Ecosystem pond installation in Boise, Idaho

Ecosystem pond installation in Boise is my answer when someone tells me, "Our last pond was green by June, and I spent all summer pouring in treatments." An ecosystem pond copies the way a healthy natural pond works. Each part has a job, and together they keep the water clear with very little help from you.

I'm Kabe Hockema. I've been building landscapes here since 2012, and I build ponds with Aquascape components using their ecosystem approach. This page explains what each part does, how I install them, and why the setup suits our climate. You'll find the rest of my pond services on my pond contractor page.

The parts of an ecosystem pond

Skimmer

The skimmer is a box set into the edge of the pond. It pulls water off the surface, where leaves, pollen and cottonwood fluff collect, and catches that debris in a net and filter mat. The pump sits inside the skimmer, out of sight, where it stays clean.

Biofalls filter

The biofalls filter sits at the top of the waterfall. Water pumped from the skimmer flows up through filter media inside it, where beneficial bacteria live, and then spills out over the falls. It's the filter and the start of the waterfall in one piece.

Rocks and gravel

Rock and gravel cover the liner on the bottom and sides. They shield the liner from sun, and they give bacteria a huge surface to live on. A pond with bare liner has nowhere for good bacteria to settle, which is one reason so many turn green.

Beneficial bacteria

These tiny organisms break down fish waste and rotting leaves. They're added at startup, then grow on their own in the filter and gravel. A dose each spring helps them restart after winter.

Aquatic plants

Plants take up the nutrients algae would use, and their leaves shade the water. Lilies, marginals and bog plants each play a part. My aquatic plant installation page goes into which ones grow well here.

Fish

Fish are optional but helpful. They graze on algae and eat mosquito larvae, and their waste feeds the plants. A pond for larger fish needs more depth and filtration, which I cover under koi pond installation.

Why this works in a Treasure Valley summer

Algae loves heat and sun, and July and August here bring plenty of both. A pond that leans on chemicals alone fights a losing battle once the water warms. In an ecosystem pond, the bacteria and plants are working hardest in summer too, eating the same nutrients the algae needs.

Our water runs alkaline, and pH can climb on hot afternoons in a pond full of algae. Steady biological filtration and good plant cover keep the water more stable. Evaporation is high in our dry air, so I often add an autofill valve that tops off the pond from your water line, and a water conditioner handles the chlorine in tap water.

How ecosystem pond installation goes

• Consultation and layout. We settle on size, location, and which way the waterfall faces. I mark the shape so you can see it from the house.
• Digging. I dig plant shelves around the edge and a deeper zone in the middle. With fish, that deep zone has to let them rest below winter ice.
• Skimmer and biofalls. The skimmer goes across from the waterfall so water moves through the whole pond. Both get leveled and set on firm ground.
• Liner. Underlayment goes down first, then EPDM rubber liner, sealed to the skimmer and biofalls.
• Rock and gravel. Boulders on the shelves and walls, then gravel across the bottom.
• Fill and start-up. I fill with water conditioner, add bacteria, start the pump, and tune the waterfall.
• Planting. Plants go into gravel pockets and pots.
• Walkthrough. I show you the skimmer, the filter, and the fall and spring routine.

Price and what changes it

My published starting price is $15,500 for an 8' x 11' Aquascape system pond with a waterfall. The price goes up with a bigger pond, a longer stream, larger boulders, more plants, fish, lights, a longer run to power, and tight access that limits equipment. Grading or a retaining wall on a slope adds to it too.

Care after it's built

An ecosystem pond still needs some attention. Empty the skimmer net, rinse the filter mat when flow drops, add bacteria in spring, trim plants in fall, and plan on a clean-out each spring. That's far less than a pond that needs weekly treatments. If you already have an older pond without a skimmer or biofalls, pond filtration system installation covers adding them.

Where I install ecosystem ponds

Boise is home base for ecosystem pond installation (see my Boise service area page), and I also build in Eagle, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Star, Middleton, Kuna, Garden City, Hidden Springs, Sun Valley and Ketchum. I take on a limited number of projects each season, and I'm on site for every one.

If you're tired of fighting green water, schedule a consultation for ecosystem pond installation in Boise. I'll look at your yard and show you how each part of the system would fit.