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My First Visit With Aquascapes
The concept behind the success of the pond seems to be a combination of simple but effective design coupled with the marketing of a "total package" deal which renders a nice, natural looking “water-garden” pond. Perhaps most importantly, the pond has construction and deployment "standards" which can be understood and met by all installers, so that a fellow in Nebraska gets the same basic technology and results as a lady in Arkansas. In essence, the quintessential “Aquascapes Install” is a nice sized rubber-lined pond with stepped sides for planting and other purposes. “Plant pockets” hold gravel. Each tier is backed by a retaining wall of rock, behind which an inch or so of gravel is spread. The pond is fitted with a skimmer and submersible pump that provides most of the mechanical filtration, pumping up to a waterfall unit that supplies both the mechanical and biological functions. A second crucial area of biological filtration comes from the biofilm, which is on the pond liner, and on the gravel in the ponds. So that's the premise. To help the consumer to picture this type of pond in their own back yard, the marketing is supported by videos, brochures and a complete marketing model that would make even Anthony Robbins look neglectful or absent minded.
Greg Wittstock (Age 32) is the owner of the company, and a staff of really wonderful people supports him. And I mean, really wonderful.... It's because Greg is "Greg" and to work with him, "they" are necessarily wonderful. Let me explain. Greg heads up a healthy, multi-million dollar company, which requires strength and endurance, wisdom, and leadership that cannot falter or vacillate. In many ways I thought that Greg was like a Lion. Greg roars a lot, and (necessarily) believes himself; his team, and his product are the best. This “We Have the Best” attitude causes some folks to take pot shots at ADI and Greg Wittstock concerning a perceived egoism. I think that’s a shame because a natural pride in one’s organization is different from conceit. Greg “says what he thinks” and, being a Lion, he doesn't mind hacking off a few of the Hyenas. He also pursues what he wants, and is building an enormous operation. Greg delegates well, and so he has a group in his “pride” that deploy his ideas and make his dreams a reality. In this regard, Dave Kelly, Lee Andrews, Jim Wullschleger, Simon Seah, Jeff Payton, Mr. Stamos, Lezlie, Tavia, Ed Beaulieu and especially Ellen Beaulieu are among his top-level cadre and they are excellent. They have to be able to stand-up to Greg with their ideas, and they have to be able to argue their points to be heard. Finally, they have to execute their missions effectively and they are accountable to a strong personality. So they are all strong personalities. People say sometimes that Greg is argumentative, and I was a little worried about that, because I came to Illinois to “argue” a bit about gravel. And we did. During the discussion, Greg actually went red. I mean, he did this whole 'Stan Kinnison' bellowing-red-faced-veins-busting-in-his neck thing. It was pretty impressive and turned heads outside the boardroom, at the same time and I could imagine that a weaker person would have “up and left” …but I was intrigued. I was forewarned that this could happen. And in fact I sort of appreciated it because Mr. Wittstock doesn't argue about “little things” and if your opinion doesn't matter to him - you don't even get the respect of the "red-rage" thing. So I think I “hit home” on some ideas. We were engaged in the endless debate about "gravel in the pond" and the production of noxious gases in the pond as a result of the accumulation of fish wastes, dead leaves, and other debris.
1) The gravel is ONLY supposed to be about an inch thick. We talked about this and in fact, I explained to Greg that if the gravel were less than two inches thick, noxious gases would be all but impossible. I'd been in Aquascapes ponds with 8-10 inches of gravel. It turns out; this is an installer faux pas. (Screw up.) In all ADI's materials, (and I checked this) the ADI design calls for an inch or *maybe* two of gravel. Lee Andrews, and ADI’s master installer Ed Beaulieu explained that when SOME installers go to the pond job with too much gravel, instead of hauling it away, they dump it in the pond as a way of convenient disposal. I think EVERYONE who owns an Aquascapes-install should check (periodically) the depth of the gravel and make a call to their installer/maintenance crew if there's gravel-shifting or simple gravel overload thicker than 2 inches. So the “noxious gases” thing from the gravel is not a fundamental part of the Aquascapes design, it's an installer or end-user abuse issue, or failure. This is an important point. It’s simple: If you bought a Ford and overfilled the engine with oil, it's not Ford's fault. The second thing is that Aquascapes has sold equipment sufficient for ninety-one-thousand installations. Based on this market exposure, the relative rate of consumer complaints is very low. The complaints come from one of three common problems; end-user overstocking, or installer overload with fish, or a simple failure to clean the pond according to the associated instructions. The skimmer and biofalls itself requires some regular maintenance, but the pond should have a “clean out” as often as once a year. (Less if the pond is lightly stocked with fish) but what happens is the installer does his installation and then "beats it" never to be seen again. This is sad for the owner because they fail to get good education and maintenance on the pond, and the installer misses residual income. Both parties "lose", and the ADI design gets criticized. But in fact, in the owners manual (I read it) and the support videos, proper care is EMPHASIZED but ignored by many owners. The final area where ADI has received criticism is in the area of fish. These ponds are meant to support fish, plants, and nature in an attractive, somewhat standardized way. And this objective is accomplished. However, when we "koi people" (Yes that's me too) get a lot of Koi, or the Koi and goldfish reproduce to exceed moderate loading levels, the limitations of the installed pond are revealed. For intensive Koi keeping, the “average” install is eventually inadequate. But there's good news. Bear with me, because I have only two or three more points to make.
Alternatively, (and this was one of my recommendations) the installer could come out and ask "Would you like plants, fish, or both?" And then the educated installer could use the “Grande” Biofalls if they ask for 'fish'. Folks, the "Grande" System is a positively monstrous skimmer and Biofalls set. I (as large as I am) can set down in the Grande Biofalls. There's MORE THAN ENOUGH room in the Grande for any Koi collection. All the person has to do is say "Give me an Aquascapes installation, but I am interested in fish so I want either of the two largest skimmers and BioFalls, hey, make it the Grande." I liked this system so very much I asked Jim and Greg that ADI would let me have one for my own enjoyment, and they said "Okay!" So, count me in as an Aquascapes system devotee. (They were *going* to give an Aquascapes system to my Dad because I had once said that 'for an old guy, the Aquascapes System would be simplest and best') but after seeing the thing I said "Nuts to that! *I* want it!" <Sorry Dad> Water changes: This came up and was sort of a sore spot. At ADI, water changes are not really emphasized at all, because in a true water garden with a balance of fish and plants, with as much aggregate as they use, water quality disorders would be considered exceptional. But even their own few employees who have moved into more intensive fish rearing have discovered that their success is improved when they monitor the nitrogen and pH in the water. This would tell them when to change water and ensure better health in their fish.
Finally, I'd mention that there's a “cowboys and Indians” thing going on between the Aquascapes and the Koi People. This means, Koi People are [sadly] quick to "bash" the Aquascapes system without having sufficient information to do so. If they realized three simple things they would probably be more likely to criticize the RIGHT defects, not the system itself. Here are those three things: 1) The gravel is NEVER supposed to be more than an inch or two. If it is deeper than that, it’s not by design, it’s by accident. 2) The system requires cleaning, and failure to do so can jeopardize the fish in the system, but again, this is a landscaper-failure, not the system failure. 3) The system is completely and totally scalable, meaning that if someone with an Aquascapes installation had a yearning to “Go For Big Koi” – they could simply upgrade their skimmer and BioFalls to the next larger size and have the media support needed. SOME Aquascapes devotees are conversely quick to criticize or dismiss the Koi People. I was talking to a fellow at the Aquascapes plant and we got onto the subject of water testing and it was dismissed out of hand. Not open minded, not interested in more information. This maintains barriers which we have to overcome.
As far as a bottom drain is concerned, I’d skip it if the system was going to be a true water garden with a half dozen fish. But for a Koi pond, using the Aquascapes concept and equipment, I’d probably have a bottom drain even though it’s not in the design and is not necessary according to the folks who’ve installed ninety one thousand systems. But I’m hard headed about some things, and so I’d make it out of a section of Jayco pipe 2 ft long, capped and adapted, to a 2 inch piece of flex PVC and then connect this to the Nursery Pro UltraClear canister filter rated for 3500 gallons [no matter the size of the pond] This would help reduce the amount of solid waste on the pond bottom and transfer the waste to an ‘easy-to-clean’ canister. Finally, what about Algae (greenwater) in the Aquascapes system? I was interested to note that greenwater is not common in the Aquascapes installation, and especially in the established system at equilibrium. What happens is that the gravel accumulates some small leaf litter, which breaks down liberating tannins. (Tea colored water is fairly common in ADI ponds) and this tannin prevents the growth of suspended (greenwater) algae. Unless grossly overloaded, grossly underplanted, or recently cleaned, the Aquascapes system rarely if ever would require the services of a UV. So, there was a meeting of the minds at Aquascapes and I was impressed. And, I plan to get an Aquascapes system installed for my own enjoyment. Also, it will help me to advise both installers and customers (who are in the majority) who are using this system. I want to have first-hand experiences and not just shoot my mouth off about stuff I’ve never personally used. Some others could benefit from the same wish. Thank you for a minute (or twenty) of your time. I hope you know that Mr. Wittstock and I have alot more arguing to do about how we "Koi Geeks" and the Water Gardeners are going to get along together. I would like to thank Aquascape and Greg Wittstock for excellent hospitality, open minds and a great dialog. I look forward to working together on more projects for the benefit of the hobbyists whether they come for the fish, or for the plants. Doc Johnson Website contents © 2002 JVC LLC All Rights Reserved
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