Wow, the kids are back in school, the leaves are turning—what happened to summer? We were busy installing water gardens all summer, so hopefully you got to spend more time by your pond than we did! We had a great season, and we’re already planning some big projects for next year. We’d like to do a Ponds For Kids project, so give us a call if you’re interested. We provide the labor and expertise, while a school or group raises funds for the materials. It’s a great hands-on learning experience and educational tool for kids.

We’re happy to introduce two new employees, Valerie Smith and Jeff Bealles. They both have lots of water gardening experience, so we’re lucky to have them on board. Be sure to check out Jeff’s column on Fish-N-Tips!

Beginning September 1st, The Lily Pad will be closed on Sundays. New hours for the season will be Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Be sure to check the Winter Newsletter, or pondprofessors.com, for our winter hours in November. Even though the hours at The Lily Pad are reduced—our customer service is not! We are always available via phone or email to answer your questions or to schedule service calls.

Now that the weather is cooler, you can switch to AquaClearer SuperCharged or AmmoniaGone as part of your weekly pond maintenance. The beneficial bacteria in these formulas are more effective in colder temperatures. The cold nights and warm days, coupled with the recent rain, have encouraged string algae explosions in some ponds. Remember, pulling the strands only releases more seeds into your pond. The best solution is to cut out as much as you can, then apply S.A.B. The remaining strands will break off after 24-48 hours, and you can collect it in the skimmer.

Another common problem this time of year is discolored water. Tannins from leaves and needles falling into the pond may cause your pond to turn the color of tea. While not harmful to your fish or plants, brown water does detract from the overall beauty of your pond. You can restore clarity by adding Activated Carbon to the BioFalls. This is an all-purpose filtering media which will remove pesticides, chlorine, heavy metals, and other harmful substances in the water.

On October 1st, we will begin our Fall Shutdown Service. For a flat fee of $110.00, our crew will prepare your pond for winter. To ensure that your plants and fish stay happy and healthy, we recommend running your pump all year. In addition to our cleaning services, we will also install your Return De-icer and Thermo-Pond floating heater. Please let us know if you need to purchase either when you order our service.

Many people ask us what we do in the off-season. Well, we don’t hibernate with the fish, but we do install Christmas lights for residential and commercial accounts. Our trained crew uses only contractor grade products to ensure that our professional presentation will impress your neighbors throughout the entire holiday season. For those who want all the festivity, but don’t have the time (or a ladder!), we provide full service installation of lights on rooflines, trees and shrubbery. Yard ornaments, pre-lit garland, wreaths, trees and topiaries are also available.

Why brave the elements when you can stay warm and dry while our crew does all the work! We test all of our lights to ensure everything is in good working order, and we’ll replace any bulbs during the holidays. Best of all, we remove and store everything once the season ends. Please call us today for a free quote on your hassle-free holiday lighting. Early Bird Special: Place your order by October 31st and receive a free 36” pre-lit wreath as part of your display.

All additives are based on volume of water, so it is important to know how many gallons are in your pond. The most accurate way is to take readings on your water meter before and after filling the pond. Spring is a good time; since, we recommend doing a 100% water change at the beginning of the season. When taking the readings, be sure not to run water elsewhere in the house. We have found that the calculator used in the Aquascape Owner’s Manual overestimates the volume in a pond because it calculates for a straight-sided box. As you know, most ponds are irregular in shape with varying depths. For a more accurate calculation, find the circumference (length + width, divided by 2, multiplied by 3.14), multiply that figure by the average depth, then multiply the total by 7.48. For example, the large pond at The Lily Pad is 11’x16’x2’, so 27/2=13.5 x 3.14=42.39 x 1.5 (avg. depth) x 7.48 (vol. per cubic ft.) = 476 gallons. The 8’ stream contains 30 gallons, and the BioFalls and skimmer box hold about 63 gallons for an estimated total of 569 gallons. The actual meter reading was 562 gallons. According to the Owner’s Manual, it would be 1,975 gallons, so you can see which method is more accurate.

As summer turns to autumn, and the temps begin falling, it's time to change what and how we feed our beloved Koi.  The high protein foods we've been feeding them all summer are no longer needed and can pose a danger for our fish.  At cooler temperatures (60 degrees and below), Koi begin a metabolic slowdown and cannot store or absorb the high protein content  in regular foods.  This excess protein simply passes through the fish and into the water. This can seriously compromise water quality and the health of the fish.  Here are a few guidelines to fall and winter feeding:

• Feed less, just enough to be eaten in a few minutes or less.  Remember to remove any uneaten food immediately!
• Feed your fish earlier in the day when temps are higher.  This will give them time to more fully digest their food
• Feed your fish high quality cereal-based foods with proteins that are easy to digest.  Try wheat germ based foods with a low Ash content (5% or less).  They're usually more expensive but much cheaper than losing a precious specimen!
• When water temperatures fall below 40 degrees, it's time to stop feeding your fish.

In the Summer Newsletter, we introduced you to EcoBlast, an aggressive treatment for removing stubborn algae in your pond. We erroneously described it as a “natural enzyme,” but it is actually a chemical additive. Rest assured, EcoBlast is a 100% plant and fish-safe product regulated and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. It performed as advertised when we used it in all of our ponds. Unlike most algae busters, EcoBlast works in all temperatures, so it’s great for early spring and late fall applications. Please note, EcoBlast kills all algae and beneficial bacteria indiscriminately, so you must restore the ecological balance in your pond by adding S.A.B. (or any of our concentrated bacteria formulas).

• Septemeber 12th, 5:30pm
  N.A.W.G.S. pond club monthly social hosted by the Newmans.
• October 9th, 10am to 5pm
  Pond Professor's Company/Employee Garage Sale at The Lily Pad. For more details go to our information page.
• October 16, Noon
  Pond Professor's Fall Social and Customer Appreciation Party at The Lily Pad.
• October 23, Time TBD
  Aquatic Plant Seminar: Prepare Your Plants for Winter.