0
Monthly Archives

November 2012

Nov 29

How to Apply Waterproof Paint for Ponds

By Guest Articles

A concrete pond can provide an attractive addition to your home. Good maintenance and care enhances the life of your pond and makes it easier for maintenance. Ponds are small when compared to oceans and lakes, which makes them calmer and more peaceful. However, the life of a pond relies on how well you maintain it. Among the very many determinants of good pond maintenance is the quality of the waterproof paint. Good waterproof paint adds depth and personality to the pond. You may have been wondering which paint to apply to your pond. This article should answer some of the questions.

Ponds need to be waterproofed before you fill them with water, plants and fish. This means applying a waterproof paint for ponds that will seal the surface completely. You also want to make sure that the coating you choose is safe for both the fish and the plants that you plan to keep in the pond.

Qualities of a Good Waterproof Paint for Ponds

If you have a structured pond like a concrete pond, you need a paint that can bond to the surface being applied to and stay there. The surface preparation and application process will be directly related to how well the waterproof paint will adhere to the surface.

VOC or the volatile organic compounds are hazardous gases emitted by most epoxy paints. Be sure that you choose the correct pond paint because VOCs can have a direct effect on the environment as well as the finished pond. The lower the VOCs the better the waterproof paint will be for this sort of project.

Storage of the Waterproof Pond Paint

It is advisable that you store your paint in a cool, dry place. In addition, ensure that the paint is protected from freezing. A good pond paint will last a long time if stored properly.

Preparing to Paint the Pond

Clean your pond to provide a sound surface for the waterproof paint application. Follow all instructions provided with the materials you have purchased.  If you do not understand anything, do not be afraid to ask questions.  A good manufacturer will always be available to assist you.

After Application

Once the waterproof paint has been installed, you will need to make sure that any flaws are fixed before the pond is filled with water.  Unlike painting anything else, the new surface should be touched up as needed to ensure no possible leaks or problems in the future.

Choosing a waterproof pond paint is a very important step in creating a new pond or repairing and old one.  You should take your time and gather all available information before you get started.  Ask the manufacturer as many questions as you need in order to make the correct decision.

Nov 29

Fish Safe Pond Sealant for Health and Happy Fish

By Guest Articles

A pond will not only be a beautiful addition to a garden, it can certainly be a source of tranquility and therapy; a place to retreat to from the mad rush of everyday life. Before you place any fish or plants in your pond, you will want to make sure that everything you have used is safe. There are many things to consider to ensure your pond and its inhabitants remain constantly healthy and happy.

Ponds built with concrete or bricks will eventually develop leaks so they should be waterproofed to avoid this. Fortunately for you, engineers have researched and developed products perfect for the task that have been designed to safely seal and protect ponds in all kinds. They understand that effective waterproofing will only be possible when you use the correct products.

Which Fish Safe Pond Sealant do I use?

There is a wide variety of products available for waterproofing but not all of them will provide a fish safe environment.  Nor are they designed for under water use.  In fact even if they are, they can still have failings such as being prone to peel like rubber products.

Pond Armor manufactures an excellent product known as Pond Shield, and this is a completely fish safe pond sealant. The beauty of it is that it is ideal for both new or old ponds. The sealant will form a completely safe and waterproof barrier in your pond and you can have peace of mind that your beautiful aquatic environment can now thrive.

What Can I use Fish Safe Pond Sealant on?

The best surfaces to use the sealant on is something that is a constructed surface.  Surfaces like concrete or wood are perfect because they will not flex as easily as trying to apply the sealer to a rubber liner.  Metals, fiberglass, hard plastics, stone and rock are also great surfaces to work with.

Sometimes those small plastic preformed pond liners can get damaged.  A fish safe sealer like this can also be used to repair those too.  If you are not sure how to best accomplish this be sure to read all of the instructions and ask as many questions as you need to.

There are different options which can be used to seal a pond; some of them more effective and convenient than others. Choosing a liquid fish safe pond sealant is however one of the most popular choices simply because it is highly effective, easy to use and durable. It also makes your piece of nature the tranquil, healthy and happy area it is supposed to be.

Nov 29

Are Pond Liners Toxic?

By Guest Articles

The above question is very important especially when you are building a pond to hold plant or animal life. If the liner turns out to be toxic, you cannot successfully keep aquatic plants or animals in it. This therefore means that you will not achieve your objective of having the pond constructed in the first place. In an effort at helping readers understand the true situation on this matter, you need to get some information on the composition of the liner before you can get an answer to the question; are pond liners toxic.

For starters, the answer to this question could be either positive or negative depending on the kind of pond liners you are talking about. With so many designs and a wide variety of brands in the market to choose from, the answer to the question will depend on the choices you make.

Often construction materials are made out of certain chemicals that are aimed at making them more durable and resistant to attacks from insects and other possible causes of damage. The problem then becomes making sure that any of these chemicals are not part of what makes up your new pond liner.

Are Pond Liners Toxic? Here Are Tips for Choosing Non Toxic Pond Liners

The first thing that should come to mind when looking for pond liners is the effect it will have on the animal or plant life that may be introduced into the pond. With this in mind, you need to try and make sure you avoid products that are not designed for housing aquatic life in the pond.

Retailers that carry product may already know the answers to your questions and you should ask them.  If they are not familiar enough about the product you can always move up the chain to the manufacturer of the product.

Talking to the manufacturer can be of great help. They can provide you with technical data sheets that will allow you to see how a product has been tested and what the results were.

It is important to remember that any pond liner you chose will be in direct contact with the water that the fish and plants live in.  Making sure it is safe before applying it is very important to their health and well being.

Nov 28

Non-Toxic Epoxies and Their Benefits

By General Tips

Most of us with ponds and other water features utilize them as a place to support life of all shapes and forms and that’s why it’s ever so important that all materials used are non-toxic.

There are a wide range of different materials used when producing a pond and any one of them can trigger issues with life in the pond at a later stage. Many of the materials used when creating a pond are also common in the construction industry; however, you should ensure they are non-toxic and suitable for use when constructing a pond – some aren’t.

For instance most epoxies are toxic and are unsuitable for constructing a pond. An appropriate epoxy should line and seal the area but create no risk to the wildlife and form a water resistant barrier that is both non-toxic and looks great.

VOCs

Volatile organic compounds can cause a lot of problems and exist in most epoxies. These toxic VOCs are known to cause cancers and are considered to be carcinogenic in humans and animals – far from ideal in your pond. In many cases VOCs are released for years afterwards and have long term effects rather than sudden ones. This is one of the main reasons you need a non-toxic epoxy.

Smoothness

The adding of epoxies to pools or ponds often involves sanding for smoothness and these results in dust which can be quite dangerous to breathe in or ingest. Of course, it is advisable you to cover your mouth and nose, when performing such a task. If you do need safety equipment they are often best at hire for one off jobs.

Non-toxic epoxies however do not have any such issues and generally contain no volatile organic compounds. A lack of harmful chemicals is something that non-toxic epoxies should adhere to.

Bio-Content

Many green epoxies are actually made from bio content and so often take a substantial amount less energy and effort to produce. Without the need for as many chemicals, these epoxies are greener to manufacture and don’t cause green issues in production like traditional toxic epoxies generally do. This means lower CO2 emissions and an overall greener stance.

Even though these non-toxic epoxies are green, they still provide the same level of quality you would expect. Non-toxic epoxy offers a high quality seal for ponds. Non-toxic epoxies are an essential for your pond, while pose no harm to your water quality.

Cormac Reynolds writes for Best at Hire a UK company that provides a hire service of tools and other items online.

Nov 05

I Highly Recommend The Product!

By Testimonials

Thank you for such great attention to our request for the purchase of Pond Armor in light blue. The merchandise came right on time!! Even before time scheduled. The instructions were great and we followed them to the letter. The pond looks great and the Koi are really enjoying their stay.

The product is truly phenomenal even though the application is not JUST PAINTING….attention to detail and following the instructions is ESSENTIAL!. I highly recommend the product, its use and final looks.

Clyde A. L./Maria S. – Mitchelville, MD