Aquabytes Articles

Remember that incredibly wet fall we experienced in North Georgia? And that wet, warmish winter? All of that moisture tends to flush the watershed and cause an unsightly and unpleasant bloom of blue-green algae in local ponds and lakes. Cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae), are naturally present in lakes and streams in low numbers. In wet conditions, cyanobacteria can grow very quickly and produce blooms with high numbers of cells. This algae can discolor the

What child hasn’t accidentally lobbed their ball into the local pond? While the kids may go home empty handed, those lost soccer balls, footballs, and basketballs enjoy a new life when our lake crews find them. Recently our crew handed nearly 100 balls over to the youth group at Burnt Hickory Church of Christ, where the youth group spent a day deflating and cleaning them. Come June, the next phase of their adventure will take them to Western

During a regular run of lake management tasks, Aquascape’s staff can stumble upon a host of interesting items. These are generally plumbed from the bottom of ponds and lakes during routine maintenance. Most of them are useless trash that is disposed of in a responsible manner; often, the treasures are useful and recyclable. For example, in the fall Aquascape sent two crates of deflated soccer and playground balls to the streets of Tegucigalpa, Honduras- all of

Folks, it’s real! We’ve always been told that alligators can’t withstand a winter as far north as metro Atlanta, but we have photographic evidence to the contrary! The gator pictured here was photographed in early March of this year in Cochran Shoals Park, close to highway 285 and Interstate 75 Parkway. That water he’s wading in is the Chattahoochee River! He is 8-10 feet long and is most likely the same gator that was spotted

It’s actually possible to see a crest of foam on the surface of your creek or stream. Where does it come from? Water, like other liquids, have molecules that are attracted to each other. This attraction creates surface tension on top of the water. When leaves, twigs or other organic substances fall into water and begin decaying, they release compounds known as surfacants. This interaction breaks the surface tension, which allows air to circulate and create bubbles.

Beavers live throughout North America and statewide in Georgia wherever they can find the right place to call home. They love year-round water flow; therefore streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands, and low lying land or swamps are the places to find them. Beavers can be found in ditches,  sewage ponds and urban areas. Beavers are technically North America’s largest rodents. They live on both land and in water. Their broad flat tails provide stability during activities; it

Winter is here, and with it the probability of days on end below freezing. While such weather is perfect for sitting inside by the fire, it can wreak havoc on our outdoor structures. If you have a fountain or a water feature on your property, you may have some confusion about how to prepare it, if at all, for the frigid months. The first question to answer is whether or not your winter temps dip

Aquascape Environmental makes lakes “Boo”-ti-ful!! During the month of October, downtown Woodstock plays host to dozens of scarecrows, created by local businesses and residents. Aquascape is in the game with a happy kayaking scarecrow and a even few “scare-fish!” He’s waving at pedestrians and visitors on Main Street, through Halloween!  

If you see a winged insect skimming the surface of a woodland pond, you might generally be cautious. Is it a wasp? A bee? Something else that stings? Or it could be a mosquito, whose bite won’t hurt but will cause an itchy red welt.  But if it’s a dragonfly, or the dragonfly’s related cousin, the damselfly, you have stumbled upon one of nature’s beauties. They are already likable because they don’t bite or sting,

  A pond should be a beautiful place for peace and reflection. As penned by poet Joe Inca, “Corner of the pond, Myriad vegetation, Angler’s paradise.” But if your pond is murky, covered in algae, or emitting an unpleasant odor, what can you do to fix it? These problems can all be caused by displacement of oxygen. When circulation decreases in your pond, an imbalance in oxygen levels occur. Oxygen is essential to a pond.