Question by Michila Noell: Building a Pond?
My mother and her husband want a HUGH pond in their very large and plain backyard. any ideas or where can i find pictures and things that explane the making a a pond and the different ideas
Best answer:
Answer by yetanotherday
The Internet is loaded with pond ideas. I have an 8000 gallon pond in my back yard. It has a thick liner.
The deepest point of the pond is 6 feet with a slope up to about two feet. We have a ledge going around the outer perimeter of varying depths for different kinds of plants. We outlined the pond with lots of stones, plants and flowers. Inside the pond we have lily pads, cat tails, and anacharis. We also keep and aerator going all the time. We have around 30 fish of different sizes and breeds. Last summer we had hundreds of fry hatch which I sold this year.
The most important things to remember are having lots and lots of plants because they keep the water clean. At least have a couple of fish because they produce waste that the plants feed on.
We keep our fish in the pond all winter (it has to be at least 2 and 1/2 feet deep to do so. Stop feeding the fish when the water temperature drops below 50 degrees and begin feeding in the spring when water goes above 50.
Anyway, a pond is wonderful and rewarding hobby, we enjoy it tremendously.
What do you think? Answer below!
They have tons of stuff and garden places to help you build a pond. I would dig your hole the size and shape that you want it. Make sure you have one side go up for a waterfall if they want that. Use the black tarp that you can get a Home Depot/ Lowes or any store like that, along with rock. I would make sure to have the edges a little lower, so when u put the rock in around the edges to hold the tarp, won’t have them stick up all the way, also I would use The big staples that you pound in the ground, to hold the tarp. (I can’t remember thier name) Then surround with more rock for your waterfall you will need a pump. That again can be purchased at the hardware store. very easy to set up. Most pumps come with directions, however, you will set up the pump, and then in the area where the pump is, cover with more rocks, so that you cannot see it, and the water will flow out the hole, making a waterfall. Not sure what else to tell you. pending on the climate they live in, and if they want live animals and plants, you may need to add a heater for the water, and also have a tarp to cover it in the winter. Good Luck!
I built my own pond with waterfall last year. These are some of the sites that are in my Favorites.
http://www.naturalwaterfall.com/waterfall.asp. This site has a free e-book (they need your e-mail address, but they’re trustworthy, and the e-book is good).
http://www.backyardponds.com/showcase/showcase.php. Click on Showcase Ponds.
http://clearwaterlandscapes.com/pondphotos.htm. This site also offers a free e-book. They want your e-mail address but they’re reliable. I used it myself.
http://www.exit109.com/~gosta/pond.sht. Good document on building a pond.
http://watergarden.com/Pond-Photos/pondphotos_2007.php. Great photos of ponds.
http://ca.geocities.com/rsab2100/pond.html. One person’s pond-bulilding experience, complete with photos.
I researched for a year before I started my pond. I also purchased a Watergarden book from Lowe’s that was extremely helpful. My personal “I wish I’d known that!” tips?
1. Ponds need an ecosystem. Plan to have:
a. Fish. Fish eat algae.
b. Plants. Provide oxygen and shade for fish. Compete with algae. Submerged plants, floating plants.
c. Sun/shade. Plants need sun. Algae hates shade.
d. Aeration–a pump with a waterfall, fountain, bubbler, sprayer. Keep the water moving. Provides oxygen, fights algae.
e. Filtration. For a big pond, a biofilter is essential. It is simply a big tub filled with a filtering medium. I use foam blocks.
f. Bacteria/enzymes. Liquid, powder, tablet form. These “eat” pond wastes and keep water clear and balanced. Should be added when water is fresh.
g. Location. It is ESSENTIAL that rainwater runoff does not enter your pond. Runoff may contain pesticides, fertilizers, oil, and chemicals that will ruin your pond.
2. Cheap pond liner is not good. It punctures easily and becomes brittle. I bought the most expensive liner available. I also used a stock tank for my pond, which is indestructible.
3. Landscaping around your pond is essential and fun. Use rocks and boulders, ground cover, sweeping plants like monkey grass, and tall plants like iris.
4. What do you need most? Patience. I spent a week building my waterfall, only to have it collapse into the pond, mud and all, when it developed a leak. Water does not flow the way you want it to.
Good luck to your mom and her husband. I hope this hasn’t been too long, but building a pond is like building a home. If you use cheap materials and take shortcuts, you will constantly be making annoying expensive repairs.