I can't tell you how many times over the years I've met unhappy people who were literally living with the wrong water feature. Sounds crazy right?

Someone who loves ponds talked them into a pond… and it wasn't even the right fit for them.

If you get the wrong water feature from the beginning, everything after that is uphill.

That's why I went to the extent of building a tool called the Water Feature Fit Finder, which is being implemented into our website as I write this. I came up with this idea because the most important factor in enjoying your water feature is getting the right one in the first place!

A pond sounds amazing but here's the truth: there is a person a pond is right for and there is a person it's absolutely wrong for. EVERYONE needs a water feature in their life (in my opinion) BUT there is a "right" water feature for each individual!

The only way you can know if a pond is your perfect fit is to understand what it takes to keep a pond looking fantastic and also to understand all of your options when it comes to different water features. IN OTHER WORDS, you need a guide so you can get it right 😉

If you are able to simply "stroke a check", then obviously the money is not an issue. Just get the pond and have a professional maintain it. But if you don't find yourself in that financial position, you'll want to understand what it's going to require in money and/or sweat equity to keep a pond looking great. How much of your time is it going to take? What kind of ongoing maintenance are you signing up for? Are you prepared for the responsibility that comes with fish and a living ecosystem?

Sometimes people just want ambiance. Something elegant. The sound of water. And they default to "pond" because they haven't researched the options OR no one asked them the right questions!

From a place of love, I'll say this:

Before you design anything, determine "the perfect water feature for you."

Based on your lifestyle, based on your finances, based on how much maintenance you're willing to take on.

Make sure an ecosystem pond is truly the right fit before you commit.

After over 25 years of building water features, I could probably fill a book with all the stupid sh#@ I've seen. I've seen stuff done by homeowners and professionals alike that makes me scratch my head, smack my head, sometimes bang my head against a wall.

My goal here is to help someone who's considering a pond avoid the most common mistakes I've seen in pond construction.

I see people hiring someone- fill in the blank here (lawn maintenance person, handyman, neighbor, landscaper), who talks a great game but doesn't actually have the capacity to back it up.

I've been in so many backyards looking at horrific water features, standing there talking to a homeowner, and I've got nothing but empathy for their situation. It's disheartening. They had this dream of a beautiful pond in their backyard, and they got snookered. They got duped.

Someone tells them a story.

They don't know the right questions to ask.

There are so many people out there who will tell you, "I got this. No problem." It's easy if you say it fast.

Even Aquascape trains people to become "certified contractors", and literally all you have to do is build a couple of water features and take a little bit of online training. Someone can do it in a week and become certified. That's not enough time to learn from your mistakes and to gain experience. It does not qualify you as an expert…

It's no wonder the industry struggles with a poor reputation. There are so many people out there who think they're better at pond construction than they actually are.

I'm not saying our team is the only team who can build you a pond that you'll be in love with. I am saying there are a lot more people out there who "aren't that good", than there are "true water feature pros".

Please, please, please do your homework. Don't fall victim to mistake number one and just hire somebody because it's easy or convenient, do your homework and find a specialist. It will cost more up front BUT not in the long run!

I made a video called "Hire Smarter." I highly recommend that you watch it, it could save you THOUSANDS and limitless headaches 😉

Once someone decides that a pond is right for them, this next mistake is easy.

Getting a pond that's too small.

I can't speak for the rest of the world, but the most common complaint I hear from people who buy water features from us is this: "I wish I would have made it bigger."

What happens is predictable.

People try to squeeze the water feature, the landscaping, the patio, the patio furniture, the fish, the plants — everything — into one budget. And all those extras cause the pond itself to shrink in scope.

Then it's finished and what do I hear?

"Man, I love it out here. This is the most amazing space in my life. I sure wish I would have made the pond bigger."

And here's the problem, the one thing you can't do — without complete demolition — is make a small pond bigger.

It's just not possible, we've tried it.

What ends up happening is you rip the whole thing out and install a bigger pond.

From a place of love, I'll tell you what I've seen over and over again.

Most people have three ponds.

The first pond is where they try to do something themselves.

The second pond is where they get quotes and usually hire the lowest bidder or close to it.

The third pond is after they've done the research and finally, they build the pond of their dreams.

I've seen that pattern play out for years.

Here's my advice.

Do your homework. Visit water features. Vet your contractor. Figure out what size is truly appealing to you.

Then figure out what it's going to take to afford it.

You can't dig half the hole this year and half the hole next year. But you can phase the project.

Build the pond one year.

Do the lighting and advanced landscaping the following year.

Start with a basic landscape package and upgrade later.

Add the patio in year three.

There are ways to plan this so you end up living in the space of your dreams without breaking the bank all at once.

Sure, you can get a loan. You can save up your money.

But from my experience, saving money can end up costing more. After COVID, material prices were rising so fast that saving for a project wasn't gaining any ground- so here's the reality.

Figure out what your dream really is. Then build a plan to get there. We are here to help 😉

I've had so many people call me over the years thinking they know exactly where their pond should go.

Usually it's because they're coloring inside the lines.

They put it somewhere that seems easy. Logical. Out of the way. And they haven't thought through all of their options.

I've had people suggest putting a pond in a low spot in their yard because that's where the water collects.

The reality? The place where water collects is the worst place to put a pond you want to keep pristine. That's where all the runoff goes. Fertilizer. Chemicals. Debris. Everything washes downhill and deposits in one spot. Exactly where you don't want it — in your pond.

Another common mistake is putting it too far away from the house. Or somewhere you can't see it from inside.

These ideas seem fine at the time because you don't know what you don't know.

But here's my reality.

You don't want to stand at your living room window and look outside.

You want to sit on your couch and look outside.

You want to sit at your dining room table and look outside.

You want to lay in your bed and look out the window.

You want to sit at your desk — like I am right now — turn around, and see your pond.

Who wants to go stand at the window just to see it? Not me.

Always put your pond in a place where you can see it.

My next suggestion: get it as close to your house as you reasonably can.

You don't want to have to go on a journey to get to it.

The greatest place for a water feature is right near your home. Step out onto your patio and enjoy it.

I guarantee you, you will spend more time next to your pond if you don't have to travel across the yard to get there.

The farther away it is, the less sound you'll get from it — and sound is a good thing when it comes to a waterfall.

You want to hear it.

You want to be able to dial it in so you have that ambiance in your space.

There's nothing better than being able to slide the window open at night and hear the calming sound of your waterfall. It's so peaceful.

I could write 10,000 words about how to put your pond in the right place and why.

But I think I've told you enough today to help you avoid putting your water feature in the wrong location.

I've seen so many YouTube experts in my life, you know who you are.

Guys who know how to run an excavator. People who aren't afraid of a shovel. People who can watch 100 hours of YouTube and decide they can build a great big swim pond all by themselves.

They're going to save a bunch of money by not hiring a professional. They'll bring in their own contractors. Get some day laborers to help. Piece it together.

And I can tell you my friends — you can't gain experience watching YouTube.

You don't know all the things not to do.

Now listen, I'm not saying nobody should build their own koi pond. If you're willing to build a pond and learn from your mistakes. If you're willing to do it multiple times. That's what usually happens, be ready. We've circled right back to "It sounds easy if you say it fast!"