In This Issue:

Download our Pond Supplies Catalog

Terrific Sales on Pond Filtration

Dance by the Pond

Pond Fish Food explained

Fun (Pond) Fact(TM)

**AOL members: to assure you receive this newsletter we cannot
make all the links live. Please copy and paste the ones that
are not live into our browser**


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tetra Pond's Terrific Offer
brought to you ONLY by The PondMarket
:: Buy the backflushable Pressure Filter with UV
and the clog resistant, energy efficient OFX Pump
and Tetra Pond will GIVE YOU 50 ft. of tubing and
the clamps to put it all together:
http://snipurl.com/TetraFilterKit
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


>>> Download our Pond Supplies Catalog

We put a pre-print version (not quite done editing) of this
years Paper Pond Supplies Catalog in our download pages for
your convenience to download. The catalog can be printed on
your own printer and is compatible with the MAC. It is in
.pdf format.
Find it here:
Tetra Pond Filtration Offer
(free .pdf readers are available on the internet)


>>> Terrific Sales on Pond Filtration

Cal Torpedo Pressurized Filters and Atlantic Waterfall Filters.
Whether upgrading an existing Pond or building a new one, here
are a couple of terrific deals:
Pond Filtration Sale


>>> Dance by the Pond

Spring always puts us in a good mood...so we could not
help ourselves! Check it out:
http://snipurl.com/PondDance
Great to pass on to family and friends for a cheerful
start to the weekend!


>>> Pond Fish Food explained

We get lots of requests to recommend a good Pond Fish Food.
There are several points to consider when choosing a food:
1) What type of Pond Fish are in the Pond? Goldfish? Koi?
Orfe? A mixture of all of these?
2) What is important to you? Fast growth? Spectacular color?
3) The Health of the Pond Fish should always be a top concern
4) The impact of the food (and of the fish waste it produces) on
the pond

There are many good Pond Fish Foods on the market, but care
should be taken to feed a quality food without too many fillers.
Fillers produce a larger amount of fish waste (because they cannot
be digested) which in turn makes compost in the pond and feeds
algae growth.
The money saved by choosing cheaper fish food is then just as
easily spent by having to buy more algae control products.

Digestability is a very important factor. All the larger, brand name
Pond Fish Food manufacturers spend large sums on money to make sure
their food contains a balanced nutrition for the pets while taking
the health of the pond into consideration.

Foods are available to enhance growth, color as well as the
immune system of the fish, and The PondMarket carries a large
selection to make sure all Pond Pets can be fed a healthy diet
at reasonable prices:
Pond Fish Food Selection


>>> Fun (Pond) Fact

Fish spawning are quite violent with the males pushing the females
against rocks and other objects to release the eggs. Injuries to the
females are quite common. Koi spawning in particular can make the
Pond look like a Vulcano has been unleashed in it.But never fear,
as soon as spawning is over the fish get along again with each other
just fine!
Enjoyed this newsletter? Please pass it on to family and friends who
may also be interested in Pond Stuff.

Advance Catalog and Koi care in Garden Ponds

In This Issue:

• Download an Advance Copy of our Paper Catalog
• How to (gently) wake up your Pond Fish
• Is your Pond a good Home for Koi?
• Fun (Pond) Fact

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Check out the new Microbe-Lift "Legacy" Food!
A new way to feed your Fish
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

An Advance copy of our Paper Catalog......
is ready to download! Print it on your own printer and see what is new for this year! (it may have some minor flaws in it, yet, because it is not quite ready for print, it is at the bottom of the free ebook page) Advance Catalog Copy


How to (gently) wake up your Pond Fish

All of us are waiting for the signs of spring and the pond is no exception!
There are some pre-cautions to take with your pond pets, though:
1) Clean and start your filter before resuming feeding of the fish!
2) Add beneficial bacteria to the filter and the pond to jump start the "waste disposal machine" (Microbe-Lift has a new GEL that clingsto the filter pads and makes inoculating the filter with bacteriamuch easier).
3) Start feeding VERY SLOWLY! Koi and Goldfish do not have stomachs, alltheir digestion is done in the intestine. Since they are cold water fish(they do not have warm blood like humans) their digestive tract is rathersluggish and needs food that is very easily digested and adds vitamins andimmune system stimulants to help them recover from the stress of winter andprepare them for the upcoming spawning season!
4) Feeding time is a good time to inspect each fish to make sure they did not pick up parasites or other ailments during the winter - take the timeto look closely! Everything needed to help the Pond Fish start the new Spring Season canbe found in our "Seasonal" Department for Spring:
Spring Start-Up for Ponds

Is Your Pond a Good Home for Koi?

Pond Owners love adding fish to their Pond and the colorful and playful
Koi is certainly a favorite!
They are not suited for every Pond, though...
There mature size of 2 1/2 - 3 feet dictates that they have some space and
filtration requirements that surpass those of Goldfish!
Koi need at least 750 gallons per fish and a minimum Pond size of 1000 gallons.
The Pond must have a good filtration system (bigger fish=bigger poop) otherwise
the water quality and fish health will suffer.
Koi live a long time (25 years on average in a garden pond if well cared for)
and need the commitment of their owners like any other pet to keep them healthy!
Koi will reward you with exceptional tameness -- they will easily learn to eat
out of your hand and will greet you when stepping up to the pond.
Their spectacular colors and patterns are certainly nothing short of wonderful!

Fun (Pond) Fact
Koi eggs are very, very sticky and will adhere to anything in the pond,
including pond walls, plants, filters, pumps, etc....
Enjoyed this newsletter? Please pass it along
to family and friends who mayalso enjoy it,
so they can sign up for their own copy at www.pondmarket.com

PondMarket (R) 2006 Pond Survey Results

Do you....
already have a pond? 96%
plan on building a pond this year? 2%
thinking about building a pond at some point in the future? 2%

What aspects of ponds are most important
Waterfall 15%
Fountain 5%
Fish 19%
Plants 18%
Sound of moving/falling water 18%
Serenity and beauty of the waterfeature 15%
Wildlife habitat the pond provides 10%
Other 0%
None of the above 0%

What are your plans for the pond this year (check all that apply)
Make it bigger 5%
Add better filtration 12%
Replace pump with bigger or better 8%
Add some fish 12%
Add plants 26%
Add Ultra Violet Clarification 3%
Start a new pond from scratch in addition to the one I have 7%
Other changes not listed here 12%
No changes planned this year 12%
I do not have a pond yet 1%

Ultra Violet Clarification:
Already own it 34%
Plan on adding this year 19%
Do not need it, pond is always crystal clear 14%
Do not know what that is 22%

Beneficial Bacteria (Microbe-Lift, Aqua One):
I use it religiously to keep pond bottom cleaner and fish healthy 47%
I do not use it 23%
Never heard of it, what is it? ) 27% 

PondMarket print Catalog
I already signed up for it 39%
I am going to pondmarket.com right now to request my free copy 37%
I shop online, do not need a print catalog 22%
I never buy a thing for my pond 2%

pondmarket.com
I visit pondmarket.com at least once a month during the season 30%
I visit pondmarket.com whenever I need pond information or product 66%
I have never visited pondmarket.com 4%

What do you find most helpful at pondmarket.com (check all that apply)
Free Water Gardening e-books 12%
Free Water Gardening newsletter 20%
Pond Information Pages 20%
Picture Gallery of Ponds for inspiration 14%
The new Pond Blog (posts answers to pond questions) 8%
Online catalog 12%
All of the above 14%
None of the above 1%

What other features would you like to see at pondmarket.com
Downloadable catalog to print on your printer 15%
Auctions for discontinued, dented, left-over items 33%
Clothing and accessories with pond themes 15%
Chats with pond experts 34%
Other (send email to survey at pondmarket.com with ideas) 3%


PondMarket Newsletter
I prefer to continue receiving it in text only format 41%
I would rather receive it in html (magazine like) format 59%

How often would you like to receive the email newsletter
Once a week 22%
Every two weeks 27%
Once a month 47%
More often than once a week 2%
Less often than once a month 3%

Pondmarket.com online store/catalog (check all that apply)
It is easy to find products in the online catalog 64%
It is difficult to find products in the online store 4%
The online store at pondmarket.com has the most products for ponds I have ever seen 14%
The online store at pondmarket.com does not have enough products 5%
I will send suggestions for making the store better to catalog@pondmarket.com 2%
I have never visited the online store 11%

Your pond.... (check all that apply)
is the most important thing in your yard/garden 48%
is just one of the landscape items in your yard, nothing special 7%
is a family project and gathering place 28%
is your hobby alone, the rest of the family doesn't care 17%

PondMarket.....
makes every effort to provide everything needed for garden ponds 98%
gets carried away....too much information and stuff 2%

Pond Quiz and first Pond Survey Results

(Archieved Newsletter: "Splash - The Pond and Water Garden Newsletter" February 2006)
published courtesy and copyright of PondMarket.com

In This Issue:


Pond Quiz - Brand New - How much do you know?

Winter Pond Problems and their Solution

Last Call for the Annual Pond Survey (make your opinion known)

First Pond Survey Results

Fun (Pond) Fact


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
YEAR-END BARGAINS still available:
Pumps, Filters, Barley Straw, Pond Kits, UV's....
whatever we found while we are moving in new 2006 products:
BARGAINS GALORE!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Pond Quiz - How much do you know about the Pond?

Take the Pond Quiz and see how much you know about the Pond!
We have had a lot of fun with it. How well can you do?
Take The PondMarket Garden Pond Quiz


Winter Pond Problems and their Solutions

Most of the country has had a pretty mild winter, but even these
weather conditions can cause a few annoying problems:

a) String Algae

(also called blanket weed, hair algae, etc.)
This problem can be tackled a couple of different ways, both of them
very effective but with just slightly different results:
"Green Clean" and "D-Solv" will wipe it out almost instantly on
rocks and waterfalls, but must be repeated when new growth starts.
"Pond Balance" will slowly dissolve it (takes about 10 days or so,
but it will stay gone longer. In all cases it helps to add a
beneficial bacteria that will take some of the nutrient overload
out of the pond (the excess nutrients are feeding the algae).
These products can be found here:


b) Disappearing Fish

Most fish in garden ponds have very few places to hide in the winter,
because the plant cover has died down. This situation makes them
prime targets for predators, in particular predatory birds like
Owls, Hawks and Herons.
Often, the pond owner notices his fish disappearing one by one
without any visible signs in or around the pond that a predator
has visited.
These critters can be kept at bay by netting the pond and putting
a decoy by the pond. Hawks and Owls can be deterred by the net
(they scoop the fish up in flight), Herons will stand next to
the pond and sometimes work their way through the net to get to
the fish. They are best deterred by a decoy (they are very
territorial and if they see that a Heron (the decoy) is already
at the pond they will look for another place to hunt.
Find nets and decoys here:
Fish Nets and Decoys

Last Call for the Pond Survey and First Survey Results

Many of you have already participated in this years Pond Survey,
but many of you have not yet done so. Here is your LAST CHANCE!
The survey will close in the next week to 10 days, so hurry and
make your opinion known (you can still get there via our Pond Blog):
PondMarket Pond Survey
Some of the results so far have yielded useful information that
we will use to change the newsletter, our information site, etc.
Here is your chance to weigh in on wanted changes!!


Fun (Pond) Fact

Dragonflies lay their eggs on aquatic plants or directly in the
water. The resulting nymphs live underwater until ready to mature
into adult Dragonflies. This process can last up to 4 years in
some species!
Like this newsletter? Please pass it on to family and friends
who may also be interested! Elementary School Teachers in particular
like the Fund (Pond) Facts to use in the class room!
Sign Up for "Splash - The Garden Pond and Water Garden Newsletter"

Loch Ness Monster in the Garden Pond

Reader Question (summarized):
We installed a large pond last summer and after we received 10 inches of rain the pond liner in the bottom lifted up and it now looks like the Loch Ness Monster resides in the pond. Can you help?

Answer:
This is not an uncommon problem in garden ponds, especially if the pond was built in a low spot of the garden. It is also a very difficult problem to solve short of tearing the pond back out and moving it.
We encountered the same type of problem with one of our display ponds. The pond had mortared field stone around it and three waterfalls and we did NOT want to tear it back out.

We finally solved the problem by using a Danner pond pump (see link below) to drain the water from under the pond liner whenever it rained. We used a Pondmaster 1800 pond pump which has a threaded intake. We attached a threaded hose-tail fitting to the intake of the pump with about 20 feet of of 1" tubing and about 50 feet of 1" tubing to the outlet. We then carefully (without damaging the pond liner) made a small tunnel under the pond to the edge of the water bubble and threaded the intake hose under the pond liner.
Whenever it rained we just plugged in the pump and drained the bubble.
We eventually made this arrangement more permanent by threading PVC pipe under the pond to the bubble and digging a sump basin behind the pond that the PVC pipe drained into. We put the pond pump in the basin to empty it when it filled. Problem solved!

Featured link: Danner Pondmaster Pond Pump

PondMarket.com Annual Garden Pond Survey

Our annual Garden Pond Survey:
It's fun and it's much anticipated. Take the survey and see what fellow "Ponders" are doing and planning with and for their Garden Ponds and Water Gardens!

Click Here to take the Garden Pond Survey!


Click Here to request a Free PondMarket Print Catalog!

To line or not to line a Rock Pond or Garden Stream

Dee from Texas asked an interesting question:
How to cement rocks together to make a 50 ft gently sloping stream in her garden.
Waterproof cement can be used for this task, but...we STRONGLY recommend lining the stream with EPDM liner. The rocks can be mortared on top of it so it is completely covered and not seen.
Failing to line the stream (or pond) will almost certainly cause leakage over time when the mortar gets brittle and/or tiny cracks develop. It is amazing how much water can be lost out of a garden pond, waterfall or stream through even the smallest crack or fissure.
Lining the water feature will help prevent that problem.

Today's featured link: Pond Liner

Feed Pond Fish in Winter?

Should we feed our pond fish during the winter if the weather and the water warms up?
The answer is: It depends!

If the pond is located in the southern half of the US, then the water will probably stay warm enough to feed the fish and let them digest it.

In the northern half the water usually does not stay warm for long enough to give the fish a chance to digest the food before the water turns cold again and it is best to refrain from feeding them until the water warms up to and stays at or above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Featured link: Different Pond Foods

Sign-up for a free Pond Supplies Catalog

Once a year, in January, we provide the opportunity to receive our comprehensive Pond Supplies Catalog for FREE (usually $ 1.99). Please use the link below to sign up:

Get Free Pond Supplies Catalog

Koi and Goldfish Disappear from Garden Pond

We get inquiries all year, but especially in the winter, from pond owners who's pond fish have disappeared.

Sometimes signs can be found around the pond that give hints who the perpetrator was: Footprints, Droppings, knocked-over rocks, destroyed plants, etc... (that scenario usually points to a racoon).

Often, however, there are no signs to be found, but yet the fish are simply gone! When absolutely no visible signs of a visitor can be found the culprit is usually a bird. Many birds prey on pond fish. The ones most often at fault are Hawks, Owls and Herons.

Pond fish like Koi or Goldfish are usually pretty adept at hiding from these almost silent predators, but in the fall, winter and early spring we pond owners sometimes deprive them of the ability to hide by removing all the dead plant foliage and cleaning the pond too thoroughly.

I like to put a couple of big terra-cotta pots in the pond. Laying these on their side gives the fish a place to hide. This trick, in addition to netting stretched over the pond, discourages most predators from making a meal of my colorful Koi and Goldfish.

Today's featured link: Pond Netting