Creative Aquascapes Introduces a New Generation of Retention Ponds

Retention ponds in Florida are intended to manage storm water runoff. They release the water slowly into a drainage system which ends up in our rivers, bays and the gulf. This runoff water is full of nutrients and contaminants. Acting as holding tanks for this contaminated water, the ponds become overloaded with algae which robs the pond of oxygen and sunlight so that nothing much can live in the water. The ponds also release this contaminated water into our aquifers. Until now, the only type of filtration designed into some of these ponds has involved the planting of aquatic plants on the riparian edge of the ponds. These constructed wetlands can beautify an area, but they do not provide enough filtration to diminish excessive nutrients and other pollutants. There is a solution that involves the merging of two technologies brought together by Creative Aquascapes.

Creative Aquascapes brings products from Floating Island International and Aquascape Inc. together as a solution for cleaning our local waters effectively, naturally and safely. CA designs and builds natural water systems using the latest constructed wetland technologies. The islands used by Creative Aquascapes are made from recycled plastics products and can be placed in any body of water to act as highly efficient bio-filters, or BioHavens™. They are capable of drastically diminishing nutrients and contaminants such as: nitrates, phosphates, algae blooms, and ammonia. The islands also have the ability to sequester heavy metals and trap other sediments that build up in these problem ponds. Combined with the circulation and aeration abilities of the constructed wetland filtration systems, the BioHavens™ will not only naturalize our local waters, but cleanse them in the process.

In addition to cleansing the water, BioHaven™ Wild Floating Islands provide habitat for fish, waterfowl, and other native species both above and below the water line. The islands and the plant roots, which grow through the islands, provide a breeding ground for beneficial microbes and aquatic populations. Microbes consume greater percentages of nutrients than plants. The microbes flourish in water and populate more readily than they do in mud.

Fact: A 250 sq ft BioHaven™ provides the same filtration surface area as an acre of constructed wetland

Islands can also be used for cash crops, providing very low cost farming practices. Islands provide breeding habitats and become supermarkets for fish. They can be used in salt water, again as massive biofilters, to naturalize and beautify coastlines while offering additional wave protection. Extremely buoyant, they can be tied together and anchored and provide habitat for humans as well as animals and plants.

Creative Aquascapes is committed to the development of naturally based holistic systems designed to enhance aquatic environments for the planet. We are dedicated to the creative and responsible management of water resources and motivated by our appreciation of the interconnectedness of all life, and by our desire to make the world a healthier place for all.

Owners, Julia and Peter Seyffert want to help Sarasota clean up its retention ponds. These mucky ponds can be transformed into beautiful, healthy lakes providing benefits to everyone. The Seyfferts also see the potential for using mangrove islands to clean up our bay and gulf, ultimately decreasing red tide algae blooms and increasing fish habitats in the dead zones of the Gulf of Mexico. We believe the islands could also slow down global warming..