Fire Fountains

Where fire and water mix. These beautiful fountains gives the sight of fire against the backdrop of trickling water.  Just add your selection of gravel!

They come in three sizes and include the fuel tank.
•24”, 28” or 32” tall

PRICE:
$975, $1,175 or $1,375

Ultra low maintenance water feature that can be placed virtually anywhere. Add the beauty of water to your garden, deck, patio or balcony. Patio ponds include the bowl, aquatic plants and installation.

•Green Slate,Desert Granite or European Terra Cotta(available in 10, 20 & 30 gals.)
•Textured Gray Slate (available in 15, 27 & 45 gals.)
$695, $895 or $1,195

Add-ons (Includes Pump & Installation)
•Deer Scarer Bamboo Fountain
•Pouring 3-Tier Bamboo Fountain
•Adjustable Pouring Bamboo Fountain
$195​

For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving all your Oklahoma pond problems!
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration. ​

Most Oklahoma ponds/water gardens include fish. Fish are often the reason people get a water garden in the first place! ​Watching your fish glide gracefully through the pond is a sight for sore eyes after a long day and/or week at work. But do you have an Oklahoma pond that promotes the health of your fish?

While Oklahoma pond fish create a memorable experience, they can also bring headaches to water quality if you go overboard when stocking fish. Too many fish in the pond creates an imbalance in water, so you’ll want to make sure you’re smart about the number and size of fish that you place in the water garden.  If you have too many fish, they won’t be healthy.

If you don't have enough fish your plants might take over and if you have too many your pond might turn into a nightmare. There are so many variables that can affect the ecosystem you must tread lightly and go slow. So here are a few things to consider when stocking your pond with fish. 

How much water per fish?
Fish typically need 10 gallons of water for every inch of their length, but keep in mind they will grow larger over the years. So no matter how tempting it might be to add just a few more fish, be careful not to overstock! Some pond experts even go so far as to recommend only ½ inch of fish per 10 gallons of water as a maximum stocking density.

If you’re a fish fanatic, you may find yourself with a pond containing 2 or even 3 inches of fish per 10 gallons of water and the fish seem to be fine. However, the density and ecological strain of this loading can turn your pond into a fragile system. The pH tends to sag, the fish tend to grow more slowly, and disease can become a common occurrence.

Too many Fish
It’s very difficult and can be costly to salvage sick fish in a pond that’s overcrowded. Most likely, Mother Nature will sadly pick off your favorite fish to achieve her ideal stocking density based on the system the fish are in, then the remainder may or may not recover.

So before adding another fish to your koi collection, make sure you have ample space-filtration so that all your fish are ensured a happy, healthy home! 

For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving your pond problems!

Our outdoor design center is located at 9105 NW Expressway, Yukon, OK  73099. Please feel free to stop by for more water feature inspiration.
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration.

Oklahoma ​Ecosystem ponds, like everything else, need maintenance. If you're interested in the least maintenance possible, then be sure you install both biological and mechanical filtration on your pond. The biological filtration will tend to your water quality, while the mechanical filtration will do the skimming for you. If you don't HAVE a skimmer, then you ARE the skimmer. Emptying skimmer basket or net will take only a couple of minutes a week.

During the summer, pond maintenance in Oklahoma mostly consists of keeping the aquatic plants from taking over the pond! You will need to do some trimming a bit during the summer and what better place to do some gardening than standing in a pond! If your pond is well-built, getting in and out of it should not be a problem. 

Aquatic plants need to be trimmed and thinned regularly or they will overtake the pond. Depending on the size of the pond and the amount of plant life, this could take as little as 5 minutes a week. If you let things get out of hand, well, that's another story.

During the winter months in Oklahoma, you will get algae blooms because the other aquatic plants are dormant in the cold water. We don't freeze as much here as they do in other parts of the country, but the water gets cold enough to shut down the growth of aquatic plants for a few months. Algae is just a weed, and is not temperature sensitive, and it's usually the first weed in the garden (water garden, that is). You can simply hand-weed it out (which makes a fabulous addition to a compost operation). We DO NOT recommend using anything during the winter months other than cold water bacteria.

Pond maintenance is not a big task. However, if you want a "no maintenance" pond, we can do that as well!

For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving your pond problems!

Our outdoor design center is located at 9105 NW Expressway, Yukon, OK  73099. Please feel free to stop by for more water feature inspiration.
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration.

​Many new Oklahoma pond/water feature owners are concerned about the effects of sunlight for pond fish. This is an important issue, and the solution will depend on various factors. In Oklahoma ponds/water features, sunlight can be beneficial to your fish, but it can also harm them, and the outcome largely depends on the pond’s construction, location and how it is maintained.

​When a pond is directly exposed to sunlight without shade the temperature of the water will increase. This increase in temperature will lower the amount of oxygen which is accessible to the fish, while also promoting the growth of algae. Fish which are exposed to excessive sunlight may also receive sunburn. Each pond is unique in the manner in which it will respond to the sun, and while ponds which are big and deep may not have much of an issue, the smaller ponds which are typically found in backyards may be adversely impacted.

Algae enjoy sunlight and will thrive when exposed to it. If your pond contains koi they should be exposed to no more than a few hours of sunlight per day.  Anything more than this could be problematic for them. The typical pond will receive between four and six hours of sunlight per day.

​The best way to manage your Oklahoma pond’s exposure to sunlight is by adding shade. Terrestrial shade can be created by adding marginal plants or trees near the side of your pond. However, during fall leaves will fall from the tree and will cause serious problems if they are allowed to accumulate in the water, so you will need to perform netting or clean them out. Papyrus or other tall plants will provide excellent shade for the fish.

Aquatic plants can also be used to help manage Oklahoma sunlight, and some of the best include water hyacinth or water lilies, which create shade beneath the water that can be used by your fish. The lilies can be planted via plant bags and or baskets and situated in advantageous locations throughout the pond. An alternative to the planting of trees could be a canopy or man made structure which will cast shade over the pond. The right canopy can also add style to the area.
​
Perhaps the easiest solution is fish shelters or caves. The shelters can be placed in the water and will allow the fish to swim beneath or within to get shade whenever they need it, while caves will also perform the same function, although constructing them may be more complex. In addition to protection from sunlight, these structures will also protect your fish from various predators.

​Just as too much Oklahoma sunlight is bad for fish, too much shade is equally so. The most ideal ponds are those which have some areas reserved for sunlight, while others which are reserved for shade. This will give the pond a balanced temperature which will make your fish healthy and happy.

Oklahoma ​ponds/water features need a good balance of sun and shade.  If your pond doesn't have partial shade from trees, make sure to add plenty of plants to provide shade, vitamin D and protection from predators.

​​For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving all your Oklahoma pond problems!
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration.

All summer long we get calls stating "I just bought some koi fish, how much and how often do I feed them?" Well, wonder no more because Continental Ponds is here to teach you all about feeding your fish. Whether your pond has koi fish, goldfish, butterfly koi, shubunkins or just native fish we have one simple method that works for them all.

How Often to Feed your Koi Fish
We recommend that you feed your fish once a day. This will provide enough nutrients for healthy fish and a healthy pond if the filtration is correct. Feeding them too often can put an excess amount of nutrients into your pond which can cause algae issues. With that being said, if you have clear water and would like to feed your fish twice a day you can. Feeding your fish twice a day will help to promote growth, and give you happy plump fish. By getting into a feeding pattern your fish will learn when it is time to eat, and they will begin to eat closer to the location where you feed them from.  After some time they will get so familiar with the feeding time and place they will eat right out of your hands! With all this being said, it is not the end of the world if you miss a feeding here and there. 

How Much to Feed your Koi Fish
When feeding fish we like to give them a few small handfuls at a time. We follow the three minute rule while we do this. The three minute rule is only giving the fish as much food as they can eat within a three minute time period. If they eat everything you give them within three minutes its alright to give them some more. If after three minutes there is left over food floating around its time to put the food away.

Our Way
You’re probably wondering why it's ok to miss feedings now and again, and why your fish should eat so little fish food. This is because it is not their only source of food. Fish in a proper ecosystem can thrive off of eating the algae and plant matter that surrounds them. If a feeding is missed the fish will end up eating algae and other things growing in the pond. The fish are given a small amount of fish food at a time for a few reasons. One reason is so that they do feed on the algae growing in your pond, because it will help keep the algae growth in check. Also, large amounts of food that don’t get eaten would then flow into your filtration system, break down and then can cause algae growth from the excess nutrients that are broken down.​ Tip: If for any reason your water is starting to look cloudy stop feeding for a few days. If the pond clears up this will let you know you are over-feeding and stressing the ecosystem. 

For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving your pond problems!

Our outdoor design center is located at 9105 NW Expressway, Yukon, OK  73099. Please feel free to stop by for more water feature inspiration.
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration.
 

​Beautiful ponds and beneficial bacteria go hand and hand!   Beneficial bacteria helps keep algae at bay.  Bacteria is very important to have in a pond.  We recommend 3/4" gravel in the bottom of ponds to provide a place for beneficial bacteria to colonize.  While bacteria occurs naturally in a pond, it is difficult for it to keep up with an enclosed ecosystem. Things like fish load, uneaten fish food and organic debris disrupt the balance of the ecosystem and can cause unwanted algae.  The regular addition of beneficial bacteria on a regular basis helps prevent this. You may have purchased a variety of pond treatments and aren't sure what is what.  Beneficial bacteria is completely safe for fish and animals, just be sure to use as directed.

​Liquid bacteria jump starts the ecosystem as it works more quickly.  However, dry bacteria offers different strains of bacteria which provides a diversity to increase overall stability of the whole system.  Good bacteria along with aeration, fish and plants create the balanced ecosystem that is a beautiful pond. 

​There are countless strains of bacteria and there are different strains in different products.  Some products have a higher concentration of bacteria than others.  For instance, the dry beneficial bacteria from Aquscape has a 3.0 billion CFU per ounce potency.  The cold water strains have about 1.5 billion CFU.

​There are strains of beneficial bacteria that will die once the water goes below a certain temperature. Cold water bacteria can be added down to the water temperatures at 35 degrees. Regular bacteria can only be used down to about 55 degrees.  Temperature is a big reason why we see algae blooms in the springtime.  Just as different trees and flowers bloom at different times, the various biological elements of the pond "wake up" at separate times too. The plant life and the bacteria come to life just slightly after the algae.  This is why we see algae blooms in the early spring - the other plant hasn't gotten to work yet and gives the algae a head start.

​It is the algaecide that you want to be careful with!  Algaecide can harm fish and animals if not used correctly.  It also kills beneficial bacteria- disrupting the eco system we are trying to balance! 

Ponds and beneficial bacteria go together! Add bacteria:

• Once a week (from March to November)
• The day after it rains (extra dose)
• Twice a week in hot temperatures
• More often if you are having a green water issue  (try adding different types of bacteria to get a better variety of strains in).

For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving all your Oklahoma pond problems!
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration. ​

Each and every year during Oklahoma's storm season we get several calls "My power is out, what do I do." So here is what you can do for your pond fish when you lose power in. Notice I said when, not if! 

It's happened to all of us, whether we know a storm is coming or the lights just go out, we lose power sometimes.  Many times it's not a big deal because it's off for a few hours maybe 12 tops. However when the power is off for days there could be problems.  At first our attention is on our families.  We need heat and water, will I lose all my food, can't flush the toilets, can't cook.  Our first goal is to get the needs of our families met, then the secondary concerns come to mind. 

​The summer time is a bit different.  Your main goal is to get that aerator plugged in and running.  Depending on your generator and what circuits you have it running will depend on what you should do.  If the generator runs the pond outlet make sure everything else is unplugged- pumps, lighting, and any other items you have out there.  Then just plug the aerator in.   On the other hand, if the generator doesn't run the pond outlet, just get that aerator plugged into the generator or an outlet the generator is powering.   

Losing power is frustrating and stressful for you and your family.  Being prepared can lessen that stress and diminish the frustrations that come with being powerless.  

Ducks can be a pleasant sight in any pond much less your very own Oklahoma backyard pond or water feature. Their appearance shows that it has been maintained in a manner that makes it attractive to wildlife. For those Oklahoman's who want to attract ducks, below are some tips that will help you do it.

​Ducks are a type of aquatic bird that is plumed and which resides on almost every continent which includes the sub-Antarctic. They feed on fish, insects, amphibians and worms. Some species can forage far below the water’s surface and are capable of capturing molluscs from mud. Unlike other birds, ducks should never be fed bread as it will harm them while polluting the water. Ducks also make a quacking sound which in smaller ponds or water gardens may annoy homeowners or neighbors. In order to attract them you must first understand their needs.

​Ducks come in many varieties and the two species which frequent ponds the most are mallards and Muscovy ducks. They are omnivores and as such they eat a wide selection of food. Ducks prefer large amounts of space and water and they feel at home around aquatic plants such as water lilies. They also like tall grass in marshy areas where they can conceal themselves and create nests.

The first step in attracting ducks is to install berry bushes. These along with mulch will attract insects and worms which in turn will attract ducks who will feed on them. A mess hall should also be created by establishing feeding areas which have platforms which are low and large. Ducks need a place to nest so to attract them you will want to setup a nest box. This could include a hollow log or grassy areas which provide concealment. Ducks are also fond of the sound of moving water and splashing, which is why you will want to install waterfalls and fountains.

Perhaps one of the cleverest ways to attract ducks is with duck decoys. By placing a pair of artificial ducks in the pond which float the actual birds will be attracted to them, swooping down to investigate. Once they see the beauty of your pond and all the food that is available they will want to stick around, which is what you want. The best decorations for a duck friendly pond are those which are natural. Make use of logs which are partially submerged, marginal, brush piles and aquatic grass.

​For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving all your Oklahoma pond problems!
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration. 

BioFalls are very simple yet effective fish pond filtration systems that don't require much care.  However, spring is the perfect time to check on those filter pads to see if they may need replacing.  The filter pads are cleaned a few times a year but are quite frequently forgotten about.   What really determines if you can reuse these pads or if you should just replace them? 

Inspection of the BioFall filter pads is one of the items we check off on all our pond clean out services. In general the BioFall filter pads can last up to two years, we recommend not going more than two years on a set of pads.  We normally recommend changing one out each year as most biofalls have multiple filter pads.

Why? 

1. They get clogged and start to breakdown.  Even if you clean them frequently, "stuff" is most certainly stuck in the middle clogging that filter pad.  "Stuff" you can't see
2. The filter pads start to break down and fall apart.  Not to the point that you are going to have thousands of pieces of filter pad floating in your pond, but ripping.  If you remove the filter pad to clean it and it rips, that means it's time for a new one.  

Before you even potentially waste your time or water, check the filter pad for rips or tears.  If you see none, check the strength of the filter pad.   What rip it?  Yes, try to rip it, but leave your Hulk strength at home.  It really doesn't take much to rip that filter pad if its shot.   If either of these happen, go  invest in some new BioFilter filter pads, it's time. 

Should your pads look good, aren't tearing, and you've replaced them within two years, rinse/wash those puppies down and use them another year.    
Filter Pad Cleaning Tip:
Rinse the filter pad down with water, then lightly hit the pad against a solid tree trunk.  You'll be shocked at all the sludge and "stuff" that comes flying out of the filter pad.  BE AWARE: It will look like a giant bear has pooped all over the tree... rinse the tree down with a hose and you're all done. ​
Lastly, if your pond was a mess the prior year or is now and they pads are caked with pond sludge, replace them.  No matter how much you clean and knock them off, they will be clogged.  Clogged pads don't allow water to flow through them, essentially rendering the pads completely ineffective. 

 Recap: When to replace your BioFilter filter pads. 

1. Ripped or torn filter pads- Replace 
2. 2 years or more in use- Replace 
3. Disgusting pond and filter pads won't come clean- Replace
4. Just don't want to mess with them- Replace

For daily pond tips Monday thru Friday like and share our facebook page. To receive our monthly newsletter click here. Remember we are always just a click away from solving all your Oklahoma pond problems!
 
Continental Ponds is offering this pond information as a personal information source to our website visitors. Pond services are performed in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Yukon, Shawnee, Newcastle, Mustang, Bethany, Piedmont, Guthrie, Jones, Chandler, Midwest City, Del City, Shawnee, Tuttle, Blanchard, Bridge Creek , Warr Acres, Woodlawn Park, Lawton. Fish and Koi Pond Maintenance and Construction, Streams and Waterfalls, and Fountains are all in our wheelhouse of talent. Explore our website for more ideas. Like our Facebook page for daily tips and inspiration. ​

Adding a variety of different aquatic plants to your Oklahoma pond is an amazing way to make your water garden looks even more beautiful. But like with everything else, you need to make a plan of how and where you are going to put in the right aquatic plants at the right time. Otherwise, it may look like an aquatic jungle!

The first thing you need to consider what type and how many plants are going to use. There is a wide range of Oklahoma pond plants in the market that you may find overwhelming, but you need to make the right choice for your water garden. So, you have to spend some time gathering information about the specific requirements of each plant you are interested in buying.

There are many aquatic plants in the market, like floating plants, water hyacinth or lettuce. These types of special and beautiful plants develop extensive roots under the surface, and they also provide shade to aggressive algae growth in a pond. You can also choose to buy submerged plants, like hornwort and anacharis.

These plants can improve the quality and clarity of the water. Or you may prefer bog plants, like iris or cattails that can surround the perimeter of your pond. You may also choose lotus and water lilies, which can give your ponds amazing colors and various underneath shades. Of course, you can select to buy a mixture of all these plants, to make your pond look marvelous.

Remember that it’s better to cover about 60% of the water’s surface. To do so, you can select 6-12 floating plants, two bog plants, some water lilies, and several submerged plants. Also, you have to buy also fertilizers and containers like plant bags and pots. You will love to use them, to take care of your pond.

Consider all the different factors depending on the type of aquatic plants you want to add. For example:

• Floating Plants – Place them in the pond, and they will freely float on the pond surface.


• Submerged Plants – Grow them underwater in plant bags and fill your containers with planting materials. In fact, you can plant several bunches of these plants together.


• Bog Plants – These plants grow better in containers under the water pond.


• Lillies/lotuses – These amazing aquatic plants can thrive in pots. To transplant them, fill out the tub with clay, and then you can put some planting media on the top.

If you would like to see your new Oklahoma aquatic plants blossom, you will definitely to need various nutrients for your plants to have lovely blooms. So, make sure to buy some aquatic plant fertilizers, like spikes or tabs. For example, fertilizer spikes release plant food slowly over a period of 12 months. On the other hand, you can use a spike in a simple way: You just have to put them into the soil, and you don’t have to do anything else for the whole year.

Be sure to consider all the special needs of the aquatic plants you choose. Choosing the right water plants will add a magical touch of shape, color and texture to the pond.  Like everything else in life, the more thought and planning you put in this task the better things will turn out.