What is a well-balanced water garden?

Aside from the overall natural beauty of your water garden and the waterfall’s tranquil sound, a RikRock built water garden is designed to reflect nature’s eco-system. From the top of the waterfall, to the bottom of the pond, all our components are engineered to play a crucial role in creating and maintaining a balanced eco-system.

Water is pumped from the skimmer box to the header pool, (where the waterfall begins) passing through filter media. Beneficial bacteria that have been added to the water garden colonize in the filter media. Water movement brings oxygen to the bacteria, increasing its population and expanding its benefits. The header pool contains floating plants such as water hyacinth or water lettuce. These plants are selected for their strong water filtering characteristics allowing them to digest nutrients that would normally be present to stimulate algae growth. As the water spills down the rocks on the waterfall it picks up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide prior to returning to the pond.

RikRock recommends water lily coverage over 2/3 of the water gardens surface. The lilies shade the bottom from the sun’s natural tendency to penetrate and stimulate algae growth. The edges of margins of a RikRock water garden are designed as natural wetlands or bogs where we place aquatic marginal plants. The marginal edge, built with stone, filter felt, aquatic plant soil and aquatic marginal plants is constantly wet. These plants not only beautify but also contribute to the eco-system, absorbing nitrogen for growth and bloom, thus reducing the nitrogen that algae need for the same.

The bottom of the pond has gravel and submerged plants that help naturalize the look of the bottom, while adding oxygen and aiding in the clarity and health of the pond. More than 95% of RikRock water gardens contain gold fish, Koi, Comets, etc. These fish are bottom feeders who can sustain themselves in a well-balanced water garden. Feeding the correct amount and type of food at the proper times of the year is encouraged for greater fish growth, entertainment and connecting you directly into the eco-system of your water garden.

At RikRock we have spent years learning, testing and refining our pond elements to create harmony and balance in our water garden’s eco-system. Nature does not do things overnight. This pond balance can take two months or even as much as a year. Be patient, balance in a RikRock water garden will happen.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to e-mail info@rikrock.com