The Pond Guy
The Pond Guy is a privately held, Michigan-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer and wholesale distributor of pond, lake, and water garden supplies — including aeration systems, water treatments, fish habitat products, and filtration — serving residential and commercial customers across all 50 US states and 10 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersArmada, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Pond Guy does
The Pond Guy, Inc. is a privately held direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer and wholesale distributor specializing in pond, lake, and water garden supplies, headquartered in Armada, Michigan with manufacturing and production facilities in Romeo, Michigan. Founded in 1996 by Jason Blake, who began servicing neighborhood ponds at age 15 in 1994, the company has grown to nearly 200 employees and serves customers across all 50 US states and 10 countries. Its product portfolio spans aeration systems, fountains and water circulators, aquatic herbicides and algaecides (EPA-registered), beneficial bacteria water treatments, fish habitat structures, predator deterrents, pond kits, filtration, pumps, and live aquatic plants and fish, organized under proprietary sub-brands Airmax and Pond King alongside distributed brands including Jenlis, CrystalClear, and SePRO.
The company's underlying technology stack centers on the Airmax aeration platform (SilentAir compressors connected to ProAir diffusers), the bundled ClearPAC Plus ecosystem combining multiple water-treatment SKUs, and a proprietary satellite-based pond mapping software that powers a free Pond Profile service delivering customized aeration layouts and maintenance programs. In-house engineering, CNC machining capability (since 2018), and a 10,000-gallon indoor test tank support product development and rapid prototyping from the Michigan facilities.
The Pond Guy operates a multi-channel go-to-market: DTC e-commerce through thepondguy.com shipping from Michigan, an outside sales/Airmax wholesale team serving dealers, distributors, professional pond managers, specialty retailers, and HOAs/golf courses/municipal accounts, a physical retail location, and a licensed Local Services department in southeast Michigan performing installation, maintenance, and repair for over 500 waterbodies per season. Pricing is unit-based across an SKU range from $12.99 to over $1,950, with free shipping above $99, a 10% military discount, a Best Price Guarantee, and a 90-day return policy. The company has earned Detroit Free Press Top Workplaces recognition in 2022 and 2024 and was named to Inc. Magazine's fastest-growing privately held companies in 2011.
The Pond Guy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Pond Guy
- Legal name
- The Pond Guy, Inc.
- Website
- https://thepondguy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Pond Guy is a privately held, Michigan-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer and wholesale distributor of pond, lake, and water garden supplies — including aeration systems, water treatments, fish habitat products, and filtration — serving residential and commercial customers across all 50 US states and 10 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Pond Guy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pond and Water Garden Supplies
- NAICS
- Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Retailers (4442)
- SIC
- Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Features Design & Installation (Ponds, Fountains, Waterfalls) (HSAIABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Aquarium & Fish Supplies Retail (CRALAHAI)
Keywords
Where The Pond Guy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Armada
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
The Pond Guy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales (E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer online sales of pond, lake, and water garden products including aeration systems, fountains, water treatments, algae/herbicide products, fish supplies, plants, and accessories. Revenue from individual product purchases with per-transaction pricing.
- Wholesale/Distribution: Outside Sales team serves dealers, distributors, professional pond managers, specialty retailers, and wholesale partners with bulk product orders.
- Local Service: Southeast Michigan Pond & Lake Service Department provides licensed aquatic services including installation, maintenance, and repair of aeration systems and fountains for over 500 waterbodies per season.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer Direct Sales |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Aquathol Herbicide |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sonar A.S. Aquatic Herbicide |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Airmax WipeOut Herbicide |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pond King Spawning Discs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Honey Hole Shrubs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | ClearPAC Plus Maintenance Kit |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Algae Defense |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EasyKlear Defense |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Military Discount |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Pond Guy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Pond Guy designs, manufactures (under the Airmax brand), and retails pond, lake, and water garden products — including aeration systems, fountains, beneficial bacteria and chemical water treatments, fish care products, aquatic herbicides, dock and shoreline equipment, and related accessories — selling them direct to consumers nationwide and to dealers/distributors via wholesale. It also provides local on-site pond and lake management services in southeastern Michigan and ships internationally to roughly 10 countries.
Product overview
The Pond Guy is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer specializing in pond, lake, and water garden products. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products organized into several core categories: (1) Aeration Systems (bottom diffused, surface, windmill, solar-powered units for various pond sizes); (2) Fountains and Water Circulators (decorative and commercial fountains with multiple horsepower options); (3) Water Treatments (the Airmax Ecosystem line including MuckAway, PondClear, EcoBoost PRx, Pond Dye, and ClearPAC Plus maintenance kit); (4) Algae and Weed Control (herbicides including Airmax WipeOut, Shoreline Defense, Ultra PondWeed Defense, KnockDown Defense, EasyKlear Defense, Aquathol, and SePRO Sonar; algaecides including Algae Defense); (5) Fish Care and Habitat (fish food, spawning discs, fish attractors, predator deterrents including Heron Stop and Blue Heron Decoy); (6) Water Gardens (filtration systems, pumps, aquatic plants, pond kits, pond liners); and (7) Tools and Equipment (weed rakes, weed cutters, pond vacuums, skimmers). The Airmax brand products represent the company's proprietary water treatment ecosystem, while third-party brands include Jenlis, CrystalClear, SePRO, and Pond King. Products are sold primarily through thepondguy.com e-commerce platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Airmax: Leading manufacturer of aeration and natural water treatments for ponds and lakes, with over 20 years of experience in pond and lake management.
- Pond King
- The Pond Guy
- Jenlis
Products and services
- Airmax aeration systems
Quantifiable outcome
- Pond King Spawning Discs can increase fish hatching by 300-400%
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Pond Guy
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Pond Guy technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Pond Guy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- AirmaxcoreAirmax is the leading manufacturer of aeration and natural water treatments for ponds and lakes. The Pond Guy serves as primary distributor for Airmax products including SilentAir compressors, ProAir diffusers, PondClear, MuckAway, EcoBoost PRx, and ClearPAC Plus systems. Products developed with over 20 years of pond industry experience.
- SePROcoreSePRO Corporation manufactures Sonar A.S. aquatic herbicide distributed by The Pond Guy. Sonar A.S. provides season-long weed control for floating and submerged weeds with systemic action that kills roots.
- AquatholcoreAquathol aquatic herbicides (endothall-based) distributed by The Pond Guy for eliminating submerged weeds. Available in liquid and granular formulations for use in turbid ponds.
- JenliscoreJenlis manufactures pond products distributed by The Pond Guy including the Weed Razer aquatic weed cutter, Razer Rake for weed and debris removal, and Swifter Sifter pond skimmer.
- Pond KingcorePond King brand (The Pond Guy proprietary) for fish habitat products including Honey Hole Trees, Honey Hole Shrubs, Spawning Discs, and Porcupine Fish Attractor Spheres.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Pond Guy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Pond Guy social profiles
Digital presenceThe Pond Guy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Pond Guy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
The Pond Guy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Pond Guy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Pond Guy
What does The Pond Guy do?
The Pond Guy designs, manufactures (under the Airmax brand), and retails pond, lake, and water garden products — including aeration systems, fountains, beneficial bacteria and chemical water treatments, fish care products, aquatic herbicides, dock and shoreline equipment, and related accessories — selling them direct to consumers nationwide and to dealers/distributors via wholesale. It also provides local on-site pond and lake management services in southeastern Michigan and ships internationally to roughly 10 countries.
Is The Pond Guy a public or private company?
The Pond Guy is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Pond Guy founded?
The Pond Guy was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Pond Guy based?
The Pond Guy is headquartered in Armada, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Pond Guy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product Sales (E-commerce) is the primary driver. The others are wholesale/Distribution and local Service.
Does The Pond Guy have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Pond Guy.
What industry is The Pond Guy in?
The Pond Guy's product category is Pond and Water Garden Supplies. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAIABAE, Water Features Design & Installation (Ponds, Fountains, Waterfalls), with a secondary code of CRALAHAI, Aquarium & Fish Supplies Retail. Its NAICS code is 4442 and its SIC code is 5200.