Frequently Asked Questions
What areas do you serve?
We serve the entire six-county Chattanooga metropolitan area across Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. On the Tennessee side, that includes Chattanooga, East Ridge, Red Bank, Soddy-Daisy, Collegedale, Signal Mountain, Walden, Lakesite, Ridgeside, and Lookout Mountain, along with the surrounding communities of Hixson, Ooltewah, Harrison, Apison, Middle Valley, Sale Creek, and Falling Water in Hamilton County; Jasper, Kimball, South Pittsburg, Whitwell, New Hope, Powells Crossroads, Monteagle, and Orme in Marion County; and Dunlap in Sequatchie County. On the North Georgia side, we cover Ringgold and Fort Oglethorpe in Catoosa County; LaFayette, Chickamauga, Rossville, Flintstone, and Lookout Mountain in Walker County; and Trenton in Dade County. If you're near Chattanooga and don't see your town listed, get in touch — chances are we serve your area too.
What kinds of water features do you install?
We design and install fountains, backyard and pondless waterfalls, koi ponds and ecosystem ponds, streams, and dry creek beds — plus commercial water features for offices and other properties.
Do you offer free estimates?
No. We provide an on-site consultation so we can recommend the right features given your yard layout. We will give you a clear quote before any work begins.
Do you service water features you didn't install?
Yes. We clean, maintain, repair, and restore existing fountains and ponds, whether or not we built them.
What is a disappearing fountain?
A disappearing fountain, or fountainscape, holds its water in a hidden underground reservoir. A pump sends the water up through the fountain piece, and it spills back down and vanishes into decorative rock at ground level, so there's no open pool of water anywhere.
Are fountains safe around children and pets?
A disappearing fountain has no open, standing water, which makes it one of the safest water features you can add around young kids and pets.
How much maintenance does a fountain need?
Very little. Because the water recirculates, upkeep is mostly topping off what evaporates and cleaning the pump now and then — and an automatic fill valve can handle the top-offs for you.
Will a fountain attract mosquitoes?
No. Mosquitoes breed in still water, and a fountain keeps the water constantly moving, so it doesn't give them anywhere to lay eggs.
Can I put a fountain in a small yard or on a patio?
Yes. Fountains fit almost anywhere — a patio, a courtyard, or a front entrance — which is what makes them a good option when there isn't room for a full pond.
Why does my fountain have white, crusty buildup?
That's calcium and mineral scale left behind as the water evaporates, and it's very common with hard water. It won't wipe off easily, but we can descale it without damaging the finish.
Can I use bleach or pool chemicals to clean my fountain?
No — chlorine and pool chemicals can damage the pump and discolor concrete and other surfaces. Fountains need cleaners matched to the material they're made of.
What's the difference between a backyard waterfall and a pondless waterfall?
A backyard waterfall spills into an open pond at the base, so you can keep fish and plants. A pondless waterfall has no pond — the water disappears into a hidden underground reservoir — so there's no standing water to manage.
Is a pondless waterfall low maintenance?
Yes. There's no fish ecosystem to care for, so upkeep is mostly topping off water lost to evaporation, and the pump doesn't need to run around the clock.
Can I add a pond to my pondless waterfall later?
Usually, yes. If you decide you want fish and plants down the road, a pond can typically be added at the base.
Do I need a sloped yard for a waterfall or stream?
A natural slope helps, but it isn't required — we can build up a berm to create the drop and make it look natural on a flat yard.
How deep does a koi pond need to be?
At least three feet for koi. That depth keeps the water temperature stable, gives the fish room to grow, and protects them from predators and winter cold.
Is a koi pond hard to maintain?
Not when it's built as a balanced ecosystem. The skimmer, biological filter, plants, and fish do most of the work, so a well-built pond stays clear with only light, routine care.
Why is my pond water green?
Green water comes from excess nutrients and sunlight with not enough bacteria and plants to compete for them. In a new pond it usually clears as the ecosystem matures; in an established pond it often means overfeeding, too few plants, or an undersized filter.
Do I need to run my pond pump all the time?
Yes. The beneficial bacteria that keep the water clear need constant oxygen and flow — shutting the pump off for more than a few hours starts to kill them and throws the pond out of balance.
Can koi survive the winter in a pond here?
Yes, in a properly built pond. Enough depth plus a de-icer or aerator keeps a hole open in the surface ice for gas exchange, which is what lets koi overwinter safely.
How do I keep my pond healthy?
A healthy pond is a balanced one, and most of it comes down to not overloading the water. Don't overfeed or overstock your fish, keep plenty of aquatic plants to absorb nutrients and shade the water, run the pump around the clock so the beneficial bacteria stay oxygenated, and net out leaves before they sink and rot. A regular dose of beneficial bacteria and a yearly cleanout keep the whole system in balance, so the water stays clear on its own.
How often should a pond be cleaned?
Most ponds benefit from one full cleanout a year, usually in spring, plus lighter routine maintenance through the season to keep debris and algae in check.
Do you move the fish when you clean a pond?
Yes. We move your fish and plants into aerated holding tanks filled with your pond's own water so they don't go into shock while we clean.
Do you offer fountain maintenance plans?
Yes. We offer monthly maintenance plans that cover cleaning, descaling, algae treatment, pump service, and seasonal opening and closing, so your fountain always looks good and runs right.
Why is regular maintenance worth it?
Most expensive repairs come from buildup that was never dealt with — scale and algae clog and burn out pumps. Regular care keeps small issues from becoming big ones and protects the fountain's appearance, lifespan, and value.
Why do fountains need regular maintenance?
Fountains recirculate a small amount of water that's always evaporating, so buildup happens faster than most people expect: white calcium and mineral scale from hard water, algae in warm weather, and leaves and debris settling into the basin. All of it eventually works its way into the pump, which is the part most likely to clog or burn out. Regular maintenance clears it before it turns into a repair.
Why do ponds need regular maintenance?
Every pond slowly collects muck — decaying leaves, algae, and fish waste that settle on the bottom. That sludge feeds green water and string algae, clogs filters, and can stress fish if it's left to build up. Routine care through the season and a yearly cleanout remove it at the source and keep the ecosystem in balance.
How do I keep my fountain in good shape between service visits?
The basics go a long way: keep the water topped off so the pump never runs dry, keep leaves and debris out of the basin, and don't let it sit stagnant. Filtered water slows down scale, and you should never clean a fountain with bleach or pool chemicals, which damage the pump and finish. Anything beyond that — descaling, deeper cleaning, or winterizing — is what regular service is for.
My fountain pump stopped working — can you fix it?
Yes. Weak flow, strange noises, or a pump that won't run are usually caused by scale, debris, or a worn-out pump, and we can clean, repair, or replace it.
How do I know if my fountain is leaking?
Fill it, leave the pump off for 24 hours, and note how much the water drops. If it's losing more than evaporation would explain, there's likely a leak in the basin or plumbing — and we can track it down and seal it.
Can an old, run-down fountain be restored?
Yes. We strip off the built-up scale and staining, patch cracks, resurface and reseal the finish, and repair or replace the pump and plumbing to bring a neglected fountain back to life.
Why do fountains and ponds develop plumbing and pump problems?
Most plumbing issues come down to buildup and wear. Mineral scale and debris clog the pump, nozzles, and lines, which weakens the flow and makes the pump work harder; seals, gaskets, and tubing dry out or crack over time; and fittings work loose. Winter freezes and running a pump with too little water are two of the fastest ways to cause damage. Catching these early during regular service is far cheaper than a mid-season breakdown.
What is a dry creek bed?
It's a rock-lined channel that mimics a natural streambed. When it rains, it channels runoff safely across your yard, and the rest of the time it sits as a natural-looking landscape feature.
Does a dry creek bed actually help with drainage, or is it just decorative?
Both. It's a real drainage solution that slows and redirects surface water away from your foundation and low spots, while also adding a natural feature to the yard — even people without drainage problems install them for the look.
Do you maintain fountains for businesses and property managers?
Yes. We design, install, and maintain commercial water features, with maintenance programs built to keep them running and presentable year-round with minimal disruption to your operation.