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Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 5th.

Postby ChrisPond on Tue Aug 19, 2014 12:16 am

nietzsche wrote:
BigBallinStalin wrote:What's with ponds? Why would anyone buy one--other than to breed catfish or something useful in them?


Mosquitoes farm.


Ponds like I build bring a lot of mosquito predators in. Most ponds turn the water over every 30-45 minutes...so if a mosquito manages to not be eaten by a predator and lays eggs in my pond, the eggs are eaten or sucked into the skimmer/pump.

Water features are relaxing...a way for people to reconnect with nature. Why do people buy anything? I have clients that regularly tell me the water feature I built them is the best investment they have made in their home/property.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 5th.

Postby ChrisPond on Tue Aug 19, 2014 12:21 am

KoolBak wrote:I find a very small percentage of the reality shows entertaining....90+% of them are simply a bunch of egomaniacs posing for the damn camera (counting cars / lizard lick towing for instance) or the stars are jackasses (american pickers / lizard lick towing for instance)....makes me want to puke. And how many damnable cooking shows can you make? Really?? Give me mythbusters any day.

As for ponds, the kind you promote Chris are great....the multitude of ridiculous water features sporting a $500 boulder with a hole drilled in it stuffed in a 24" square hole are asenine....lol.

I helped a good bud make a pond in his yard; 8 feet deep and irregularly shaped about 20' by 30' (took about 4 cases of beer to complete the damn digging....lol)....lots of nice rock / water flow...tons of native / nonnative flora.....all kinds of critters like yours have moved in...really cool. It' swimmable too ;o)


Sounds like a nice pond!

I have not renovated my pond since 2007 but my next will be designed for swimming. :D

We do the asinine fountains as well. I don't like them much but people request them all the time. I installed a 12' tall basalt column last year. Currently finalizing a 6' tall basalt column for a project this fall.

Also trying to finalize a multipurpose "swim pond" for a guy that is recovering from a spinal cord injury. He will use it for physical therapy but it will be filtered all natural...no chemicals. Plus it will have a waterfall.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Thu Sep 04, 2014 8:35 am

A couple of updates on the show.

First, they moved the show to a different day. Instead of being on a Friday night at 10 pm eastern, they have moved it to Tuesday nights at 10 eastern. That means the first episode will play on September 9th. I have changed the subject here to reflect that.

I was also able to see part of the first episode when I was at my annual pond conference a few weeks ago and I really liked what I saw. In the first episode, the Pond Stars build a pond that will be used to house rescued turtles and serve as an outdoor classroom just outside of Atlanta Geogia. They also build a pondless waterfall and install native landscape to attract birds in a surburban back yard. Nat Geo Wild has released some video on the episodes. Here is a the preview for episode 1 that will air on September 9th.



Here is the link to the "Pond Star" page on Nat Geo Wild's website.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/pond-stars/

If you are a facebook user, Pond Stars now has their own page.
https://www.facebook.com/ThePondStars
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby owenshooter on Thu Sep 04, 2014 2:50 pm

A bio swimming pool turns me on more than a pond... i like the whole recharge bio area that then empties into a larger pool... love this site...

http://www.biotop-natural-pool.com/referenz-teiche_natur.html

we can all have our dreams...-el Jesus negro
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Thu Sep 04, 2014 5:24 pm

owenshooter wrote:A bio swimming pool turns me on more than a pond... i like the whole recharge bio area that then empties into a larger pool... love this site...

http://www.biotop-natural-pool.com/referenz-teiche_natur.html

we can all have our dreams...-el Jesus negro


I am actually trying to finalize a swim pond for a client that will be built in this style. It will have a lot of bells and whistles though. Price tag is at $110k right now. That price can drop pretty much in half if I start taking the real cool stuff away (big non native stone) big waterfalls, stone stair entry, custom fountain piece).

If I ever manage to keep enough money in my pocket, I will have a natural swim pond in that style in my yard. I want even more bells and whistles than the one I am trying to finalize though.

My business just finished a project where we put a large regeneration filter area on a 4500 square foot "multipurpose pond". Lots of stone work, some stone step entry ways, improved circulation, and much more.

Swim ponds are really growing in popularity. There is a show on Animal Planet called "Pool Master" helping with that. Have to be careful with them though....a bit more liability and more local government regulation.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby hotfire on Fri Sep 05, 2014 7:30 am

whats with koi fish in ponds? unless u are in asia, shouldnt u use a more naturally inhabitating species?
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Fri Sep 05, 2014 6:48 pm

hotfire wrote:whats with koi fish in ponds? unless u are in asia, shouldnt u use a more naturally inhabitating species?


Koi are a hobbyist fish. They are also nothing more than pretty carp. They are bottom feeders and help keep the pond clean. You can put any fish you want in your pond really, but koi are the fish of choice for most water garden owners.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:39 am

The show starts tonight for everyone in the USA (10 pm eastern, 9 central). it is being broadcast in other countries but you will have to check your local listings. Anyway, here is another clip from tonight's episode "Turtle Power" (i posted the youtube clip a while back and quoted it here). The second clip here covers the pondless waterfall they are building as a surburban bird habitat.

ChrisPond wrote:


Here is the link to the "Pond Star" page on Nat Geo Wild's website.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/pond-stars/

If you are a facebook user, Pond Stars now has their own page.
https://www.facebook.com/ThePondStars


Here is the video from the nat geo website for the bird habitat pondless waterfall
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/w ... hing-halt/

Another clip from the episode...they convince the newest member of the team to eat a grub...pretty sure getting a new pond builder to eat a grub is a "right of passage" initiation as over the years I have convinced a few of my guys to do the same thing :lol: Either that, or we just never matured past high school when we used to dump food together at lunch on a tray in high school and start pooling money in the hopes we could convince someone to eat what we put together.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/w ... rubbin-it/
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby Arama86n on Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:31 pm

People could do a hell of a lot worse in the backyard than reintroducing a little bit of nature.
The thought of sitting in my own backyard and reading a book to the sound of a babbling brook emptying out into my pond, and the subtle buzz of dragonflies over the water...
What's not to like?

Personally I got rid of my TV 2008 when I moved, and don't watch any. But I do ofc have some idea of the crap on there these days, so I'm sure the kids could get worse ideas into their heads than wanting a pond when they grow up :)

I hope you get a chance to be on the show Chris.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Wed Sep 10, 2014 12:09 am

so did anyone in the US watch the show(I believe it airs in Canada tomorrow)?

I watched tonight with a group of people. 2 guys around the age of 23-24 that had no idea what a "pond" was absolutely loved the show. i thought it was done very well...great projects, some really educational parts on how things work, some good entertainment, and some good "why" on the reason they are the this channel (the National Geographic Wild channel).

Would love to hear some feedback from my CC playing friends..surely someone took my advice and checked it out?

Arama86n wrote: and the subtle buzz of dragonflies over the water...


For the record, i have never heard any buzz from dragonflies..those things are stealth..and quite possibly my favorite wildlife around the pond. I could watch dragonflies for hours (even when i am sober).

All joking aside...yes, a pond is a great investment in your backyard for so many reasons.

Looking forward to the next episode!
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby KoolBak on Wed Sep 10, 2014 7:56 am

I am going to set it to record so I can check it out.....

And re: dragonflys...so cool in thier final stage but disgusting in their nymph stage....I've swallowed a few and they don't taste so good :lol:
"Gypsy told my fortune...she said that nothin showed...."

Neil Young....Like An Inca

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riskllama wrote:Koolbak wins this thread.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Fri Sep 12, 2014 10:21 am

Nat Geo Wild is airing the first episode again tonight at 10 pm eastern, 9 pm central. Check here if you are in a different time zone.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/w ... ode-guide/

i know it premiered in Canada on Wednesday so check your local Nat Geo Wild channel to see when it is on your part of the world.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby shickingbrits on Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:15 am

Can I find it on XBMC?

Really good. Didn't like the attempt at drama, not necessary. But it is quite informative and upbeat.

Hope to see more innovation as it goes.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Fri Sep 12, 2014 10:06 pm

Everyone I have talked to that watched it really enjoyed it ( lots of old friends that don't really understand what I do). A clan mate that watched it said they wished they would get more into the design and rock setting as well as how everything works. I thought they maybe did to much of that for the average watcher. The clan member did not expect to like the show but they did and said they will keep watching and look forward to the next episode.

My sister who lives on the East Coast and has never stood by one of my ponds was quite impressed with what we do and now wants me to build her one. She said the show was "awesome!"

There was a bit of extra drama but that is reality tv for u. The grub eating was funny to me. I actually got an employee to eat a grub a few days later on a job site...on video as well and posted it on the pond stars Facebook page.

When we build water features we regularly find utilities. The guys that locate utilities have a hard time putting the flags in the right spot (and they are never as deep as they are supposed to be). Hitting something will ruin your day. Even an irrigation system can cause problems ( I have found to many main lines that have all the wires that control zones in my digs).

As for the joking, these guys are really like that so it is not made up. I have worked with these guys on around 20 builds and have known them for 8 years and the characters are who they really are in real life. I helped build Brian's pond at his house a few years back.

Next episode they will be building a "trout pond" with my buddy Bernie in California. I invite you all to check out an episode and see what you think.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:38 pm

A little story i just read from the Chicago Sun-Times on the show

http://entertainment.suntimes.com/enter ... -geo-wild/


A little more background on Aquascape and their facility.
http://www.aquascapeinc.com/about-aqualand

and of course, more info on their signature ponds as well as their other display areas.
http://www.aquascapeinc.com/signature_pond
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby shickingbrits on Sat Sep 13, 2014 7:05 am

All of those shows attempt some drama. The "is it going to rain" bit, the "I've never fit this system alone before, I don't know if they'll criticize me". This has turned me off quite a few reality shows, such as car hoarders(?) where the main guys argue over a few hundred dollars while getting paid tens of thousands for being in the episode. I hope the show doesn't take that path.

More design details would be good. When they introduce the site, a visualization would have been nice. They had some later, but the graphics weren't very impressive. Also, more info on the animals in the area would be good.

It was very innovative. I just hope they can maintain it, which could be hard. A totally passive pond with only natural materials a la Sepp Holzer, a totally artificial pond built within a development, a Rick James pond, etc.

Hope to see you on. Good luck to all involved.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Sat Sep 13, 2014 11:38 am

All of those shows attempt some drama. The "is it going to rain" bit, the "I've never fit this system alone before, I don't know if they'll criticize me".


You are right...TV loves drama and if they don't have it, they create it. The new guy Chris just started with Aquascape last fall and they filmed this show over the winter (this was actually filmed in March in Georgia). So he is relatively new to the industry (he does have a horticulture degree and experience installing landscapes, but not ponds). I am sure he had plenty of help from the CAC's (Certified Aquascape Contractors) that were assisting on the job on how to finish that wetland filter.

And as for rain...it sucks, especially for jobs where we have larger stones and machines. Working on wet clay and a slope is the worst as it basically turns into grease (there is a shot from the pondless build with the mini ex trying to get up the slope in the background and the tracks are just spinning). rain is a constant threat to slow things down. Just this week, my guys installed a small pondless feature that should have taken my crew 6 hours to put in. they quit after 8 hours becuase they were cold and wet and more rain was forecast the next day. 2 of my guys went out and finished it the next day and we pushed back the install for the next day to Monday of next week. They production crew is scheduled for a week, so they have to finish both projects in the week, no matter what. they have been working 16 hour days on these shows to get both jobs done in a week...plus there are 2-3 other local companies like me assisting them make it happen. If i built one of those jobs they showed in the episode with my 5 man crew, we would be there 5-6 days on the pondless and 6-7 on the pond (without cameras running. i once agreed to let a production company on a job site to document the project for a water gardening book and they successfully turned a 3 day project into 6 days for my crew....they kept stopping us to photograph and every time i had to change clothes as i was not allowed to have dirt on my clothes...simply amazing!).

More design details would be good. When they introduce the site, a visualization would have been nice. They had some later, but the graphics weren't very impressive. Also, more info on the animals in the area would be good.


i agree on the design part. i thought the graphics were decent. i think they are trying to avoid making the show an advertisement for the product they sale so they are limiting showing the equipment we use to make these systems work? we install a lot of man made stuff to make these function, but it is always hidden pretty good to make it look so natural.

This has turned me off quite a few reality shows, such as car hoarders(?) where the main guys argue over a few hundred dollars while getting paid tens of thousands for being in the episode. I hope the show doesn't take that path.


Aquascape is actually not being paid anything for this show by Nat Geo Wild. The jobs are actually sold jobs by the local Certified Aquascape Contractors. As a CAC, I can submit show ideas that i have sold to Aquascape and Nat Geo Wild and then Nat Geo Wild picks the builds they want to show. In episode 1, Jeff (the guy that shows up in the truck towards the beginning) is the local CAC that sold those 2 jobs. The Pond Stars just come to lead the build. As for who the Pond Stars are, they are some of the highest recognized guys in our trade. They have appeared on National New shows. Aquascape is the largest supplier of pond projects in North America and most guys like me use their product. they are also a pioneer, as they usually are the developers of new product, and then other companies follow suit and make a similar product. Their end goal of the show is to promote the industry and their methodology. the mantra I have heard a few times is a "rising tide raises all ships". that being said, they are obviously not idiots and have hired a PR firm and redesigned their website to help grow their market share.

Being on camera makes things weird for a while, I have heard from some friends that have seen all the episodes that the episodes they have filmed get better and better. i am really looking forward to the next episode as Bernie (the local CAC they are working with on the trout pond) is an incredible pond builder, person, and personal friend. I hope he gets lots of camera time!
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Sat Sep 13, 2014 11:46 am

they have their own youtube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Aquascape4




Ed and Brian. This is one of Ed's builds



one of my fellow CAC's and friend in New Jersey
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Mon Sep 15, 2014 2:21 pm

in case I ever miss a turn, this could be one of the reasons. :shock:



This is one of the clips from the episode this week.

Here is the description of the episode from Nat Geo Wild:
It's trout or bust for the Pond Stars as they take on two challenging projects in California. The team starts in the mountains where they attempt to replicate a brown trout stream in a client's backyard. But all work comes to a halt when they can't track down brown trout for the pond. As they wait for Greg to find the fish, the guys head to Los Angeles, where they are asked to create a healing garden for a cancer survivor.


I have heard the ratings were pretty good from the first episode but they can always be better. They will be replaying the first episode right before the second episode airs (at 9 pm and 10 pm Eastern time).

Here is the link to Nat Geo Wild's website to learn more about the show:
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/pond-stars/
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby betiko on Mon Sep 15, 2014 2:33 pm

chris, it's the type of show i like to watch before finding sleep (like anything regarding car building/restauration, bike building, cabin building, aquarium building, building building, and anything related to building). not sure when it will be aired on the french nat geo wild, there's probably 6 month difference with here; but if i happen to watch nat geo wild before sleeping and I see this, I'll watch! Get in the show though!!!!
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Mon Sep 15, 2014 2:53 pm

betiko wrote:chris, it's the type of show i like to watch before finding sleep (like anything regarding car building/restauration, bike building, cabin building, aquarium building, building building, and anything related to building). not sure when it will be aired on the french nat geo wild, there's probably 6 month difference with here; but if i happen to watch nat geo wild before sleeping and I see this, I'll watch! Get in the show though!!!!


If it can get a second season, I think i have a great chance to be on the show as I have all ready submitted some builds for the show. They filmed season one when it was freezing and snowing here in my area. Season 2 and 3 has a preliminary schedule to be filming during my building season...season 3 is all during my season (so this is the most likely time for me to be on the show).

So to everyone that can watch this show right now, you need to give it a try and spread the word. :D
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby Army of GOD on Mon Sep 15, 2014 3:09 pm

Chris, if you can make a shout out to 'Army of GOD' I will be very happy
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby shickingbrits on Mon Sep 15, 2014 3:29 pm

Maybe CC can coin up a gold lapel for the cause.
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Tue Sep 23, 2014 10:55 am

Tonight's episode of Pond Stars. The Pond Stars are in Florida building 2 ponds and the photos look pretty cool. On in Canuck-land on Wednesday night, not sure about the rest of the world.

And I found to upgrade cable to get the channel (Nat Geo Wild if you do not have it), it cost me $5 extra $5 extra a month. Pretty good family channel actually.

Here is the link for tonight's episode:

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/w ... he-jungle/
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Re: Pond Stars, new show starting September 9th.

Postby ChrisPond on Mon Sep 29, 2014 10:41 pm

i just found all 3 of the episodes that have aired so far on youtube. episode 4 is tomorrow in the US. I also saw that it will begin airing in the UK next week. i know it is on in Canada on Wednesdays.





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