I have another MG (Master Gardener) who is thinking of doing an Aquascape
system. He is just doing a water gardening type pond, not a koi pond. I
told him there is nothing wrong with the Aquascape System for that purpose,
just don't rock the liner. Course the local nursery is spreading the bull
that we who don't rock our liners are going to have them degrade all that
much faster, etc. crap. I told him he can always rock it later if need be
and to remember that the local nursery makes most its money off the sales
of rock & bark. The plants & yard art are just a side line in comparison.

So the guise of my request here, is to hear aye or nay regarding this type
of system by those who have put them in and pass those comments on to him.
Thanks, ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

~ jan wrote:

I
told him there is nothing wrong with the Aquascape System for that purpose,
just don't rock the liner. Course the local nursery is spreading the bull
that we who don't rock our liners are going to have them degrade all that
much faster, etc. crap

I'm not familiar with the Aquascape System, but FWIW, I rocked my liner, not
to keep it from degrading, just because I think it looks better. Course, I'm
in it for the pond, not the fish.


Joe



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I might have forgotten to mentioned we live in a very dusty desert area. In
fact having one of those dust storms today and continuing thru tomorrow.
Thus, rocks soon are covered in sand. ~ jan

On Wed, 05 Mar 2003 15:30:02 -0800, joe wrote:

~ jan wrote:

I
told him there is nothing wrong with the Aquascape System for that purpose,
just don't rock the liner. Course the local nursery is spreading the bull
that we who don't rock our liners are going to have them degrade all that
much faster, etc. crap

I'm not familiar with the Aquascape System, but FWIW, I rocked my liner, not
to keep it from degrading, just because I think it looks better. Course, I'm
in it for the pond, not the fish.


Joe



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http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

Jan, my pond is "based" on the AS system, i.e., I use the skimmer and the
biofalls. I want a koi pond, not a watergarden, so I made serious
alterations to my design (deep, no plant shelves, steep sides, NO ROCKS! -
except in the waterfall/stream area before it dumps into the actual pond). I
still had to enhance the system with a "bead" filter and a UV to achieve my
goal.

Now, there's nothing wrong with the AS system as a watergarden *as long as
your goal is a plant habitat and not a fish habitat*. One or two fish
(preferably same sex, o'wise you'll soon be overpopulated) can survive.
However, even the AS maintenance guidelines (in addition to a lot of weekly
additives), suggest draining the pond and powerwashing the gravel at least
once a year. That's a lot of work, and more than most people want to do
(unless they have the pond under a maintenance contract). It's a good
business for the installer, though. The rocks make it look nice, but are a
lot of work. The only way to keep the algae under control to see them,
however, is to either a) keep the pond in total shade (then the plants don't
grow well), or b) chlorinate the pond to keep the algae in abeyance (which
means no fish).

Just my opinion, however. This from hot, heavy sun country: it may be
different elsewhere.

Lee

"~ jan" wrote in message
s.com...
I have another MG (Master Gardener) who is thinking of doing an Aquascape
system. He is just doing a water gardening type pond, not a koi pond. I
told him there is nothing wrong with the Aquascape System for that
purpose,
just don't rock the liner. Course the local nursery is spreading the bull
that we who don't rock our liners are going to have them degrade all that
much faster, etc. crap. I told him he can always rock it later if need be
and to remember that the local nursery makes most its money off the sales
of rock & bark. The plants & yard art are just a side line in comparison.

So the guise of my request here, is to hear aye or nay regarding this type
of system by those who have put them in and pass those comments on to him.
Thanks, ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

On Wed, 05 Mar 2003 22:45:18 GMT, ~ jan wrote:

.. I told him he can always rock it later if need be
and to remember that the local nursery makes most its money off the sales
of rock & bark. The plants & yard art are just a side line in comparison.

So the guise of my request here, is to hear aye or nay regarding this type
of system by those who have put them in and pass those comments on to him.
Thanks, ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website


In the case of the Aquascape system, the nursery will make most of its
money from the sale of the weekly/monthly chemical additions and the
once a year cleaning of the rocks. A pond of this kind is a cash cow
for maintanance as long as the pond owner has it, and has the
installer maintain it.

Theron

In the case of the Aquascape system, the nursery will make most of itsmoney
from the sale of the weekly/monthly hemical additions and theonce a year
cleaning of the rocks. A pond of this kind is a cash cowfor maintanance as
long as the pondowner has it, and has the
installer maintain it.

I have a goldfish/lily pond which has a gravel bottom. My koi pond does not
have any bottom rocks. If I had the money I would rock that bottom
also....Now I would think if you only have a non rocked bottom, OR you only
have a rocked bottom, you have NO experience with the other kind and all your
opinions would be just that and not experience. I LOVE the rocked bottom, and
it is not one bit dirtier, as a matter of fact, it looks cleaner and more
natural than the bare liner bottom.I have only cleaned and drained that pond
once in 6 years ..........Jerri


http://www.fringeweb.com/Ponds/JerrisPond

In the case of the Aquascape system, the nursery will make most of itsmoney
from the sale of the weekly/monthly hemical additions and theonce a year
cleaning of the rocks. A pond of this kind is a cash cowfor maintanance as
long as the pondowner has it, and has the
installer maintain it.

I have a goldfish/lily pond which has a gravel bottom. My koi pond does not
have any bottom rocks. If I had the money I would rock that bottom
also....Now I would think if you only have a non rocked bottom, OR you only
have a rocked bottom, you have NO experience with the other kind and all your
opinions would be just that and not experience. I LOVE the rocked bottom, and
it is not one bit dirtier, as a matter of fact, it looks cleaner and more
natural than the bare liner bottom.I have only cleaned and drained that pond
once in 6 years ..........Jerri


http://www.fringeweb.com/Ponds/JerrisPond

In the case of the Aquascape system, the nursery will make most of itsmoney
from the sale of the weekly/monthly hemical additions and theonce a year
cleaning of the rocks. A pond of this kind is a cash cowfor maintanance as
long as the pondowner has it, and has the
installer maintain it.

I have a goldfish/lily pond which has a gravel bottom. My koi pond does not
have any bottom rocks. If I had the money I would rock that bottom
also....Now I would think if you only have a non rocked bottom, OR you only
have a rocked bottom, you have NO experience with the other kind and all your
opinions would be just that and not experience. I LOVE the rocked bottom, and
it is not one bit dirtier, as a matter of fact, it looks cleaner and more
natural than the bare liner bottom.I have only cleaned and drained that pond
once in 6 years ..........Jerri


http://www.fringeweb.com/Ponds/JerrisPond

In the case of the Aquascape system, the nursery will make most of itsmoney
from the sale of the weekly/monthly hemical additions and theonce a year
cleaning of the rocks. A pond of this kind is a cash cowfor maintanance as
long as the pondowner has it, and has the
installer maintain it.

I have a goldfish/lily pond which has a gravel bottom. My koi pond does not
have any bottom rocks. If I had the money I would rock that bottom
also....Now I would think if you only have a non rocked bottom, OR you only
have a rocked bottom, you have NO experience with the other kind and all your
opinions would be just that and not experience. I LOVE the rocked bottom, and
it is not one bit dirtier, as a matter of fact, it looks cleaner and more
natural than the bare liner bottom.I have only cleaned and drained that pond
once in 6 years ..........Jerri


http://www.fringeweb.com/Ponds/JerrisPond

Thanks Lee, all good information for him to have. ~ jan

On 6 Mar 2003 08:01:05 -0600, "Lee Brouillet" wrote:

Jan, my pond is "based" on the AS system, i.e., I use the skimmer and the
biofalls. I want a koi pond, not a watergarden, so I made serious
alterations to my design (deep, no plant shelves, steep sides, NO ROCKS! -
except in the waterfall/stream area before it dumps into the actual pond). I
still had to enhance the system with a "bead" filter and a UV to achieve my
goal.

Now, there's nothing wrong with the AS system as a watergarden *as long as
your goal is a plant habitat and not a fish habitat*. One or two fish
(preferably same sex, o'wise you'll soon be overpopulated) can survive.
However, even the AS maintenance guidelines (in addition to a lot of weekly
additives), suggest draining the pond and powerwashing the gravel at least
once a year. That's a lot of work, and more than most people want to do
(unless they have the pond under a maintenance contract). It's a good
business for the installer, though. The rocks make it look nice, but are a
lot of work. The only way to keep the algae under control to see them,
however, is to either a) keep the pond in total shade (then the plants don't
grow well), or b) chlorinate the pond to keep the algae in abeyance (which
means no fish).

Just my opinion, however. This from hot, heavy sun country: it may be
different elsewhere.

Lee

"~ jan" wrote in message
ws.com...
I have another MG (Master Gardener) who is thinking of doing an Aquascape
system. He is just doing a water gardening type pond, not a koi pond. I
told him there is nothing wrong with the Aquascape System for that
purpose,
just don't rock the liner. Course the local nursery is spreading the bull
that we who don't rock our liners are going to have them degrade all that
much faster, etc. crap. I told him he can always rock it later if need be
and to remember that the local nursery makes most its money off the sales
of rock & bark. The plants & yard art are just a side line in comparison.

So the guise of my request here, is to hear aye or nay regarding this type
of system by those who have put them in and pass those comments on to him.
Thanks, ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website



See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

Yes, that's what I believe too. Though I believe his plan is to maintain it
himself, he is a retired gent.... a healthy retired gent, but still, once
one gets in those upper years (you know, like above 40) one never knows
what will strike one down temporarily or slow one down permanently. This
gentleman is at least in his late 60s. ~ jan

On Thu, 06 Mar 2003 16:35:22 GMT, Theron wrote:

In the case of the Aquascape system, the nursery will make most of its
money from the sale of the weekly/monthly chemical additions and the
once a year cleaning of the rocks. A pond of this kind is a cash cow
for maintanance as long as the pond owner has it, and has the
installer maintain it.

Theron


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

Jerri wrote I LOVE the rocked bottom,.I have only cleaned and drained that
pond
once in 6 years

Do you have a skimmer on that pond?
Any water movement?
Or do you net it from fall to spring?
Just wondering about the mechanics of
it all.
The Frog Bog is rocked but with no movement,
skimmer or netting. We had a bad freeze here in the fall and now all the seed
balls and leaves are sailing into the poor bog. Looks like good work
opportunity for teenage boys around her come May.


k30a

Jerri, do you live where you get dust storms sometimes weekly?
~ jan

On 06 Mar 2003 21:01:59 GMT, (Jerrispond) wrote:

I have a goldfish/lily pond which has a gravel bottom. My koi pond does not
have any bottom rocks. If I had the money I would rock that bottom
also....Now I would think if you only have a non rocked bottom, OR you only
have a rocked bottom, you have NO experience with the other kind and all your
opinions would be just that and not experience. I LOVE the rocked bottom, and
it is not one bit dirtier, as a matter of fact, it looks cleaner and more
natural than the bare liner bottom.I have only cleaned and drained that pond
once in 6 years ..........Jerri


http://www.fringeweb.com/Ponds/JerrisPond


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

I had an Aquascapes system professionally installed two years ago. From the
very start there was a leak at the point that the liner attached to the biofall
tub. After numerous attempts to get the installer to fix it we ended up having
someone else completely rebuild the system. So far, so good, but it cost us
more then $1000 to get everything redone. We are planning to take the original
installer to court over his lack of response to the problem but in the end I
think the design involving attaching a rubber liner to a plastic tub is
flawed.
Donna

I've sent the comments on from all folks, though I'm waiting on Jerri
regarding her weather conditions. If anyone else has something to add,
please do and I'll send him more info tell he cries Uncle. ;o) ~ jan


On 07 Mar 2003 03:22:23 GMT, (UTVOLVET84) wrote:

I had an Aquascapes system professionally installed two years ago. From the
very start there was a leak at the point that the liner attached to the biofall
tub. After numerous attempts to get the installer to fix it we ended up having
someone else completely rebuild the system. So far, so good, but it cost us
more then $1000 to get everything redone. We are planning to take the original
installer to court over his lack of response to the problem but in the end I
think the design involving attaching a rubber liner to a plastic tub is
flawed.
Donna


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website