Help finding my way with ponds

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Hey guys,

After my university was closed, i am no more a tutor in architecture. Since then i had been seeking for what business to do , and couple days ago i decided to go after my dreams and start a pond business.

I want to summarize my situation;

- I am from Turkey and here there are no ponds. So, no experts on ponds. No tools for ponds. No special hardware for ponds(like pond skimmers). We got EPDM and hardware meant for swimming pools. That's all.

- I gotta learn about ponds in very little time and dig my show pond before it is winter.





1- I have been learning a lot from the forums and tutorial videos but i need something to read i guess. Any suggestions?

2- I don't know what i should be focusing on now. For example plants. Plants are the most important and also complicated part of a pond but i guess as summer is almost over, i will have time till next spring to add plantation? Do you agree?

3- Basically what should i be doing to really not fail in this business? At least not in my show pond?
 
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Have you written a business plan? Has it been reviewed? From what you wrote the lack of readily available pond equipment will be difficult for potential customers. I have lived in your country and know there is a lack of interest in certain hobbies. Have you conducted any type of marketing surveys to ascertain the long term interest in garden pond ownership. Remember owning a pond also entails on going maintenance. There are many factors to consider. The supply chain for such a specialized retail business must be in place for you to be successful.

Good luck.
 
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Meyer Jordan

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Have you written a business plan? Has it been reviewed? From what you wrote the lack of readily available pond equipment will be difficult for potential customers. I have lived in your country and know there is a lack of interest in certain hobbies. Have you conducted any type of marketing surveys to ascertain the long term interest in garden pond ownership. Remember owning a pond also entails on going maintenance. There are many factors to consider. The supply chain for such a specialized retail business must be in place for you to be successful.

Good luck.

If, after you have considered all of Big Lou's suggestions, you still want to pursue developing a pond business, I would recommend two (2) books. !. "The Pondbuilder's Bible" from Aquascape and, most importantly, a book on freshwater biology.
I admire your eagerness but with what appears to be little knowledge of ponds you need more lead time to educate yourself. For your purpose, the designing, construction and maintaining of aquatic habitats as a business, internet forums and YouTube videos are not always valid or dependable sources of information.
 
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Salam merhaba neselsen, its good idea , i want to ask whats best plan for marketing thare? Do u know how u will find existing customers or u will create new ? May b website or banners on fish shops?
As far as equipment , yes uil need to know where u can buy basic things or if u import them online , uil find pumps there ithink just wud b b hard to find filter skimmer and watterfall tub, contact all fish shops specialy whole sale shops who import fishes , if they can find for u , try marine , fisheriee department in universities they use equipment too , filter and watterfall can b made by u too but will take more time effort
locate nurseries whic can provide u few watter plants found in turkey , some resources for rocks for border ,fishes like koi and shubunken
U can browse videos alot of techniques and ideas on utube ,il give u one channel they did step by step how to build ponds
 
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may b im looking at it differently ,i think there r 3 components here in his case ,one is business other is physicaly building pond with all resources and third is maintaining with understanding fish and pond biology, my advise would be to focus 1st on business and building pond for custommers and leave fish and maintainence to fish dealers as they wud hv more expereince nd can take responsibility such as disseases or water parameters , u can do jointventure or hire expert on wages and learn for some time bcz keeping fish alive is responsibility and risky if u are new in this , something wrong happens with fishes uil b lost ,uil need some on field experience to tackle, if he does involve himself in it too then it would b more burden headache responsibility as a start ,its very big field.
Mostly if ur new in any business u should start simple with a nich a segment and not go in details of each element like should start with less profit and buying things from other dealers equipment services etc bcz if u start focusing on all things from start like if he starts creating importing his own equipment or going in to fish business importing breeding them too etc , he will b tangled alot and will lose main focus , wil need more resources and men to work for him , wont b feaciable. , gradualy can spread for more profit
 

Meyer Jordan

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may b im looking at it differently ,i think there r 3 components here in his case ,one is business other is physicaly building pond with all resources and third is maintaining with understanding fish and pond biology, my advise would be to focus 1st on business and building pond for custommers and leave fish and maintainence to fish dealers as they wud hv more expereince nd can take responsibility such as disseases or water parameters , u can do jointventure or hire expert on wages and learn for some time bcz keeping fish alive is responsibility and risky if u are new in this , something wrong happens with fishes uil b lost ,uil need some on field experience to tackle, if he does involve himself in it too then it would b more burden headache responsibility as a start ,its very big field.
Mostly if ur new in any business u should start simple with a nich a segment and not go in details of each element like should start with less profit and buying things from other dealers equipment services etc bcz if u start focusing on all things from start like if he starts creating importing his own equipment or going in to fish business importing breeding them too etc , he will b tangled alot and will lose main focus , wil need more resources and men to work for him , wont b feaciable. , gradualy can spread for more profit

This prompts the question: How can one correctly construct a pond for someone else without knowing the requirements of the pond's proposed inhabitants? Most of the questions that are submitted to this and other forums are sourced in the fact that biology was never a major factor to be considered in the pond's original construction other than a token acknowledgement that a pump and filter were normally included.
Does the OP understand the Nitrogen cycle? The Carbon cycle? The Phosphorus cycle? The effects of temperature and Oxygen levels? (there is so much more). If someone is paying him to construct a pond, they are going to expect that it be done correctly and they will fully expect to be able to go to him for answers to questions that will surely arise. If he can not answer these questions knowledgeably, referrals will be non-existant. And referrals are the life blood of maintaining an on-going pond construction business.
 
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The little I know of Istanbul would lead me to believe that because of the both the preciousness of space in the middle east and Turkey, and the love Turks and Arabs have of gardens, that what we call container ponds may be a good fit for your market.

Good luck and stay safe, It has to be scary in your country right know.
 
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This prompts the question: How can one correctly construct a pond for someone else without knowing the requirements of the pond's proposed inhabitants? Most of the questions that are submitted to this and other forums are sourced in the fact that biology was never a major factor to be considered in the pond's original construction other than a token acknowledgement that a pump and filter were normally included.
Does the OP understand the Nitrogen cycle? The Carbon cycle? The Phosphorus cycle? The effects of temperature and Oxygen levels? (there is so much more). If someone is paying him to construct a pond, they are going to expect that it be done correctly and they will fully expect to be able to go to him for answers to questions that will surely arise. If he can not answer these questions knowledgeably, referrals will be non-existant. And referrals are the life blood of maintaining an on-going pond construction business.
You are right sir, i agree its ideal , for this varry reason i said a customer need to b satisfied and get what he paid for , not to be in experiment mode , as u said should keep in mind all basic principles before desighning i guess thts part of construction no doubt. Im just giving a thought , option

... until he becomes experienced himself he can discuss his plan ,all measurements , requirements in relation to its size shape temp etc ...about each indivisual pond with someone experienced or here. dont u thinksvits better to learn onfield from others experience experties rather then learning from failures or experimenting on customers as he is yet to make his 1st pond , ... to reduce chances of failure to minimum.

iknow alot can b learnt from books but until some one executes in real its different and needs time to getit all , most of the ppl who start business , either they have there own experience research of years in the field , or they hire or learn from others before risking investment and reputation . most of us dont know about ponds cycles deeply bio of it but they stick to basic principles requirements and they r doing well , if they learn more its better
lol ithink ur a bio prof and ihv studied business we r looking in different ways samething
 
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The little I know of Istanbul would lead me to believe that because of the both the preciousness of space in the middle east and Turkey, and the love Turks and Arabs have of gardens, that what we call container ponds may be a good fit for your market.

Good luck and stay safe, It has to be scary in your country right know.
Very good idea but if its available there
 

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iknow alot can b learnt from books but until some one executes in real its different and needs time to getit all , most of the ppl who start business , either they have there own experience research of years in the field , or they hire or learn from others before risking investment and reputation

My point exactly. You don't learn about building ponds as a business by building ONE pond. no more than a person that works on their own automobile is qualified to be an automobile mechanic. But experience in pond construction only goes so far. If you do not know the 'Whys' that determine correct design/construction methods, you are doomed to eventual failure.
Before I started in the Pond construction business I accumulated a decent library of books relating to all facets of a pond's functions. I constructed Four (4) ponds on my own property with several changes and/or upgrades. Time lapsed--two (2) years. Then the very first two (2) ponds that I constructed were on a 'materials only' cost basis. I did not charge for my time or labor. Only then did I feel confident enough to embark on this venture as a functioning business.
 
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Guys,i will try to answer all your questions. Thanks for the great help.

First of all this is going to be a "give a shot" kind of business attempt. Because the possibilities of it failing is so great! Here, people are so ignorant that they will say "Oh, clean that green dirty water. Why is it green? Disgusting...".


I have a business plan but it is pretty simple.

That pond will be in a huge plants market property. This is a great place to show your pond to potential customers. Why? Here 98% of the people live in apartments and apartment people never go to plants market. Only real rich, house owners visit these markets.

- I won't pay anything to plants market until i get a real job.
- I won't spend anything besides building a 40k gal pond.

So, honestly , if it doesn't work, i am not broke or something. Besides, i would have my own pond anyways(i will mention soon). So , it is not extra money either.


I know for some of you this might sound like a stupid way of founding a business but this is the least risky way so far.


Guys, i have had aquariums for decades and i am a member of Pondboss forums. Last 2 years, only for my personal pleasure, i imported American gamefish species to Turkey and i have been raising them in my 5k gal(total) tanks. Building a pond was actually meant for my fishes. And then i thought "why not give a shot and try to turn it into a business?". This is my dream job anyways.

So , i can say the biology of ponds is not so far from me to learn, hopefully. I am afraid, in a country with no ponds and no interest to anything like that , i am the best potential person to do this business. I know there will be risks and failures but tell me... Would you give up, if you were in my shoes?


Thanks for the book and video suggestions guys. I already started reading and watching.
 
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I would go for it and not worry about anything except getting supplies. Don't get discouraged and don't feel that you can't do it for what ever reason. You are digging a hole and lining it with rubber to keep the water in. After that you need to make it look nice and that is where landscaping comes in as well as an eye for proportions. This is really what separates the professionals from the armatures. Do a Google search for ponds and then images. Find what you like and copy it. Just don't under build it by putting in a cheap pump or cheap piping or a cheap liner or cheap anything. Give your customers what they paid for. Keep it simple with no fish and if you do so all you will need is a container to filter the water, it's the same as filtering tea. Then put in a UV light (remember quality) and you won't have any problems with green water. If you want fish then it sounds like you already know what to do, but don't over stock it just a few fish, five or less. You are not putting in a swimming pool or even putting in a septic system. The worst that can happen is that you have to reshape it and reuse the liner. Just make sure that it looks nice, you have used quality materials and the water flows as it should. They will have nothing to compare it to so that gives you an edge up. Over time you skills(your eye) will improve and your ponds will look better. Only build small ponds and don't get in over your head. Pun? If you were talking about going into a skilled trade like carpentry or cabinet making I wouldn't be so sure that you could do it. Millions of people build their own ponds but not many build their own homes or put in their own septic systems. In those trades you do need to have skill. Think of it as you are going into ditch digging only fancy ditches, ones that you don't want to leak.
 
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Mgmine, thanks.

What supplies are we talking about getting? Can we make a list? I thought all i needed to have was pond waterfall and skimmer tubes and pond filter. What else?

I could use a pool pump, right?
 

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