Why is pea gravel used?
Pea gravel is used for a couple of reasons. First, the pea gravel hides the rubber liner from view for a more "natural" look than "bare liner". Secondly, it is the planting medium for the aquatic plants. In Water Garden Ponds, all the aquatic plants are planted directly into the pea gravel - no extra soil,and no plant pots or baskets.
Also, pea gravel has a slightly higher SSA for bio film growth than bare liner. This added SSA helps reduce ammonia levels in the pond.
3/8" - 1/2" smooth pea gravel should be used instead of the commonly used 2" - 8" river rock simply for ease of cleaning purposes. The "gaps" between the individual river rocks are much larger than the "gaps" between the individual pea gravel rocks. The larger the "gap" between the individual rocks, the more debris that gets trapped. More trapped debris means "more cleaning". Russell Watergardens & Koi is committed to helping you create the Easiest to Clean Water Garden Pond possible!
Russell Watergardens & Koi make cleaning your water garden pond easier with HydroClean™ pond skimmers, and the industry's Easiest to Clean waterfall filter, Hydro Vortex™.
Compare cleaning a Hydro Vortex™ filter with the HydroFlush™ Backwash System to common "Pad-&-Media-Bag" type waterfall filters. You see that there really is no comparison. By easily keeping your filtration system clean - on a regular basis, not "annually" as other systems are marketed, you'll be able to keep a cleaner pond. And with complete "backwash abilities", you'll be able to clean the pond gravel WITHOUT having to drain the pond like "Pad-&-Media-Bag" type filtration systems require you to do. A cleaner pond results in healthier fish. A clean pond has less nutrients that feed algae. A clean pond has happier pond owners.
Can Koi Live in Water Garden Ponds?
Yes, but not usually for very many years. Koi grow very rapidly and usually "out-grow" Water Garden Ponds rather quickly. To keep Koi in a water garden pond, it is critical to keep the pea gravel clean and free of detritus and organic matter that can become anaerobic. Also, the relatively shallow water depth, and "stair-step" water plant shelves, make it easier for predators like Raccoons and Blue Herons to make a meal out of the Koi - even with places for them to hide in the rocks, and Scarecrow® water powered predator deterrent devices.
