A man annually pressure washing an Aquascape pond

The Hidden Costs of Aquascape Ponds (What Homeowners Should Know Before Building One)

Aquascape ponds are marketed as beautiful, natural water features that bring life and tranquility to a backyard. But what many homeowners aren’t told before installation is the long-term maintenanc...
Man and a woman standing in front of a pond and waterfalls filled with algae asking: "Why do Aquascape ponds fail?"

Why Aquascape Ponds Fail

Many homeowners discover too late that Aquascape-style ponds often require expensive annual cleanings to remove sludge, algae, and debris trapped in the filter and gravel bottom. In this article we...
Photo showing one person hand picking leaves from a rock and gravel pondless waterfall reservoir, and a photo of a person lifting a lightweight filter basket from a Russell Pondless System

What if everything you’ve been told about pondless waterfalls is wrong?

You’ve probably heard that pondless waterfalls are “low maintenance.” But that is simply not true – by ignoring routine maintenance,  you are simply deferring it until you need an expensive annual ...
Hydro Vortex waterfall filters become invisible when installed

Do Pondless Waterfalls Need a Filter?

The simple answer is YES!  But the more important question to ask should be "WHY?"  A filter on a pondless waterfall will help keep the water clean and clear by trapping organics for easy removal b...
John Russell of Russell Watergardens built this, and now famous Original pondless waterfall in Redmond, WA

The History of the Original Pondless Waterfall

This is the story of where, when, why, and who built the Original pondless waterfall that sparked the pondless waterfall revolution. How the Original pondless waterfall took the country by storm. W...