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LED lighting is an excellent choice for lighting water features. The longevity of the LED (light emitting diode) keeps you out of the pond for pesky bulb replacement. LED's have no bulbs and a life of 15 plus years. LEDs are powered using 12 volt transformers making them extremely safe around water. They can be run on the same system as your landscape lighting or as a stand alone system. They also consume less energy. 75% less than incandescent actually, making them very environmentally friendly. When looking for LED for your pond ask the distributor what Kelvin Temperature the light emits. While LED has it's advantages it also has a wide range of colors. The color is determined by Kelvin Temperature. A Kelvin Temperature of 2700 to 3000 gives you that soft white light that will make your feature shine at night. If the Kelvin Temperature is higher or lower than this it won't give you the desired look. For instance a Kelvin Temperature of 9000 will give you that blue tint color we see in many of today's car headlights. Another thing to ask is warranty. While LEDs may last 15 years there are components that make it work. If they aren't warranted for 15 years then it's possible for an early failure to you lighting project. Finally ask if they are for submerged applications. Remember that these lights contain electronics (low voltage but electronics just the same) and must be fully potted and sealed for protection. Consider LED on your next or current water feature project and enjoy the beauty of it day and night. Ken Hendry is President of Hendry & Associates a manufacturers’ representative of landscape lighting and water features products. He has over 20 years experience in the landscape industry. You can reach Ken at KenHendry@HendryandAssociates.com or by calling 770-924-1630. If you would like to get notified of when the next issue of Pond Pulse is ready for your reading enjoyment please register Register Here

To those that are here with us and those elsewhere in the world but close in our hearts, to you and yours a Happy Holiday season! Some parts of the country are really excited about the close of 2009. After all, business was kind of spotty around the nation as far as work flow and cash flow goes. Me? Last year (2008) was UGLY with getting both knees replaced, but this year (2009) I was able to grow into my new knees and handle the work load that came my way. Was it a great year? No. Was it a terrible year? No, but I must say it was steady. But with all things considered, if you are alive to tell about it, consider “it a good year!” If you have a helping hand to reach out with or need to reach for an out stretched hand, do what you need to do, because situations change. Be thankful for what you have, whatever it may be and know there can be a brighter tomorrow. So much for my reflections and gratitude for 2009. What do you want 2010 to bring? During times like these the old rhyme, “If if’s and buts’ were candy and nuts all the stockings would be full” comes to my mind. Didn’t like how last year ended? Then make plans to change that in 2010. We had manufacturer representatives at INFO TANZA™ last month that have seen steadier years, but they invested the time, talent, and resources to be at “The Pond Industry Event of the Year” in Atlanta, Georgia. IPPCA stood alone in 2009 by offering its membership access to INFO TANZA™ without cost to members to attend seminars and talk to manufacturer’s representatives and ask about new product with hands on. So you missed it? If you are an IPPCA member, you have access to that information. Are you leaving a valuable benefit on the table? Not a member? Then you are leaving more than just that benefit on the table. Me, I like my membership benefits and with the resources offered by the IPPCA it is very cost effective and justified. Besides, with the resources available to you as a member, you don’t have time to sit on a pity pot and wait for answers, IPPCA makes things happen. Oh, yeah! Don’t like the economy, politics, algae, or anything else that is bugging you? Then may I suggest you quit watching the talking heads and talk to the rocks and fish…they make more sense and it is more fun. It may have been a great year or a bad year, but be grateful that whatever the out come you have for this year, be grateful you have made it to the other side of 2009. Rocke Huntington President 2009

Yards to Paradise Bi-Weekly Column by Max Phelps Stonehenge: Recently I saw some nice folks sitting on some big stones in the yard, just talking. And it got me to thinking. How wild would it be to build a patio into the landscape of a home where the patio is mostly shrubs or flowers or groundcovers and the seating is as natural as it gets, large stones. Whether arranged in a circle, or whimsically, big boulders that would make good seating placed into the yard would create a neat and unique sitting area. It could be formal, and utilize a circle like Stonehenge. Or, it could be totally random like you might see if you dropped a dozen boulders from an airplane. Such a “Stonehenge Patio” could have you sitting with a lovely view of butterflies on a drift of coneflower blooms. Or, it might be that cute little conifers or dwarf Japanese maples would be the object of one's eyes. Being one who loves waterfalls, I inagined sitting on a big boulder while being mesmerized by a lovely waterfall recirculating from an underground pond vault a few feet away. Talk about a different sort of patio, I think you'll agree it's a wild idea. A natural stone arrangement of large boulders surrounded by interesting plants and other embellishments could be adapted to either front yard or backyard applications. The age of front porches was in my childhood, but perhaps the age of a low-profile Stonehenge in the front of the home might be the wave of the future. Backyard entertainment would certainly be a little more intimate sitting across from your special companion while the firepit embers glow or the waterfall trickles. The night flying moths find the spider flower blooms of the annuals planted in the perrenial bed. In the daytime, hummingbirds find yucca and cactus blooms or the sweet nectar from a honeysuckle bush. Perhaps a soft carpet of creeping thyme or Irish moss would cover the sand and flagstones between the “seating stones”. Ajuga would provide color and blossoms amid the green paving. A red-berried holly or a hardy camillia or Chinese fringeflower (lorapetalum) would provide color in the upright form, while creeping junipers or the candles of a Japanese black or dwarf red pine offer up a natural salutation. That would appeal to you ladies I know, for it sounds so romantic! The starkness of a concrete patio has no place in this Stonehenge patio. Rather, the random placement of walking stones, sand and gravel—even mulch or moss—might be our surface. Add the plants of your choice. Then add some nice rustic stones for seating. Furnish this unique patio with a BBQ pit, a fire pit, a waterfall, some soft solar lighting, and perhaps some outdoor acoustical speakers for further enhancing the romantic mood (or the party mood) . Selection of easy-care plants and some that do not need a lot of water would give more time for enjoying the new Stonehenge, but a few groupings of flowering perennials or waving grass clumps could improve on the aesthetics. Stark or lush, your personal Stonehenge could give your place that missing something that would set it apart in the neighborhood—hopefully in a good way. Lush landscaping would just be icing on the cake with a patio built on the Stonehenge concept. The author is a landscaper. Contact via www.rockcastles.com or (606) 416-3911 NOTE: Permission to use this freelance story is granted when the above tagline is printed giving author credit, or a small ad is given to author for his landscaping business. -- *Rock Castles is a super choice if you need a watergarden, waterfall, or some stone work. Naturalistic looking, custom hands-on work by the owner* Free estimates by e-mail or phone* We charge for on-site consultations. Thank you! Max Phelps. www.rockcastles.com 606 416 3911 704 477 7435 863 257 4068 828 460 1043 865-360-6951

Enviroscape owner Mike Garcia began his career in the horticultural field more than 25 years ago. As a native Californian from Redondo Beach Mike graduated from Mira Costa High School in 1978. After earning his college degree in Ornamental Horticulture he obtained his C27 Landscape Contractors License and C61 Tree Service Contractors Licenses. Enviroscape has won numerous awards including: Best of L.A and Best in the State for projects in the beach cities of Hermosa, Redondo and Manhattan Beachs. Enviroscape has been mentioned in various magazines including South Bay Homes and Gardens, and California Landscaping Magazine. Recently Enviroscape appeared on the cable channel show HGTV's Landscaper's Challenge. A past President of the California Landscape Contractors Association, Mike Garcia is one of only 40 Certified Professional Pond Builders in the nation. On occasion Mike has flown to Sacramento to help the contractors state board revise and update the written tests given for C27 Contractors Licensing.

EasyPro Products is the manufacturing division of Stoney Creek Fisheries and Equipment. We produce over 30 different products under the EasyPro name. EasyPro and Stoney Creek design and supply materials for waterfalls and ponds all over the U.S. and Canada

Freddie Combas born in Puerto Rico, started Florida Water Gardens, Inc. on a 10-acre facility in Orlando. Freddie has a passion for his work. His believes in giving the customer more than they expected. Freddie has a weekly talk show “Home and Hearth” which airs every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Orlando area. Freddie believes that if you teach others the basics on ponds, you have done your job. They have an “Open Book Management” system that shares in motivating their employees; keeping their professionalism, installation, and services at their peak at all times. Florida Water Gardens, Inc. was #21 in the nation on the 2002 Aquascape Designs top customer list. He is an Aquascape Certified Contractor and believes in not only the water gardening business and his company, but in the future of the water gardening industry.

The 10th annual Koi Health Seminar will be held in Seminar topics:

• Parasite identification and treatments
• Microscopic techniques
• Water quality and treatments
• Bacterial evaluation and management
• Culture and sensitivity
• Antibiotic classification and
• applications
• Viral evaluation and management
• Fecal exam and parasite management
• Surgical techniques
• Necropsy and sampling techniques
• Quarantine procedures
• Fall Ikeage

All course materials are included. Registration and information available online Register Here Early registration is suggested. For more information contact Vicki Vaughan at 706-247-6274 or vicki@flatrockkoi.com

Here are a few comments we received from attendees at InfoTanza™ 2009:

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Danner Manufacturing Congratulations on presenting (and surviving!) another great Infotanza. From our official point of view: We at Danner Manufacturing wish to thank the IPPCA for inviting us to participate in Infotanza 2009. Congratulations are certainly in order. Once again, you have succeeded in bringing contractors, dealers, exhibitors and experts from the field together in an informative and impartial forum that fosters the spirit of educational cooperation rather than competition. The presentation syllabus was amazing -- four days of seminars and hands-on demonstrations that instructed in every facet of our industry, from pumps to plumbing to water quality to lining to sales to photography (tips any pond builder can really use!). As both a presenter and an attendee, I personally appreciate the opportunity to freely exchange information that helps grow and improve our industry, without the "us versus them" tone that colors the typical trade show or manufacturer's seminars. Demi Fortuna Danner Mfg., Inc. ProLine Product Manager 190 Oval Drive Islandia NY 11749-1489 Phone 631.439.1885 • Fax 631.439.5713 demif@dannermfg.com www.dannermfg.com

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Graystone Industries/American Pond™ To the members and staff of the IPPCA, I would like to offer my most heartfelt thank you for the warm welcome your staff and members extended to me during the 2009 Infotanza in Atlanta. The entire event was a shining example of what a motivated group of like minded individuals can accomplish for our Water Garden industry. Over the course of the 4 day conference I had the opportunity to sit in on many of the presentations offered. I found the speakers to be professional and entertaining. They had the unique ability to disseminate important and complex information in an easy to understand manner. The seminars have provided your members with knowledge and practical advice they can immediately implement in their businesses to increase their sales and marketability in this unfortunate economic climate. The manufacturer’s representatives were helpful as well as knowledgeable and allowed attendees to learn first hand about new and exciting advances in Pond and Water Garden products. I am sure their excellent participation will help grow the industry in general as well as provide each of them new customers for their respective product lines. I would also like to thank you for allowing me to assist IPPCA members by presenting the marketing seminar on Thursday. I enjoyed seeing the faces of many attendees as they reached their “AH HA” moment and the true learning began. The questions they posed and the enthusiasm of the group for this complex topic assured me that they each left with the ability to better promote and grow their businesses. As a sponsor of the 2009 Waterfall building photo contest I was simply amazed by the entries and the quality of work displayed. I left knowing that our corporate sponsorship prizes were well deserved and had been dispensed to some of the most elite installers in the industry. For many years now I have traveled the US, attending, and occasionally speaking at, different industry shows and events. Recently I have noticed a rather disappointing trend of cancelled trade shows and organizations that talk a good game but fail to deliver satisfactory learning experiences. It is my opinion that Infotanza 2009 rose above the common and delivered an exciting event of the highest caliber. Thank you again for allowing me to be a part of the Inforaza 2009 event. I look forward to seeing the continued growth and achievements of the IPPCA during this coming year. Best wishes, John Olson Chief Executive Officer Graystone Industries, Inc. 954-746-0033 john@graystoneindustries.com

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InfoTanza 2009 was awesome! Gil (my Contruction Manager) & I looked at each other during a few of the seminars because we new that what was being presented would have an immediate impact to what we have been currently offering our customers and would create a positive financial gain for our company while also increasing our product's performance, efficiency and longevity. We have already contacted a few of our customers for possible retrofits using the one manufacturer's product. We also networked with another of the manufacturers that will now be custom making a product for us that we have been making ourselves costing us too much time and money! Which products? Which manufacturers? YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE! Stay at home during InfoTanza equals staying at home through the Winter while those of us that attended get to implement what we saw, learned, heard and networked! In other words.......You snooze, you loose! Thanks to the IPPCA staff for a job well done, the attending and supporting memebers and all the manufacturers and sponsors of the event. I look forward to next year's InfoTanza! Freddie Combas Florida Water Gardens, Inc.

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My first INFOTANZA did not disappoint me. From the beginning to the end, I was taking notes and learning. But, another major benefit was the PEOPLE of IPPCA. Everyone was more than helpful. Everyone wanted to answer questions. Everyone had ideas that someone else could benefit from. Max Taylor Magnolia Ponds & Water Gardens

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Pond Event of the Year. This maybe one of the greatest understatements in a very long time. If you didn't make it to this year's Info Tanza then you missed the best one ever. Having attended four of the five Info Tanza's I can say that this year's event was the best and will be hard to improve on it. It started off with Firestone's certification which we have had before but that was followed up with a hands on seaming. This I am sure was a first in industry and it was excellent. This was followed up with talks on every subject imaginable with excellent networking lunches and dinners. I thought that 2005 was going to be hard to beat but I was wrong. My hat is off to Dave and Gloria, you two did good and you have my thanks. I can't wait to see how you improve next years. I mean this year even had a paper airplane contest from the eight floor. What more can you ask for? Mike White White Water Filters

2009 IPPCA Five Star Contractor Award Goes to Woman Contractor Member of Pond and Waterscape Industry’s Trade Association Brenda Sorrells, owner of Exotic Aquatics Inc. in Savannah, Georgia, walked off with the top honor at the IPPCA’s 5th annual Awards Banquet held at INFO TANZA ’09. The Five Star Contractor Award has become the most prestigious Award that a Pond Contractor can achieve in the Pond and Waterscape Industry. The Award was sponsored this year by IPPCA Corporate Members Atlantic Water Gardens and Ewing Irrigation Products Inc. The elegant gold and acrylic trophy and the bragging rights that go with it is truly impressive in its own right, [but] the $1000 check that goes with the trophy takes the award’s value beyond the intrinsic to a true monetary reward of not inconsiderable value. The IPPCA’s 5 Star Contractor Award is given each year to the IPPCA member with the highest overall score from the Association’s online Customer Satisfaction Rating form submitted by the winning contractor’s customers. Customer Satisfaction Rating forms aren’t necessarily a new thing in business management. Independent consulting firms charge thousands of dollars setting up evaluation programs for companies. This very valuable company performance analysis tool has been offered as a member’s benefit from the inception of the Trade Association’s existence at no additional cost to the members. The IPPCA established this system in 2004 as an additional tool for members to utilize as well as a methodology for the Association to keep in touch with its members’ caliber of business practices. The award was created as an additional incentive to get members to utilize the program. Prior winners of the award include Peter Stopen of New Jersey and Toby Ladd of Indiana. Ms. Sorrells joins the ranks of a growing but very select group of top tier contractors in the Pond and Waterscape Industry. Congratulations to Ms. Sorrells.