Hello Tim,

Registration for this year's online Pondemonium is now open (and it's free)! Check out the information below and sign up today for the chance at some early registration swag.

In this month's newsletter we also have a great article from Aquascape with some social media tips, a product update, and this month's Aquascape video featuring the Pond Professor.

Happy Pondering,

The True Pump Team

Pondemonium returns on Friday, August 22nd, in an easy-to-access online format—and it’s packed with must-know content for all of you pond pros. From expert insights to business-boosting tips, here’s just a glimpse of what you can expect:

·    Annual Keynote Address - with Greg Wittstock

·    Behind the Build: Creating a World-Class African Water Feature Experience - with Ed Beaulieu

·    Mastering Intake Bays: Boost Your Builds, Boost Your Business - with Brian Helfrich

·    New & Improved Products for 2026 - with Dave Kelly

·    Celebrating Excellence: The Pondemonium Awards - with Jeff Payton

Register HERE for your free access!

Do you get frustrated when using social media to promote your business? Do you feel like your efforts go unnoticed? Aquascape has been active on social media since 2009 and they've learned a thing or two over those 16 years. Keep reading to see some of the tips they used to grow from zero followers to over five million!!!

1. Take advantage of like-minded Facebook groups.

When you post to your business page, share that same information in pond or gardening groups. Post as your page in the group if allowed. Otherwise post as yourself

2. Don't just post and run on social media.

Engage on your page or in the groups where you share the most. Answer questions on your posts, and be sure to comment on other people's posts. Keep in mind, it's a community, not a billboard.

3. Post carousels and reels for the best engagement.

Facebook and Instagram currently favor reels and carousel posts, so be sure to use these to your advantage. Take a quick video with your phone and share it as a reel. Upload a few photos for a carousel.

4. Include a call to action with most of your posts.

Ask people to share photos of their ponds, or ask them to visit a webpage for more information. Facebook will show your page's posts to those who don't currently follow you, but might be interested in what you share, so ask people to like your page in some of your posts.

5. Experiment with posting times to find the most active time for your audience.

Try morning posts, noon posts when people are breaking for lunch, or evening posts after people are done with their work day. See if you notice a pattern in the amount of views and interaction each timeframe receives.

6. Most importantly - be a consistent social media user!

We can't emphasize this tip enough. Consistency is key for showing up in algorithms on all social media platforms. Don't forget to be consistent in responding to comments/questions, too! People want to know you care about them and you're not just selling something.

Just like you have a work schedule for each day, create a schedule for social media posting. Take 15 minutes the same time every day (so it becomes a habit) to check comments and questions on your posts. Likewise, set aside about an hour every week to schedule posts to your business page. Facebook provides a super easy-to-use scheduling tool so you don't have to post every day.



Be consistent and before you know it, you'll be a pro at sharing and engaging on social media!

The good news is we've currently got a great variety of aquatic plants to choose from! The bad news is that we've already received our last plant shipment of the year. If you are looking for the best selection to choose from, stop by soon before they're all gone!

All the new Aquascape products for the 2025 season are in stock! Some highlights include heavy-duty rock pad slings and also compact underlayment rolls in 15 ft. x 50 ft. and 15 ft. x 100 ft. sizes that come in a roll that is only 4 ft. long! There are also some new decorative items including faux rock fish caves and fountain bowls which can be used for decoration and filtration.

In response to the ongoing and rapidly changing international tariff environment Aquascape announced a temporary surcharge on their products. Beginning June 1, 2025, True Pump began adding this temporary 5% surcharge to all invoices for any Aquascape products purchased (except liner). Aquascape's goal is to keep this surcharge in place only until the tariff situation stabilizes. Once things settle down, they will move forward with updated pricing that reflects a more predictable cost structure.

We appreciate your understanding and continued partnership as we work through these challenges together.

In this video, Ed the Pond Professor, takes you back to his childhood — exploring creeks, discovering water-life, and falling in love with nature. He shares how those early experiences shaped his passion for building ponds.