FAQ's...

General FAQ's

Are you fully licensed and insured?
Yes and Yes!

Will you work with our designer?
Yes, although we do offer both design and installation, if you already have a relationship with a landscape designer you can hire us just to do specific items like water features, hardscaping, landscaping or any other aspects of the project.

What services does your company offer again?
Just about anything in the yard including outdoor murals & faux painting. We can also bring aspects of our work indoors. We are not just landscapers we are Artists. We love to design beautiful low maintenance yards with proper flow of energy that you can really live in.

What comes 1st? My patio? My Pond? My Plants?
First we install the pond or water feature. The water feature is usually your focal point and everything must evolve around it to create your back yard paradise. Then we do the hardscaping. We lay out you outdoor living area with any large character boulders, retaining walls, walkways, patios, decks ect, to accommodate your living and entertaining needs while focusing on function & flow. Then comes the planting beds, trees, shrubs, mulch etc., they go in last to soften and accent your design. 

Can we do things in stages?
Yes, to fit your budget & schedule we can develop a design and install it in stages.

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Water Feature FAQ's

Can we have a stream, and/or a waterfall without a pond?
Yes, we call it a pondless waterfall, or some call it a disappearing waterfall. You can review our section called “Ponds vs Pondless” to find out more.

Can you make my pondless waterfall into a pond or revamp my old pond?
Yes and Yes!

Do you build waterfalls into swimming pools?
Yes, we design and install all kinds of water features.

What is an ecosystem pond?
In order to be successful, a water garden must develop a living balance with itself. We must work with Mother Nature.

The fish consume nutrients from aquatic plants. The fish then produce waste adding to the other forms of natural debris. Aerobic bacteria or beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms colonize on the rocks and gravel on the pond’s bottom, in the streams and filters. These microorganisms break down this debris which is then absorbed by the aquatic plants as nutrients. The on recirculation of water though this natural and man made system creates your ecosystem and the circle of life is born!

Does the pond need a filter system?
Yes. We prefer to build ponds with a natural type of filter with very little maintenance.

Our typical ponds 1st use a mechanical filter which is like a pool skimmer. This has a net bag that traps any debris that is blown onto the surface of the pond. This filter has the option of an automatic water fill. It also has an overflow connection. This filter also filters smaller particles and protects your pump, while keeping it clear, by means of a single media filter pad. (On BIG projects we might use what is called a vanishing edge treatment.)

Second we use a BioFall, a biological filter which is placed under the waterfall. This filter is completely hidden from view. This biological filter contains more filtration pads, as well as lava rock. This filter function is to convert toxic compounds produced from the fish into nitrates. These nitrates are utilized by the aquatic plants in your pond. (On BIG projects we might use what is called a Bog system.

Filtration is necessary in maintaining the health and the cleanliness of your pond.

There are other filters on the market, but we like to keep it natural. Good filters are not cheap. The Aqua UV system is a more tradition style but still popular system that works well with older formal ponds, this has a back flush system more like a pool, and we sell these online as well for that niche of our customers.

What about mosquitoes when I get a Water Garden?
Stagnant water attracts them, but moving water does not! So keep your water moving. Mosquitoes can not thrive in a correctly built pond.
Fish are the ultimate mosquito prevention. If mosquito larva does find its way into your pond the fish will eat it up…YUM. They will eat bugs too. We have pet Koi that jump up like a trout to eat flying pests around sunset and into the evening.

What does it cost to run a pond?
We recommend using a high quality energy efficient pump. Example: Our 3000 gallon per hour Aquasurge pump will cost you around $13-14 dollars to run for the entire month. That’s running it 24/7! A cheaper brand pump may save you a few bucks off the shelf…BUT it will cost you $35 and up to run per month. After a few months the energy efficient pump is the winner over the cheaper pump. We keep your energy bill in mind when we design for you.

Why is a liner used instead of cement?
We use a liner because they do not leak. Our liner is a 45 mil EPDM, which is fish safe and has a life expectancy of 40 years. The manufacturer guarantees these liners for 20 years. Face facts, the ground shifts & cement ponds fail at some point. Even if your cement is intact you must reseal it every so many years like a swimming pool and if you do not reseal the cement, then the alkalinity will seep into you pond raising the PH which can cause slow kidney failure in your fish.

Why do I need rock and gravel on top of the Pond Liner?
Rocks and gravel do much more than just make it look pretty. The rocks serve as a physical sun block, prohibiting UV rays (a rubber liner's worst enemy) from attacking the rubber liner. Also, the sheer weight of the rocks and gravel help keep the liner in place compared to liners without gravel that can shift and even develop air bubbles from underneath. They also allow us to create natural looking shelves with safe & easy access for getting in or out of your pond.

Are your water features safe for my kids and pets?
Yes. In fact we built our very first pond in Connecticut with just this in mind. It was at our home in Newtown. The Koi would love it when anyone entered the Pond! The design had a gravel beach access area for our two large water loving dogs which worked dually as well for our curious niece & nephew when they would visit us. It had safe but natural looking shelves around the rest of the pond that stepped down into the pond which also acted as planting areas. It was easy in and out. With our natural running ecosystem we would add a little beneficial bacteria once per month an it stayed clean. Best of all we knew exactly what was in the water unlike the Lake down the road. Our dogs (which we consider our children) would sits by it and swim in it daily exploring in the streams just as much as the visiting kids did. It was everyone’s favorite place in the yard including the adult kids. We truly enjoy bring this kind of experience to your home.

How much maintenance does a water garden require?
A well design professionally installed ecosystem pond requires little maintenance. A typical pond should take about 5 minutes per week to empty the skimmer. Trimming of the plants is recommended monthly. Depending on your plant numbers & growth it will vary. A typical ecosystem pond will take 20-45 min of plant trimming per month. If you like, walk right into the pond, get you toes wet and it won’t even seem like work! Plus it’s good for the pond. On smaller ponds and ponds turned off for the winter freeze we recommend a spring clean out. If you don’t want to lift a finger we offer several maintenance options. OR just go for a pond less water fall with a meandering stream. Now there is your super low maintenance water feature!

Do I need plants?
Aquatic Plants are another very important part of the eco-system. Plants & algae compete for the nutrients in water. If you do not have plants, you will have algae.

There are many aquatic plants available for water gardens, from marginals to lily; these plants all perform a function while beautifying your pond. Plants should cover 40-65% of the pond surface area but much also depends on the shading effect your landscape plants outside of your pond and the region you live in. A pond in FL is quite a different pond than one in CT. Still, Lily will keep the water cool in the summer and provided hiding spots for your fish while Marginals like Thalia, Canna, or Dwarf Papyrus will help clean the pond because plants are nature’s filters.

If you really don’t want water plants I would definitely purchase an Iongen instead of a UV filter. We sell these online or by phone.

Can I have a Pond without algae & do I need UV light?
The answer just became YES to no more algae BUT the answer is not a UV light.

UV sterilizers are specially designed lights intended to kill algae growth in outdoor ponds. So people love them. However, these lights are no miracle cure and can cause more problems than they solve. These lights will immediately kill the current crop of green water algae or pea soup algae. The tiny dead algae particles will then fall to the pond bottom creating a fine dusting of more unwanted nutrients to fuel the growth of yet more algae and an increased abundance of sludge.

The only way to create a truly low maintenance pond is to establish a balanced ecosystem from the start. A balanced ecosystem will work in harmony with Mother Nature, not against her and really should have a small fuzzy underwater oxygenator called hair algae…What? Yes hair algae is good for your pond. It’s about 1/8th – 1’ Long.

BUT if you want NO algae there is now a new product called the Iongen. It scientifically creates unsuitable conditions for algae to thrive. All the algae in your pond including the fuzzy hair algae, the long string algae and of course the green water algae will at first be killed and swept into your skimmer then the Iongen will keep the algae at bay. It does more and creates a cleaner pond then a UV light. It is perfectly safe for your fish and plants… you can find it on our online store or call us.

Are Fish necessary in my pond?
Fish are an important part of the eco-system, as well a source of pleasure. Fish are perfect. If you are not a fish person watch how quickly you become one! We recommend Koi, they are friendly, beautiful and there is little maintenance. You can choose to feed your new friends or not. The pond will provide the fish with the food they need. Warning, if you choose to feed your fish, you may become addicted to it.

Did you know that you can even train your fish to eat out of your hand or come to you by command?

Will my fish die or become sick if I go on vacation or I'm just too busy to feed my fish and what about the cold?
The short answer to this often-asked question is “No”. In fact, your fish will do just fine even if you never feed them. In our experience, feeding is more for the benefit and enjoyment of the owner than it is for the actual care of the fish. In fact, one common mistake is to give the fish too much food at a time or feed them too frequently.

In colder climates do not feed the fish when the water temperature is under 55 degrees, if & when the pond freezes just keep a whole in the ice with a pond heater or bubbling pump (NOTE: Do Not keep the bubbling pump on the bottom shelf of pond, second shelf up is fine, otherwise it can super cool your pond and you may loose fish!)

How many fish can I put in my pond?
Overstocking your pond with fish can throw the ecosystem out of balance and lead to fish-health problems. Too few fish can mean that the pond's nutrition will not be satisfactorily absorbed and recycled. An accepted rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per square foot of pond surface area. In other words… a 10' x 10' pond, or 100 square feet, could support 100 inches of fish. These 100 inches could consist of 10 ten inch fish, 20 five inch fish, or...well, you get the picture. We recommend starting with a smaller amount of fish in a brand new pond then slowly introducing additional fish.

How long do I have to wait before adding fish to my newly-filled pond?
If you treat the water with a chemical detoxifier it will remove or bind chlorine, ammonia, and heavy metals from the water, fish can be safely added shortly after it circulates through the system. We like to wait 30-60 minutes, AND we always test that water as some municipalities will use more chemicals in their water on any given day as a shock treatment. We sell Test Kits & Pond Detoxifier.

Do you offer discounts for Display Ponds?
Yes. If you have a qualified spot for a display pond, pondless, or even a smaller water vase, such as high traffic business location, restaurant or nursery OR if you want to Host a Build-A-Pond day event please contact us so we can discuss your ideas and location. Note: Not all inquires will qualify for discounts.

What is the biggest pond you’ve ever built?
It was an Aquascape Ecosystem swim pond in Wisconsin. The bottom pond was around 60’x90’. Equipped with fish caves, jets, lights, gravel beach, Koi & aquatic plants and more. Up the hill from there was a huge bog system for filtration that fed water down a 100 ft long by 8 ft wide stream. This stream ran over the top of a walkthrough cave at the pond’s edge which then fell down a 12 ft high waterfall into the swim pond. This project involved working directly with Aquascape Inc’s “The Pond Guy” Greg Wittstock and his right hand man Ed Beaulieu PLUS about 50 Certified Aquascape Contractors (CACs). Oh and I Almost forgot to mention it took NINE Machines and FIVE tractor trailer loads full of rock! With our CAC brothers, we have the certified man power to complete large projects for you, your business, or your cause.

Why hire Desired Landscapes?
We are not just landscapers we are Artists. We love to design beautiful low maintenance yards with proper flow of energy that you can really live in. We’ve stayed small by choice but we have many business contacts like our CAC brothers mentioned above that we can call upon when needed for those bigger jobs. Hire us with confidence!