of water. Aquaponics’ recycled-water strategy saves about 98% of the water normally used in a soil garden. One can grow organic food that doesn’t have to be sprayed with pesticides and herbicides. Plus, the space savings of growing vertically is invaluable for people who have very little room to grow. You can grow 28 heads of lettuce or swiss chard in as little as a 3-by-3-foot space! We used an OASE 1,200-gph Aquamax to connect the pond to the vertical tower because the electrical demand is a mere 45 watts of power. We rerouted the discharge of the fish waste out of the drain, and now the fish waste (which is rich in nutrients) is discharged into the garden soil, taking full advantage of nature’s own fertilizer. When the pandemic comes to an end and the students return, they will find a much cleaner pond and a brand-new aquaponic food system. Perhaps some will be inspired to create their own ponds at home — and even better yet, aspire to be professional pond builders! Only time will tell. a
About the Author Mike Garcia, founder of Enviroscape, began his career in the horticultural field more than 25 years ago. After earning his college degree in ornamental horticulture, he earned his C-27 Landscape Contractors License, as well as his D-49 arborist Tree Service Contractors License. Under his leadership, Enviroscape has won numerous landscape and water feature awards at the local, state, national and international levels.
January/February 2021
Pond Camp
This One Time at Pond Camp Garden State Koi hosts contractors in the Poconos by Tom Smith, Garden State Koi
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magine 120 pond contractors in the mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania, facing cold, crisp autumn days and even chillier nights, with a goal of building three water features over two days. This was the scene at the 2020 Garden State Koi Certified Aquascape Contractor (CAC) Pond Camp held at Camp Timber Tops in the Poconos from Oct. 4 – 6, 2020.
Happy Campers Although the contractors came to build, they would all unknowingly take a trip back to the “summer-camp” experiences of their youth by sleeping in unheated bunkhouses, eating camp food making tie dye t-shirts, competing in egg-toss and ax-throwing contests, playing cornhole and partaking in the CAC fishing contest — all while working and networking with some of the best pond builders in North America! The second-annual camp event also came with a number of COVID-19 protocols, such as individual bunk houses, indoor face masks, designated table assignments for family-style meals and social-distancing practices. Campers were up early Monday morning for a hike to Shohola Falls to seek inspiration from Mother Nature’s waterfalls. With the combination of recent rains and the fall leaf colors, the 75 contractors who managed to get up early did not come back disappointed.
Time to Build The construction of three water features began Sunday and resumed in earnest on Monday morning. Talented teams could be found at all three of the builds, which were held simultaneously:
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