| After spending some time reading the Piranha | | | | "frenzy" is a noun defined as a state or |
| Press (water garden forums), I am scared to | | | | "period" of uncontrolled excitement or wild |
| wade into the water [Forum] or even "get my | | | | behavior. That sort of describes the eating |
| feet wet." Good grief, talk about "eating | | | | etiquette of a Piranha! Notice, it is for a |
| their own". . . Where is the loyalty, | | | | period of time. What happens when there are |
| appreciation, gratitude, dedication, | | | | more pond liner kit installers then there are |
| camaraderie and "family pride" pride? | | | | customers? Even professionals with college |
| | | | degrees are installing pond kits, due to the |
| I have been visiting water garden forums | | | | exorbitant profits. What about the growing |
| lately, and "I have not had this much fun | | | | awareness of the statistics related to the |
| since kindergarten art class." | | | | undependability of liners? Or the reputation |
| | | | of, or lack of, business ethics and shoddy |
| Wow! Did I discover something amazing. I have | | | | workmanship? What happens when the clients |
| known for many years that one of the major | | | | find out they were deceived by not being told |
| challenges in raising koi fish is to keep the | | | | the whole truth about liners? (Read, "Pond |
| koi from eating their own. Consequently, the | | | | Liners: Seven Reasons Why I Don't Use Them" |
| eggs are separated from the pond as quickly | | | | by Doug Hoover - Google.) What is the answer |
| as possible to prevent this. | | | | to all these questions? The "frenzy" state or |
| | | | period of uncontrolled excitement or wild |
| After spending some time reading the Piranha | | | | behavior will cease. |
| Press (water garden forums), I am scared to | | | | |
| wade into the water [forum] or even "get my | | | | And what about the state of the water feature |
| feet wet." | | | | business' reputation when the proverbial dust |
| | | | settles and the truth about pond liners |
| Good grief, talk about "eating their own" . . | | | | becomes evident? This is the reason I am |
| . | | | | speaking out now! Building waterfalls and |
| | | | ponds has been my love and my bread and |
| Where are the loyalty, appreciation, | | | | butter for over a quarter of a century. |
| gratitude, dedication, camaraderie and | | | | |
| "family pride" Pride? In the Lion's Pride, | | | | I was eavesdropping on one of the hundreds of |
| the lioness hunts to feed the Lion and her | | | | forum sites. I copied only two pages of posts |
| cubs. If she is unable to bring home the | | | | and replies by forum members and/or pond |
| bacon, the cubs could become lunch for the | | | | liner "disciples." |
| Lion. In the Liner Pride, there is no "Pride" | | | | |
| [sense of fam fam] and like the cubs, they | | | | Here is a brief summary: |
| are all branded as "food storage"! ... with a | | | | |
| very limited shelf life. | | | | Greg Witstock was praised for his |
| | | | accomplishments. |
| Some time around 1990, Greg Witstock, the | | | | |
| lion of the liner industry, started the "pond | | | | Greg's financial success of "ADI" Aquascapes |
| liner craze" which transformed into the "pond | | | | Design Inc. was touted. |
| liner frenzy," as quoted in many pond | | | | |
| magazines. I have lovingly given Greg | | | | Comments were made about overpriced products, |
| Witstock the title of "Liner Messiah," since | | | | bordering on gouging. |
| he founded Aquascape Design Inc. Aquascape | | | | |
| manufactures pond liner kits, and Greg has | | | | Discussions took place on how products could |
| developed a marketing plan ("the way"), | | | | be produced using specific common plumbing |
| selling through his nation-wide network of | | | | products, for a fraction of the price. |
| pond liner installers, the "disciples. | | | | |
| | | | Better priced pumps with longer warranties |
| "Witstock has invested a fortune in product | | | | could be found elsewhere. |
| engineering and development. He has developed | | | | |
| successful sales tools and techniques for his | | | | However, the liner disciples are still using |
| "disciples" using a diverse line of products, | | | | Greg's beautiful brochures, videos and door |
| training videos, books and sales materials | | | | hangers, which he makes available to all his |
| that can literally guarantee a "disciple's" | | | | disciples at a fraction of the cost. But they |
| success if they follow the "way". | | | | are not being loyal to their "messiah" by |
| | | | using Aquascape products because they are |
| You may ask, that all sounds very good, so | | | | shopping around for cheaper products. There |
| what is the down side? Well, the liner | | | | is no such thing as product loyalty or |
| industry is marketing an overpriced and | | | | professional etiquette. But then again, are |
| inferior product with a dismal track record. | | | | Piranhas or starving lions known to |
| The pond liner track record speaks for | | | | demonstrate loyalty or appreciation?After |
| itself: | | | | logging in on this particular water garden |
| | | | forum, I tried to share some facts about |
| More than 37% of all waterfalls have serious | | | | concrete pond construction or using high |
| structural damage within 3 years of | | | | performance pumps and quality building |
| construction. | | | | products. Let's see, which of these is easier |
| | | | to do: 1. |
| 57% of homeowners say they are rather | | | | |
| unsatisfied with the way their waterfall came | | | | Build a pond using concrete and steel that |
| out after the project was completed. | | | | takes a week to finish and nets $5,000 |
| | | | profit, and guarantee the finished product |
| One in three waterfalls and ponds are leaking | | | | for 20 years or more?... or 2. Build a liner |
| water within nine months of completion. | | | | pond in a single day, for a profit of $5,000, |
| | | | and guarantee the liner for one year against |
| 63% of "do-it-yourselfers" say they wished | | | | factory defect and not have to be responsible |
| they had the proper information from the "get | | | | when rats, gophers or tree roots compromise |
| go" or that they had hired someone. | | | | the liner, because it wasn't covered by the |
| | | | warranty?. Is it any wonder that after I |
| These statistics are from the pond liner | | | | posted my articles "Pondless Waterfalls: |
| industry itself (Bob Wilder, 48-Hour | | | | Concrete vs. Liners" and "Pond Liners: Seven |
| Waterfall; pond liner installer for 18 | | | | Reasons why I do Not Use Them," I was locked |
| years). I can confirm and attest to these | | | | out of the forum and banned from the website? |
| figures myself. I have built over 1,900 | | | | It was akin to shouting, "I love the Jewish |
| concrete and rebar waterfalls and ponds over | | | | people!" at a Klu Klux Klan rally. |
| the past 26 years. I have ripped out and | | | | |
| replaced dozens of defective liner ponds and | | | | I discovered the forum administrator was also |
| replaced them with concrete and rebar, | | | | the webmaster and owner of the domain name |
| attaching lifetime warranties. I have also | | | | and owner of a landscaping company that |
| advised and aided angry pond liner owners by | | | | installs pond liners!The "Liner Messiah" |
| successfully suing the installers that | | | | showed them the way, and his "disciples" took |
| refused to come back and correct serious leak | | | | what they wanted and went their way. |
| problems. The words "frenzy" and "craze," | | | | |
| used often when relating to the pond liner | | | | Don't compromise your integrity. It is the |
| industry, are ironically very appropriate. | | | | essence of who you are and what you will |
| "Crazed" is usually used as an adjective and | | | | become. Build your character on a strong |
| means wildly insane or excited. The industry | | | | foundation, and when the storms of life and |
| is exploding. Why? It is basically fueled by | | | | winds of adversity beat you upside the head, |
| greed (a get rich quick scheme). Where else | | | | you will stand!Build your waterfall and pond |
| can you spend $500 - $800 for a | | | | on a strong concrete (4500psi) and rebar |
| do-it-yourself kit, install it in one day, | | | | foundation. And when the rats, gophers and |
| and walk away $2,500 - $4,500 richer? You | | | | tree roots come, you will have no regrets, |
| should ask questions when you discover that | | | | your integrity will shine like the noonday |
| professionals with college degrees are | | | | sun, and your waterfall will bring you |
| leaving their professions to install liner | | | | long-term joy, peace, relaxation and pleasure |
| ponds. That's really "craze-e!" The word | | | | for decades to come. I Promise. |