[Nancy M.]

Quote: Originally Posted by Russell Peters I have been following this thread without saying a thing but this statement sums up how I feel about the whole situation. Here in the Bay Area the are several large irrigation supply companies that have started selling pond kits. They are essentially Aquascape type kits. I have accounts with these companies and, even knowing I have a Koi business, their sales people have tried to convince me to buy these products and install them saying that I could make a lot of money. I made the effort to explain to some of these sales people that they are not selling a Koi pond but rather a water garden. Upon further explanation of what a Koi pond really is I just got blank stares. The point is that it is just a product to them and they push it as an easy install to their lanscapers as a way to make a lot of money. As long as this mentality exists in that industry things will never change. It is OK to make money but you MUST deliver a product that is worth the money you charge and it MUST be what the consumer wants and expecxts. If they don't know what they want then you, as a professional, must take the time to educate them. Building a Koi pond should not be a get rich quick scheme.

Russ,
I don't know about up North but down here in Socal, at every single home show, we have these big R & G type ponds on display, and everyone see's them and go oh how beautiful I want one of them in our yard. Now of course at the home show they have these BIG Koi in them swimming around. These water features were of course just set up and will only run for 1 to 2 weeks. i am sure they are doing massive water changes to keep it looking so pristine. With this type of advertising people dont even think to ask "is it ok for Koi to be in this shallow R & G water feature".. They have already seen koi swimming around in it.

Six months to one year later: they are calling all the "real koi dealers" and are asking why are my fish dieing? why do they have soars? why do they keep getting eaten my preditors? And of course the customary answers, so sorry, pond is a water garden NOT a koi pond, over stocked, go bye some goldfish, take the rocks out, do water changes, dig it deeper, add a real filter.. Then you get the customary answer, my pond is a eco friendly pond, I do not need any of that, my installer told me that we only need to cleen it once a year, and that the koi dont need any food, they will live off the plants. And we do not need to do water changes.

12 months to 18 months later
Same person calling, all the exact same answers..

18 to 24 months later:
same person calling, same questions, but this time they are actually listening, and they finally say what do I need to do to make this a healthy and easy to maintain "koi pond".

That is were I have a problem, false advertising, people dont ask some questions, since they already see koi swimming in the R & G at there local home show...