhere. Aquatic plants are dying. Odors are almost overwhelming. The stagnant water has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Complaints about odors, mosquitoes, West Niles Virus, stagnant unsightly water and algae escalate dramatically. This can affect the value of the homes that border the water. Homeowners are angry and the recipients of their complaints feeling very frustrated.

Before you call upon a lake maintenance professional you must have taken that body of water into consideration. Lake maintenance and a cost to cover repairs or replacements must be included in the budget. Once that is in place you are financially ready to face any problem that may arise.

Too often a lake maintenance company is called in to “fix” what someone else has done. By the time the call is put out the body of water in question has been neglected, over-treated or “killed”. There request is usually “fix it now”. I have bad news, this is NOT going to happen. The true restoration or repair of a water feature involves time and patience. To reestablish the oxygen levels, fish population, aquatic plants and beneficial aquatic weeds and restore water clarity the lake professional may need to up two years. I know, this is a long time and we are an impatient lot, aren’t we? But, regardless of whether this body of water is natural or man-made, patience is needed. It took time to reach the state it is in. It will take time for it to repair.

The proactive solution to this problem is to have a regular maintenance schedule by a professional already in place. Not only will a cry for help not have to be sounded but each problem that develops will be dealt with aggressively and within the framework of that schedule. This is where the good relationship, trust, excellent communication and quick response of your lake professional come in. The lake professional has many means by which they can assist in the process of repair. They have the field service technicians who do the actual work. These technicians know the approaches to take in the treatment and restoration of the water and what to do in the event of a float valve, pump, filter, coupling, fill valve malfunction. Their office personnel are trained to assist in times of trouble, calm, frayed nerves, offer solutions and keep the lines of communication open between the service techs. Homeowners, board members and community managers. They’re able to identify an emergency and know when an immediate response and will already have a proven foundation of trust in place with everyone involved. The office personnel are there to help and see that whatever goes wrong is “fixed”, as are the service technicians. Remember, if you want to keep a lake healthy and balanced, using a professional of good repute, regular maintenance of the aeration, the filtration, thepumps, the aquatic plants, the water, and pest control is vital.

The bottom line: plan for your water feature’s maintenance and repairs by having a budget firmly in place. Hire a lake maintenance company that has a good reputation, is licensed, insured, knowledgeable and experienced. Communicate with that company. Everyone needs to keep those lines of communication open between the board, the management company and the lake maintenance company. Listen to the professionals. They are NOT “out to get you”. They CARE about your water features. They LIKE water features. They WANT to make them beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. They WILL DO all they can to keep those features going because they KNOW what is needed to keep the water fresh, clean, free from algae, and live.

Trust your lake maintenance professional to do the right thing. They are after all, “devoted to the beautification of aquatic environments.”

Food Chain Management For Healthy Ponds

By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

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Water features, especially lakes and ponds, are assets that increase the worth and enjoyment of any property. In order to maximize and maintain the highest value for properties associated with lakes, establishing and sustaining a balanced food chain, or more correctly, a food web, is water key to maintaining a healthy, aesthetically pleasing lake that enhances the property year ’round. In this article, we will take a very basic look at a properly established food web in ponds and lakes and how to develop and maintain the ecosystem to preserve the health  and beauty of these Aquatic assets.

A typical lake or pond is made up of four zones that have distinguishing characteristics: the shore zone, the surface film zone, open water zone and bottom zone. Although there are no district lines of demarcation between them each of these areas have their own combination of plant and animal life that inhabit them, in the shore zone there are grasses and algae that grow along with critters such as worms, snails, insects, and small fish. Moving out into the water, there is the surface film zone. Insects and surface floating algae that provide part of the food source for the lake’s inhabitants occupy this area. Beneath the surface, is the open water zone. In this zone are the larger fish, phytoplankton, which are the tiny free floating algae that give a pond or small lake its characteristic green color, small animals such as insect larvae, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. Last, there is the bottom water habitat zone. When the plants and animals of the upper layers of the ecosystem die, they fall to this bottom zone where microorganisms like bacteria and fungi feast on them releasing the nutrients and contained energy back into the ecosystem of the pond through the decomposition of the matter.

While the pond has these four habitat zones, the pond food web (or chain, pyramid) is categorized into trophic levels, which is where a particular plant or animal resides in the food chain pecking order. This can’t be looked at as if the different animals that live in a pond are organized into a pyramidal structure. At the bottom of the pond food web pyramid are the primary producers. These are the plants and algae that convert nitrogen, phosphorous, and other minerals into organic material, or simply food, using the energy of the sun through the photosynthetic process. Everything above this level is a consumer. The next trophic level up from the algal producers, the secondary level, are consumers, such as tilapia or bluegill, that eat the algae, as well as insects from the surface zone and other small animals such as worms and crustaceans, and in doing so concentrate the nutrients and energy contained within the organic matter. These low level consumers are then in turn eaten by the fish inhabiting the next trophic level up, which in the pond ecosystem is often bass. Bass are generally at the top level predator of a pond or lake and aggressive hunters and voracious eaters. Of course, moving above and beyond the pond ecosystem, the trophic levels continue as the in the case of the hawk or eagle that eats the bass. However, we are mainly concerned with the food web within the pond ecosystem itself.

The “cycle” of life” of a pond, then, starts with plants, commonly algae, converting free nitrogen and phosphorous into organic material, or simply “food”, through photosynthesis. All life in the pond, and the world at large for that matter, is, in the long run, completely dependent upon the photosynthetic process for food, and therefore life. Oxygen production is a byproduct of this process, replenishing the oxygen in the water for use by other, higher animal forms such as the fish that inhabit the pond. Insects, invertebrates and omnivorous fish such as tilapia then feed on this algae and phytoplankton, concentrating the energy and nutrients contained within these food sources and these, then, become the source of food for the higher level predator fish such as catfish and bass.

In order to imagine the pyramid structure of the food web in a pond, consider this: Bass are the top level predator of the food web in any given pond. A properly managed pond can have as much as 8 pounds of pass per acre. The size of the bass will depend upon their age or the maturity of the pond, but one could easily imagine forty 2 pound bass as a way to approach this 8 pounds of fish. Bass eat ten pounds of food for every pound of body weight, so they need to consumer 1 pound of food for every proud of weight. Therefore, to develop that 8 pound of bass requires 8 pounds of baitfish such as bluegill or tilapia, for the bass to feed on. In turn, these baitfish require as much as a ton of plants or insects as food to consumer in order to develop these population levels. Nevertheless, it’s important to understand that this is not a static condition. There will never be 80 pounds of baitfish in the pond at any given them, as the Food Chain Management Healthy Ponds bass are voracious predators and see to it that the stock of baitfish is always in decline. Therefore, the supporting population of baitfish is continually fluctuating, as the fish spawn and hatch, then grow and then become food for the bass. Bluegill are often stocked in the pond, as they are the only species that can breed fast enough to keep ahead to the bass’ appetite to eat them into extinction. However, occasionally, fresh stock will need to be added to supplement the supporting population of baitfish.

In a new pond, it’s important to stock the water in the proper order with plants and nutrients so that the ecosystem develops a strong and stable base for the introduction of the top level predator. To this end, ponds can be fertilized to encourage algae and plant growth. Then, the primary consumers, such as the tilapia and bluegill can be introduced. Once the stocks of these baitfish become somewhat established, then the bass can be introduced to complete the pond’s food web. Of course, as noted, the bass will be constantly threatening the existence of the baitfish, so it is important to keep the algae in check, chemically if necessary, in order to prevent or mitigate algal blooms which occur in hotter weather, and which can deplete the water of the oxygen that the fish need to survive. If the water in the pond has less than two feet of visibility through the water, there is too much algae and the danger of a destructive bloom in increased. To test the clarity of the water and therefore the concentration of algae, a shiny object such as a pie pan can be nailed to a stick with the length of the stick marked in feet. This gauge is then lowered into the pond allowing one to easily determine the relative clarity of the water.

Although there has been much study of food webs in ponds, lakes, and rivers, keeping a healthy food web in a pond is as much art as science. Testing and trial are key and one must allow for adapting the maintenance of their pond to what is shown to work, and therein lies the challenge and the fun, in maintaining a healthy aquatic ecosystem.

Maintaining a Healthy Food Chain for Your Pond

By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

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Water features, especially lakes and ponds, are assets that increase the worth and enjoyment of any property. Establishing and sustaining a balanced Food Chain is key to maintaining a healthy, aesthetically pleasing lake or pond- therefore enhancing property value. This article will outline the categories within your lake or pond’s Food Chain and teach you how to develop and maintain your water feature’s ecosystem preserve the health and aesthetic appeal of your lake or pond asset.

A pond’s “cycle of life” beings with plants. Through photosynthesis plants (commonly algae) convert minerals (such as nitrogen and phosphorous) in to organic material- or simply, “food”. All life in a pond is completely dependent upon the photosynthetic process for ”food”, and therefore life. It’s crucial to understand and monitor your lake or pond’s Food Chain to ensure a healthy ecosystem.

Your lake or pond’s Food Chain is categorized by three levels:

• At the base level you have what we call Primary Producers. Primary Producers are the plants and algae that convert minerals in to organic material, or “food”.

• At the mid level are the Consumers. Consumers, such as tilapia or bluegill, concentrate the nutrients and energy  contained with in the organic material by eating the algae.

• At the top of the Food Chain are the Bass; they eat the Consumers. Bass are the top predator of the Food Chain in any pond.

Though the Food Chain seems to follow a natural order- from base to Bass- it’s important to recognize that this not a static condition. The Bass will constantly threaten the existence of the Consumers, making it important for you to monitor the fish stock and restock as necessary.

Tips for Proper Food Chain Maintenance

In a new pond, it’s important to stock the water in the proper order so that the ecosystem develops a strong and stable base.

1. At the base, ponds can be fertilized to encourage algae and plant growth.

2. After fertilization, Consumers (such as tilapia or bluegill) can be introduced.

3. And, once the stocks of Consumers becomes established, Bass can be introduced to complete the pond’s Food Chain.

To test the clarity of water (and therefore the concentration of algae) a shiny object such as a pie pan can be nailed to a stick- the stick should be marked in feet- then lowered in to the pond allowing you to easily determine the clarity of the water.

It’s important to keep the algae in check, chemically if necessary, in order to prevent algal blooms which can deplete the water of oxygen that the fish need to survive. If the water in your pond has less than two feet of visibility through the water, there is too much algae- indicating the danger of a destructive bloom.

Your lake or pond’s Food Chain requires maintenance to achieve and sustain a healthy aquatic ecosystem that will ensure your property always has the healthiest and most aesthetically pleasing water feature.

Peaceful Pond or Persistent Pain?

By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

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What would you call the body of water you have on your property? How would you label it? Some call theirs a lake; some call theirs a pond; while others call theirs a downright pain in the butt. Oftentimes property owners build a natural pond or lake in place of a chlorinated feature thinking that because natural lakes and ponds seem fare well without any attention, their water feature will as well. Unfortunately, this idea does not hold true for either bodies of water. How do you react when your natural, peaceful waterscape takes a turn for the worse? Let’s say your water feature has strange, slimy globs of green stuff covering the surface, huge mats of bizarre grass are floating up from the bottom, the water is pea soup green, two pumps have ceased functioning (the one remaining pump is making strange noises), and the waterfall has slowed to a trickle. The problems seem like a slippery slope (almost as slippery as that green goo you’re pulling out of the water!); one problem hits, then another and another. First comes shock, then the frantic search for competent advice, followed by confusion and frustration at the cluster of conflicting suggestions and recommendation for a course of action. Eventually, anger takes hold as the causes, solutions, methods of prevention and the cost of replacement and all of the above begin to sink in. So what was the correct answer? How should the entire situation have been dealt with to prevent you from sinking those thousands of dollars in repair into that money-water-pit in the backyard? The correct solution would have been a course of action preventing the problem in the first place. Allowing a lake or pond to reach a point where maintenance must be preformed is an unfortunate way some maintenance companies choose to conduct their business. This type of maintenance is called deferred maintenance. By definition alone, the term deferred maintenance means a property owner has allowed a property to deteriorate by putting off needed maintenance and/ or repairs. Yes, this saves money, but the longer maintenance is deferred, the more the value of the property dwindles and the more costly it is to repair. Nowhere, in any dictionary is deferred maintenance defined in a positive light. It is defined as allowing a property to deteriorate by postponing sensible but non-essential repairs, having needed repairs that have not been performed (subsequently declining the property’s value), or preforming maintenance long after it should have been preformed. In short, the term “deferred maintenance” is really a politically correct way to say “I don’t want to spend the money to properly care for this water feature”.  Regular aquascape maintenance, just like landscape maintenance, is necessary. In order to avoid those costly pitfalls, budget planning and maintenance scheduling should be requested from your lake, pond, or stream maintenance provider. Ideally, you would have already hired a company with a good background, proven track record, and references you’ve confirmed. Hiring a company with a trustworthy reputation and portfolio means you are on the road to fully enjoying your ornamental water feature and are ready to learn the proper care and feeding of aquascape. So what should the focus of these fabulous company you’ve hired be? The five most vital areas of focus that an appropriate waterscape company would direct their attention to are maintenance of the aeration, filtration, pump maintenance, aquatic plant life, the condition, and symbiosis of the water itself, andpest control. As the owner of the water feature, it is equally important that you educate your self on exactly what these five steps entail to further understand how your lake maintenance company will be caring for your aquatic ecosystem.

The benefits of aeration cannot be stressed enough. The better the aeration the less problems you’ll have with water quality, fish kill, algae, and all those other pesky little nuisances. A lake should “turn over” (that is, fully circulate) a minimum of one time in a 24-hour period. Bottom bubblers (air diffusion systems) are preferable as the water is moved from the bottom to the top, which greatly benefits the preservation of water quality, and keeps appropriate oxygen levels for plant and fish life sustained. Additionally, waterfalls can be a good supplementary source of aeration while the soothing qualities of the sound provide an additional aesthetic benefit. Both these systems can be taken care of during regular lake maintenance.

Filtration is essential to the health of a lake, stream, or pond. Filters for a pool are cleaning two to three times per week and, subsequently, the filters on a natural waterscape should ideally be checked daily. These bodies of water are a catchall to every flying, floating, drifting and rolling thing, including (never could figure this one out) humans and their propensity to throw garbage into a body of water. Obviously, if the water system is not subjected to a plethora of dropping and debris, the filters can be checked and cleaned less frequently. Performing this maintenance regularly will prevent a host of other problems like pumps getting jammed with and the subsequent burning or pumps, restricted water flow, or clogging of impellors.

PHYSICAL MAINTENANCE

Here’s the part I know all of you will love. . . yes, someone will have to get out there and get physical. Nets should be used to remove the leaves, twigs, buds, grass, branches, and other debris that fall into your waterscape. This physical removal should be done whenever the debris is noticed. This will assist in keeping the water clear and ecologically balanced. The degradation of debris left in the water is not beneficial to the water quality or appearance, will contribute to the amount of bottom sludge and is not good for the oxygen level. A good rule to follow: this season’s droppings will contribute to next year’s problematic algae.

Part and parcel of this maintenance package is the trimming and treatment of aquatic plants, weeds, or algae. If you maintain control over the plants they will be of great benefit to your water feature. There are some plants that, in addition to being nice to look at, actually help your water feature. But if these plants are allowed to grow out of control they will choke your system, reduce the amount of oxygen in the water and, if unchecked growth continues, will eventually kill your water feature. Then algae appears in all of its glory.

Algae come in various forms. There is Planktonic (free-floating) commonly described as “pea soup”; Filamentous (string algae) start on the bottom and edges and frequently float to the surface in green ugly mats; Attached-erect often mistaken for rooted aquatic plants, the most common being Chara.

To prevent excessive algae growth one must try to reduce or prevent the introduction of contaminants from rain runoff, or trimming, or street runoff, or waterfowl as these elements provide the nutrients that help algae to grow exponentially, thereby destroying the healthy balance and clarity of your feature.

Following are some suggestions to reduce some contaminants:

• Animal waste- Move the animal’s pen, sleeping quarters, feeding area, etc. to a location away from the water.

• Fertilizers- Stop the use of lawn and garden fertilizers within 100′ of your water feature or reroute the runoff from your lawn and garden to a location away from your water feature.

• Debris- Keep the trees and vegetation close to your lake or pond closely trimmed. Do NOT allow the cuttings and debris to fall into your water feature.

• Aquatic plants- Trim back the plants when they start to take over more of the water feature than you prefer. Pull and cut back plants to the area you desire.

• Algae- Manually remove or “rake” the surface floating algae. Treat the remaining algae with products that are safe for the water, the fish, the waterfowl, and the environment.

All of these measures will help immensely in controlling the amount of contaminants that enter your feature only to encourage the excessive growth of algae. As you might have guessed, physical maintenance plays a big part in whether your aquatic environment is a source of enjoyment or a source of frustration.

BIOLOGICAL CONDITIONING

Introduce beneficial fish to the waterscape. A few suggestions would be: mosquito fish (they cost nothing and alleviate those West Nile virus fears); algae eating fish, life the common Grass Carp, Otto, Siamese Algae Eater, Pingi Logsucker, or Twig Catfish. Remember, when the algae supply gets thin the algae eater’s diet must be supplemented through pellets and other food sources! Also you might want to add invertebrates to the mix: Crayfish, Apple Snails, Dragonflies, etc. But care should be exercised as some are exotic or illegal or harmful to your feature needless to say, the fish and invertebrates should be indigenous.

Introduce aquatic plants to the water. Chara, for example, can be a nuisance weed but is very beneficial for the water clarity and quality. Just keep it under control and you’ll be pleased with the results. Other plants such as Water Lilies, Water Irises, Water Hyacinth, Pennywort, Water Hyssop, Cattails, etc. are beneficial for the eye and the aesthetics. Again, maintain control of the growth!

PEST CONTROL

Lastly, if you have what you consider to be a pest. Find out exactly what this pest is and is it truly a pest? How can it be controlled or eradicated? For example: midge flies. In the case of midge flies throwing Strike® pellets onto the water’s surface will eliminate them. Or do you have problems with mosquitoes, aquatic weeds, waterfowl, or algae? Some pests can be physically removed; others need to be eliminated through the use of chemicals; others are protected by state, county, or city law.

CLEANING

Cleaning your lake or pond consists of the following:

1. Draining the water feature, which may, or may not, require a State, County and/ or City permit.

2. Preserving any of the flora and fauna that have established themselves.

3. Removing the accumulated sludge from the bottom of the feature.

4. Transferring sludge to an approved, designated area to dry.

5. Allowing sufficient time for sludge to dry. Disposal or recycling sludge.

6. Repairing any visible cracks or leaks in the lining of the feature.

7. Refilling the feature.

8. Checking all the structures, equipment, electrical, and plumbing to see that they are functioning as they should.

9. Treating the water to clarify, to retard algae growth, to bring the feature to a more natural appearing color, and to restore the biological balance.

A thorough cleaning such as the one in the above description need only be performed once every five to ten years. The five to ten year range is given due to varying factors, such as: the size of the feature as the smaller the feature, the more frequent the cleaning; the amount (and type) of runoff the feature catches; the droppings and debris from vegetation in the area; the number of water fowl that live in and use the feature and the overall care of the feature.

You can judge for yourself when a thorough cleaning is needed by measuring the amount of sludge on the bottom relative to the depth of water about the sludge. We have seen features that have two feet of sludge and six inches of water. I think you’ll all agree that is not a state anyone would like to see or smell.

CONCLUSION

On occasion, even the most beautiful water feature is going to have one or more of these problems. Even when serviced, things do break. Freak weather, power outages, and unusual runoff contaminants will affect your feature. But, if regularly scheduled maintenance is performed you won’t find yourself spending a small fortune on purchasing new pumps, compressors, liners, shoreline borders, or aerators all at the same time. These devices will still function as intended if regular maintenance is performed.

We’ve known properties to accept “deferred maintenance” for such an extended period of time everything having to do with the efficient and proper running of their aquatic environment needed replacement at the same time. The property owners had to take out a large loan to buy all new sump pumps, pump vault covers, 5hp pumps, electrical wiring and junction boxes, etc. This cost the homeowners tens of thousands of dollars. Had regular maintenance and proper budgeting practicing been in effect all of this expensive repair could have been prevented. The moral to the story? Perform regular maintenance on your waterscapes, its pumps, compressors, electrical, and all other equipment that works together to keep your aquascape up and running and your lake, stream, or pond will bring you far more pleasure than pain.

Tales From The Pond

By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

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There is nothing more relaxing and beautiful than enjoying a pristine lake or pond on a bright summers day. Early spring is the time to head off unpleasant, summer surprises by investing in the health of your water ecosystem.

During the winter, cold weather slows the natural breakdown of biological materials and nature falls behind in her work. When the warmer months arrive, excess contamination begins to take its toll. Organisms charged with cleaning up this mess now have to compete with fish and plant life for smaller amounts of oxygen. Add to that unbalanced pH, and it’s even harder to get the job done.

Winter and fall events can trigger the growth of unwanted algae, weeds, and produce unnatural odors. Rainfall causes runoffs which deposit fertilizers and unwanted elements into the water. The most common fertilizers are forms of nitrates used to encourage plant growth in cooler months, these combined with warmer days, will boost the growth of unwanted algae blooms and aquatic weeds.

What you can’t see represents a real threat to the health of your lake or pond. Planning to take a course of action in the spring is essential for the health and enjoyment of this natural gift.

Heading Off Disaster

Before the summer heat arrives and shifts unwanted marine growth into overdrive, plan to address these critical aspects of your water’s ecosystem.

• Reduce suspended waste

• Balance the pH level

• Check circulation

• Address depth issues

To reduce suspended waste use filtration or chemical treatment

Filtration sends lake water through a cleansing process that removes unwanted particles. It also offers the important benefit of helping to circulate the water which is vital to proper oxygen levels.

Chemical treatments are best left to professionals trained to accurately determine proper ratios. The right product and amount will get the job done while protecting the health of the ecosystem.

Balancing pH

Checking and restoring the proper pH level is very important. pH represents the Hydrogen measurement present in the water. It is affected by the balance of alkaline and acidity which changes depending on organic materials introduced into the system. Things like tree leaves and rain can be acidic while a limestone deposit nearby can increase the alkaline levels. A proper pH of 7.0 is needed to assure that helpful organisms function at their best.

Circulation

Circulation requirements are based on the depth and size of the body of water. Keeping the currents moving will evenly distribute oxygen, a key element for a healthy system. Waterfalls, fountains, and systems that inject air into the water are all possible solutions if circulation is lacking.

Lake Depth

Lake depth is primarily determined in the design stage. A lake should be deep enough to prevent sunlight from assisting the growth of bottom rooted weeds. Lakes that are too shallow may require dyes to limit sun penetration. Too deep, and your lake or pond may trap oxygen in the colder, deeper waters. Proper circulation will aid in even distribution of oxygen levels.

Make sure your lake or pond will thrive throughout the summer months and remain a beautiful landscape feature. Follow the simple yet crucial steps above before summer arrives.