WHAT IS AN INTAKE BAY? Oklahoma City Area Creating and maintaining a healthy pond ecosystem in Central Oklahoma requires careful consideration of various components, including filtration systems and water circulation. Among these, intake bays stand out as crucial elements in ensuring water clarity and purity. In this blog post, we dive into the significance of intake bays, their purpose, and how they compare to skimmers in ecosystem ponds and swim ponds in the Oklahoma City Metro Area. What’s an Intake Bay? Think of an intake bay as a souped-up version of a regular pond skimmer. The intake ba ..read more

Rocks can make or break the look of a pond. Using rocks too big for a small pond can make it look weird, using small rocks on a large pond will do the same. But a pond without rocks and gravel would not look good, will not function as well and will lack a long lasting foundation. Let’s take a look at how rocks really work in a pond! Benefits of Rock in Your Oklahoma City Metro Area Pond Rock provides a solid pond foundation.Different sizes of rock work together to give a pond its form. Medium to large boulders provide an attractive perimeter and define the shelves and ledges around and inside ..read more

First let me start by telling you that for years we have been feeding Cheerios to our Oklahoma Pond fish. Now, we do not just feed them Cheerios as we know they need to get a lot more nutrition then what they provide. But it’s pretty kool to give the young grand kids a dixie cup and watch who get the most food (fish or kids). With that said let me get back to the story! Koi Food Basics Feed fish only what they can eat in a few minutes. Don’t throw in food and just walk away! They need to be watched so you know if they have eaten all the food. They can be fed at different frequencies depending ..read more

What is a Fish Feeding Ring? A feeder ring is a light-weight tube formed into a circle that floats on the surface of the pond. Its main purpose is to hold floating fish food in one place, inside the ring, for pond fish to eat – but can be used to keep floating pond plants (like water hyacinth and lettuce) together and out of your skimmer box. There are a number of different types and styles of fish feeding rings on the market today. You can even make your own out of tubing, pvc pipe, pool noodles and we have even seen people use hula-hoops. Using one of these “fish deeding ring” has numerous b ..read more

A pondless waterfall is a recirculating waterfall. It works by pumping water contained in an in-ground reservoir to the top of a rock formation. There are more benefits of pondless waterfalls than many people realize. Pondless waterfalls are easier to maintain and install than traditional ponds. They are also safer as they do not pose a drowning hazard. A pondless waterfall will make a beautiful addition to any landscape. You cannot build your pondless waterfall and forget it. It is important for you to take care of it. Here are some tips to maintain a pondless waterfall. Perform Initial Mai ..read more

This is the process we use to clean Fountains in the Oklahoma City metro area to make clients love them again. We get calls all the time saying “my fountain is nasty-looking, can you all come and help us out”? In this post, we will tell you the 10 steps we use to clean outdoor fountains. We will also tell you how how to clean algae from a fountain and how to keep fountain water clean. How To Clean Outdoor Fountains In 10 Steps Fountain inspection – We like to know what we’re getting into before we just start cleaning. It’s also a great time to make sure everything’s working properly. During ..read more

Worried your Oklahoma City water feature might be leaking? Well, you’ve come to the right place! In this post, you can find out the signs your water feature is leaking. You can also find out what we recommend you do to determine where the leak is and how to fix it. It’s the same steps we take during our leak detection and repair service. Is It A leak? If you’re losing 2 to 3 inches per week, it’s probably a leak. Now we have to see where the leak is. Turn off any auto-fill devices and let the pond continue leaking. If you keep losing water after 12 hours, let it continue draining. The point o ..read more

What’s an ecosystem pond? Natural ponds, streams, and waterfalls keep themselves clean. They each have an active ecosystem made up of water, plants, rocks, algae, animals, and more. These pieces all work together to keep the water healthy and beautiful. So when it comes to koi ponds and pondless waterfalls, there’s no reason to try to outdo Mother Nature. At Continental Ponds, the water features we create are based on the same principles. The result is low-maintenance ponds that are clean and healthy. Here’s how it works. The components of an ecosystem pond Every piece of a pond ecosystem d ..read more

​One question we get frequently from Oklahoma koi lovers is, “What’s better to use Lava Rock or Bioballs?” The short answer is, “it depends.” Just like shopping for anything else there are advantages and disadvantages to both, as well as cost. With an assortment of filter media out there in the pond world from filter pads to bio-ribbon to lava rocks to bio balls. The purpose of your filter media is to house billions of beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms that keep your Oklahoma pond alive, crystal clear and algae-free. Let’s take a look at the lava rock versus bioballs debate. Lava ..read more

Keeping a Oklahoma pond healthy is critical to its success. To maintain a functioning ecosystem, a backyard water feature requires occasional plant thinning or dividing, which should initially be done just as the water warms up after winter. This particular backyard water feature maintenance should continue as needed throughout the entire growing season: as long as the water is above 60°F. Thinning out plants as needed keeps your circulation system going and prevents water displacement leaks. Pond plants rooted in rocks on the bottom of an organic Oklahoma backyard water feature spread more v ..read more