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- 1. How long have they been building ponds and can they provide Extremely satisfied referrals from customers of at least 4 years?
- Most ponds look good at first, then they go bad between year 1 and 3.
- Classy Koi Ponds started building ponds over 13 years ago. I was talking with one of my customers this year who said “If people knew how easy it was to maintain the Classy Koi Ponds pond and how much fun it is, everyone would have one.” His pond was built 12 years ago.
- 2. Do they have the necessary experience and knowledge to complete your dream garden or water feature?
- Most pond builders attend a weekend seminar telling them how they can make thousands of dollars building ponds. At the end of the weekend they are certified pond installers and “poof!” they think they’re pond pro’s. This would not be all bad if the training and products they used were designed to benefit the customer not the builder and manufacturer.
- The sad part is people are paying good money to have ponds built and end up with a pond headache. Think about it, would you hire someone who builds storage units to design your house? Of course not! They both might have walls and floors, but they are entirely different.
- 3. What is their knowledge about Koi or goldfish? Remember they are creating an environment for your pet fish. If you have fish problems are they able to help? What about preparing for seasonal changes?
- Classy Koi Ponds has in depth knowledge of handling fish and creating healthy environments for your water pets. We are the largest importers of Koi in North Texas.
- 4. What do they know about construction of ponds? Can they give you operating costs? What is their knowledge regarding water hydraulics, water flow over distance, pipe diameters, elbows and their effects on the operating system and cost of operation?
- Last year I rebuilt a new client’s plumbing for his filtration system, I was the fourth person he hired to correct the filtration problems. The filter and pump were OK, but the original builder and persons who tried helping him correct the problems had no knowledge of water hydraulics. I removed all the original plumbing and re-plumbed the pond, which quadrupled his water flow.
- Increasing flow rates and using the correct pump dramatically reduce operating costs. The type of pipe used can also affect the water flow. I removed all the pumps and plumbing on a pond last fall, corrected the plumbing, and replaced the pumps. This resulted in lowering their electric bill by $200 per month.
- 5. Will the builder be there when you need help? Does he have the experience and knowledge to solve problems when there is a dilemma or to service your pond after construction?
- We have a retail store front and have been designing and rehabilitating ponds for over 13 years, and we do not office or operate out of a truck.
- The majority of our work is redoing ponds. We have rebuilt or replaced most filtration systems on the market. We take great pride in our projects and have spent thousands of dollars on specialty tools and training to provide you with excellent service.
- 6. What type of filtration equipment do they offer, and what is their knowledge of filtration systems?
- Over 90% of the builders offer one type of filter for everything. Would you shop at a car dealership that offered only one type of car for everyone? Imagine trying to pull your boat to the lake with a 4 cylinder compact car, or trying to save money on gas driving a 4 wheel drive truck. A mini van and truck are the same size but have completely different uses depending on your needs.
- The majority of people are sold filters for water features when what they really wanted is a fish pond.
- We offer a variety of filtration systems and pumps based on the pond design and size of pond we are constructing.
- 7. Can they build liner, concrete or composite fiberglass ponds, or are they limited to only one style?
- The style of pond depends on the customer’s goal and budget.
- We design and build liner, concrete, and fiberglass. We also use a combination of these to provide ponds, water features, and waterfalls that last and give the special effects customers want.
- 8. Do they use bottom drains to remove all the waste from the bottom of your pond?
- The majority of builders use only a skimmer with a submersible pump. The fish waste and plant waste goes to the bottom were it decays and eventually turns your pond into a sewage pit. This I why they drain to clean this type of pond.
- We install bottom drains or some way of removing the waste from the bottom on all ponds we construct.
- 9. Do they put gravel on the bottom of the pond which requires yearly draining of the pond to clean it?
- Draining the pond is absolutely unnecessary in a well built pond.
- Large water changes shock the ecosystem, promote algae, kill beneficial bacteria, alter the pH balance, and cause undue stress on the fish with possible fatalities.
- Please read the article on our web site about gravel in the pond. They don’t tell you about all the problems and maintenance issues with these ponds, most people find out the hard way.
- We receive numerous phone calls from people who had their ponds drained and cleaned only to lose some, if not all, of their fish.
- 10. The million dollar question Customers ask me is? Why do the majority of pond builders and landscapers use this system with a skimmer and gravel on the bottom and between all the rocks.
- The answer to this question is “MONEY”. It is extremely cheap to build.
- I have talked with several of these builders over the years and the main response is, “I make too much money building them this way to change.”
- One actually told me he makes so much money draining and cleaning the ponds plus selling them all these additives he would never put a real filter in his ponds and give up his $$$$$$ (6-figure) income.
- My response to the issues with this type of ponds is, what ever happened to putting the customer first?
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