Articles – Page 32

The aquascape diy pond kit is marketed as containing everything you need to set up your very own ecosystem pond, minus the rocks, water, fish and plants. This autumn I purchased a kit to install for my mum and dad. I was attracted to the aquascape pond system as I’ve been watching Greg Wittstock on YouTube (the founder and ceo of aquascape) the past couple of years. The ponds he showcases always look clean, healthy and natural. I’ve built my own diy ponds previously and a lot of the principles I try and use I’ve borrowed from things I’ve learnt from pond builders following the aquascape process. What’s is an aquascape ecosystem pond? So the idea of an aquascape ecosystem pond is to work with Mother Nature not against her. So unlike traditional fish ponds that have bare liner and a ring of coping stones, aquascape ponds incorporate rocks, gravel and plants. This helps to create the “ecosystem”. All fish ponds require some level of filtration. There are many types of filters used in ponds pressure filters, canister filters, drum filters, ect, ect. Aquascape uses a skimmer box and a waterfall filter called a bio falls. The skimmer is a mechanical filter. This means it physically removes contaminants from the water. Mostly leaves and other floating debris. Capturing the surface debris before it sinks to the bottom of the pond helps to keep the pond clean and clear. The bio falls is a biological filter. This means that it uses living organisms and bacteria’s to purify the water. Biological filters are very, very important to any pond containing fish. To understand why consider reading my article on the nitrogen cycle in a pond. So in a nutshell the skimmer keeps the pond clean and the bio falls keeps the water fish safe. Is the kit easy to assemble? Very user friendly. As Followers of my blogs will know I’m always building ponds around my home. Up until this point I had cobbled them together myself from many different parts and components. This was my first time working with a complete kit and a set of instructions to follow. The pond kit comes in a large box and was delivered to my door. Inside the kit you have: Pond pumpEpdm pond liner Geotextile underpayment (to protect the liner)Bio falls SkimmerSkimmer net ( to collect the leaves ect)Bio balls (sits in the bio falls and provides surface are for beneficial bacteria)Filter pads (sits in the bio falls to trap fine sediment.Non kink flexible pipe (to connect the pump to the bio falls)Black fish safe silicon (to create a watertight seal around the faceplates of the skimmer and bio falls).Corrosion resistant screws (to secure the faceplates on the skimmer and bio falls)Hose clamps ( to secure the piping)Instruction manuals for all major components with set up instructions. Once I unpacked all the equipment I was very happy to find the step by step instructions that detail how to set up the pond. They have a 20 step process which is straight forward and easy to follow. What I like about the aquascape pond kit. The ease of set up was definitely a delight for me. Every other time I’ve created a pond I’ve needed to make multiple trips to the hardware and plumbing store to make everything fit. With this kit almost everything you require is right there. This means less thinking, worrying about how everything is going to come together. I found the 20 step process made the whole build much easier. When I got to the part where I had to cut a hole in the liner to fit the skimmer I was hesitant. Aquascape has a large YouTube library and I was able to watch a short video on how to install the skimmer. This put me at ease and gave me the confidence to install it properly. I also love the filtration system. The pump moves 8000L/ per hour and is really energy efficient. The pump sits in the skimmer so you never see it. The Biofalls provides a perfect waterfall and of course the all important biological filtration. The warranties are great to: Pump 3 yearsBiofalls lifetime Skimmer lifetime Pond liner 20 years What I don’t like about the aquascape pond kit. They are quite expensive, but in saying that do offer incredible warranties on all major components. I didn’t like that no check valve is included in the kit. If the power is turned off or there’s a blackout when the pump shuts down the water in the Biofalls will syphon back down into the pond. This will mean that the bacteria living in the Biofalls will dry out and potentially die. The professional grade kits contain a check valve and I think the diy kits should also. I installed a check valve on this pond. $20 at the local hardware store. That was my only major gripe. Other than that it would be nice if a light or two were included. I love ponds at night, but you’ll need to purchase them separately as they are not included in the kit. And lastly I wish they told me how much rock and gravel to purchase. I grossly overestimated and had to move a heap of extra rock...but that’s on me I guess ;) So is it worth the money? Look I really believe it is. If you can afford the aquascape pond kits they are worth the money. You’ll have everything you need (well apart form the check valve). The components are well made and have fantastic warranties. Aquascape has been installing and creating these products for over 25 years they know what they are doing. It’s really easy to set up and a small pond kit could easily be completed in a weekend. I’m pretty happy with how mum and dads turned out. Below is a video showing the aquascape components and what we were able to create. https://youtu.be/P3YJReVJaag If you don’t have the money I completely understand. I’ve built many ponds on a budget myself. If you would like some more budget friendly projects check out some of the other videos below. https://youtu.be/XSaHM_HDHYw Subscribe We often receive special offers and discounts from pond supply companies. We love saving our readers money. If you would like to receive these special offers and discounts sign up for our mailing list.