Comments?...............looks like overkill to me................

[cas]

Of all of my customers over the years, I can count one hand the number that would be classified as hobbyist.

Interesting. I wouldn't have guessed that.

 

[peter hillman]

I know a lot of us started ponds as an extension of aquarium keeping. Just couldn't get enough!

 

[HARO]

I know a lot of us started ponds as an extension of aquarium keeping. Just couldn't get enough!

Yup! Me too!
John

 

[barryian]

In my experience as a Water Feature Contractor, I would venture to say that only 1 out of 25 pond owners are hobbyists and that is being quite liberal. I suspect that in some areas of the U.S. that figure is even lower maybe 1 out of 50 or 100.
As Lisak1 stated, most of these ponds are primarily there as a decorative item in the landscape and maintenance on them is in the same category are mowing the lawn or raking the leaves. Maintenance is the major percentage of total revenue for a dedicated pond contractor (as opposed to a landscaper). I have a close friend who is a pond contractor in the Greater Boston area that makes a very good living and I would venture to say that 75% of his total revenue comes from maintenance. I also know of one contractor in the UK that also thrives on providing maintenance.
This is why, as Dave54 said, we have individuals come on this forum asking questions only to never return or respond to comments left for them. They are looking for an answer that requires little in monetary expense and/or physical exertion. Those types of answers are not always out there.

Totally agree, though I didn't think I was 1 out 50 or 100. There's a fellow 2 blocks down from me and he has a 4000 gallon pond. He's enamored with his pond and fish but never tests the water, never. He feeds them, and he has the pond builder / landscaper I know do the maintenance. I had a few conversations with the pond builder/landscaper who maintains his pond. After the conversing, well, he's a nice guy but knows nada about water chemistry. Has a 6000 gallon pond himself and invited me over to see it. Yikes, koi are 3 feet long and a nearly a foot wide but the pond's a mess. Nice from the distance or for a lay person. The kicker is, he never tests his water, either. He lost a large koi recently and couldn't figure out why. I wasn't going to tell him. Seems like water testing is a no no.

Also, the fellow who built my son in laws pool builds ponds. Got into a conversation with him. He builds these ponds (is an AquaScape account) and doesn't believe in testing because he said he builds natural ponds. He knew nothing of kH and some other water questions I asked. He was rather arrogant and I ended my conversation after a while ... Just bit's and pieces I've picked up as I'm always interested in a conversation about ponds. Many people profess to build ponds. It seems the lack of knowledge is ubiquitous amongst many of them. I would like to assume that is an exception, not the rule.

@Meyer Jordan ... People on the North Shore of the Island here have many ponds built by a builder who is extremely knowledgeable. These people build showcase ponds for tens of thousands of $'s and then some ... for show and he maintains them. He has acres of land where he houses koi for sale in various tanks & quarantine tanks, etc. Very interesting. He know's his stuff, especially knew how to get rich. He had koi of all prices up to $25,000. One koi in one tanks was marked at $50,000. One was not for sale as it was willed to his kids. Quite an amazing guy. I didn't make this up, nor exaggerate. Lot's of money on the North Shore. He was the one who taught me how to inject koi over 20 years ago...

 

[barryian]

Yup! Me too!
John

Me Three!

 

[Mucky_Waters]

I know a lot of us started ponds as an extension of aquarium keeping. Just couldn't get enough!

I think this where a lot of the true pond "hobbyist" evolve from. They (or should I say we) generally have an interest in monitoring water quality and maintaining filters and nurturing the creatures that live in the water. For us a pond is like an aquarium on steroids. But for others, a pond is more of a landscaping feature like a lawn or a hedge, and like a lawn or a hedge lots of people just hire landscapers or "Aquascapers" to maintain it and trust that they know better how to do that and also have the right equipment to do it that they feel they probably don't have.
As for the video, I've never been a fan of the way Aquascapes designs their ponds, but once they are built that video probably represents the only way to clean them,,,, through brute force!

 

[CountryEscape]

Me Three!

Me, four! I have had aquariums since I was a child, so that means I've had fish in some way or another ... or all at once like now ... for 50 years!

 

[barryian]

I think this where a lot of the true pond "hobbyist" evolve from. They (or should I say we) generally have an interest in monitoring water quality and maintaining filters and nurturing the creatures that live in the water. For us a pond is like an aquarium on steroids. But for others, a pond is more of a landscaping feature like a lawn or a hedge, and like a lawn or a hedge lots of people just hire landscapers or "Aquascapers" to maintain it and trust that they know better how to do that and also have the right equipment to do it that they feel they probably don't have.
As for the video, I've never been a fan of the way Aquascapes designs their ponds, but once they are built that video probably represents the only way to clean them,,,, through brute force!

Well said! The thought of power washing my pond each opening season is a scary thought ...lol ... Can't relate to the reason either.