Discuss – There are many different ways to learn how to build a fish garden pond. If you’re doing this yourself it’s no walk in the park.
Today’s successful water garden usually is designed as an ecosystem that uses a balance between fish, plants and bacteria keeping the water clear. The type of pond I’m talking about is self-contained (not fed by a spring or stream) and between 100-900 sq ft; a backyard water garden that is easy to maintain and adds value to your lifestyle and property. 20 years ago the typical do-it-yourself water garden was a muck-filled cesspool waiting to happen, while the successful koi pond required deep water and unattractive out of the pond filtering equipment. Thanks to a better understanding of the pond ecosystem and some equipment ideas borrowed from the pool equipment industry, anyone with the ability to dig, make things level, and move rocks and dirt around can create a beautiful living water garden if they use proven equipment and methods.
Discuss – Building a garden pond requires a bit of an initial investment. Good equipment should be used, because once a pond is installed it will last many, many years.
Now I will admit that there are other ways that can work; But none of the other pond construction methods have the successful track record I’ve seen with pond installs using this system.
The basic elements for this system are underlayment, liner, rocks and gravel, skimmer, fill valve, pump, plumbing, biological filtration, plants, fish, and bacteria.
Here’s a simplified explanation of how this works as an ecosystem. Fish eat insects and plants and then the fish waste spreads through the system . The skimmer draws water off the top layer of the pond helping with circulation and aeration while trapping floating debris in a net. The pump is situated under the net in the skimmer and pumps up to a bio-filter. The bio-filter is often designed to be incorporated into a waterfall. The water enters the bio filter and rises up through filter media that is colonized by bacteria. The bacteria converts the waste into forms less harmful to the fish and less conducive to excessive algae growth. The waterfall or stream add more aeration that the bacteria and fish need. The plants uptake more of the nitrogen and some oxygenate the water. The rocks and gravel provide more area for bacteria and protect the liner from UV rays.
Sheesh! Every time I set out to give a simple explanation of a pond ecosystem it still takes 10 sentences. Suffice it to say that all the parts work together to make your pondkeeping easy!
Discuss – Though safety norms for your Garden Pond may not be your top priority while starting to build your Pond but it should never be overlooked. So you must plan ahead and provide for the safety well ahead and you’ll ensure that your Garden Pond is accessible to everyone in your family and a and a joy for all.
I use the word easy as a relative term. Compared to the work and rebuilding you may experience with other methods this is the easiest way I know. But there is still a good deal of work in pond construction. Obviously you need to dig and shape a hole in the ground and move some heavy items around. A well trained crew with everything needed on-site can install a pond in a day. It may take a few weekends for a homeowner to do the job himself, depending on their ability, time, and conditions.
Some key points:
Discuss – If you’re building a garden pond that doesn’t have a pump, you should aim for plenty of plant life to keep algae growth under control.
Size: It’s best to have it at least 6 ft across. Bigger is better. 16 x 11 is a good medium size. Generally people regret not making the pond larger when they are done with their first one.
Location: There is a tendency to put ponds in a place where water already collects in the yard. This isn’t always the best idea. Groundwater running into the pond can create problems. If possible bring it right up near the patio where you can enjoy the fish and flowing water everyday.
Electric and plumbing: Don’t overlook the need for a GFI outlet near the pump and a water source to keep the pond topped off. Most kits for some reason don’t include a fill valve, but it really is important since on a windy day a pond can easily lose an inch of water. Left unattended this can lead to the pump running dry in the skimmer for a long period causing possible damage. The ponds level of course won’t drop below the skimmer opening.
Discuss – Now that I have convinced you to get some fish for your garden pond, let us go over a few types of popular outdoor pond fish
Filed under Koi Pond Building, Koi Pond Do It Yourself by on May 5th, 2008. Comment. 
Discuss – Building your Garden Pond needs careful planning and perfect execution. A well built Garden Pond can change your Garden in many ways.
The ideal garden pond is one that has a natural and harmonious balance. This can rarely be achieved where the reflective quality of the water is its paramount attraction, or where major moving water features play. However, in the traditional well-planted garden pond with its modest complement of fish, it is a realistic and long-lasting proposition. It is essential that every component involved achieves harmony from the beginning.
When looking at the principles of natural balance it is clear that there are two important aspects that require immediate consideration – the provision of abundant underwater growth and surface shade. Submerged plants perform an invaluable and often diverse role. Their main task is to mop up nutrients in the water and to release oxygen during the day to sustain fish and other aquatic life. They are also to some extent a food source for fish and often serve as a nursery for fish fry. So they clearly have a major impact upon a pond’s ecosystem. By removing excess nutrients from the water, submerged aquatics deprive green water-discoloring algae of the opportunity of becoming established.
Discuss – If you’re building a garden pond that doesn’t have a pump, you should aim for plenty of plant life to keep algae growth under control.
Green water can also be controlled by the amount of light that is permitted to fall into the pond. Algae, like most other aquatic plants, must have full uninterrupted sunlight in order to prosper. However, planting trees and shrubs to shade the pond is ill-advised as this will prevent the desirable plants like waterlilies and marginal aquatics from growing properly and will have an adverse effect upon their floral display.
The solution is to provide shade on the surface of the water by means of floating plants and waterlily pads. These should not cover the entire pond, for cutting out the light completely beneath the water will cause the submerged plants to perish. No more than one third of the surface area of open water should be covered with foliage if green suspended algae is to be controlled successfully and the submerged aquatics permitted to continue in healthy growth.
Discuss – First thing is deciding the placement of the garden pond. This is entirely your opinion; some things to consider might be the layout of the land and shade surrounding the pond.
Ornamental fish also make an important contribution to the balance of a pond. They are invaluable for keeping pests under control, not only those that attack the plants, but also mosquito larvae, which if left unchecked pose potential discomfort for the gardener. The waste matter that fish produce is also of benefit to the plants. Snails can also make a contribution, for if suitable species are selected, they will graze upon filamentous algae, which is largely unaffected by the competition created by the submerged aquatics.
When establishing a pond there is a formula that can be used to provide a general guide for planting. In assessing the area to be shaded by foliage and occupied by submerged plants, calculate the surface area of the pond excluding the marginal shelves. This is the area that should be covered for approximately one third with floating foliage.
When calculating the number of submerged aquatics required, allow one bunch of cuttings for every square foot of surface area. That is not to say that the plants must be distributed over the pond floor evenly in such a ratio, it is the specific number required for the given surface area. With fish a maximum stocking of 6ins of length (including tail) to every square foot of surface area, although initially 2ins to the same surface area is sensible. Water snails of suitable species can be introduced freely.
Discuss – The Fist step towards your dream Garden pond is to design and plan for your Pond. You have to consider various factors seriously and take a firm and final decision before you start your work and changing your decisions after starting the construction will cost you money and time.
Philip Swindells has over 40 years gardening experience. A former botanical garden curator and an international horticultural consultant, he has worked extensively in the UK, North America, the Middle East and Australia. The Author of more than 50 gardening books, he has been awarded a Quill and Trowel Award by the Garden Writers’ Association of America. He is also a former UK Garden Writer of the Year. He is currently editor of http://www.internationalwatergardener.com.
Filed under Koi Garden Pond, Koi Pond Building by on Apr 11th, 2008. 1 Comment.
Discuss – it should be away from any trees that drop their leaves, especially Willow, Elder, Poplars, Laburnum, Yew and Oak try to be sure that the garden pond is not exposed to the North winds avoid water-logged areas consider the closest water source also should consider the source of electricity if you plan on having fountains or waterfalls. I urge you to do this.
The construction of a garden pond demands considerable care and attention, but is well within the capabilities of most practical gardeners. There are a number of different methods of construction, each having virtues from both a practical and aesthetic point of view. The most important factors are ensuring that the structure is secure and water-tight, and that the accommodation afforded is suitable for the plants and fishes that it is intended to introduce. Careful planning is an essential ingredient for success.
Pond liners are the most popular option and available in a variety of materials. They enable the water gardener to create almost any fanciful shape or design of pond and to easily add a very functional bog garden. They are, however, the most vulnerable to damage, although if carefully constructed and maintained the risk is minimal. Make sure that the material selected is the most appropriate for the pond and the construction method being proposed.
Pre-formed ponds place some constraints upon the imaginative garden designer as they are a rigid shape. Not usually a constraint for the formal water gardener who requires a particular pre-determined formal shape and size, but limiting when an informal pond is envisaged, although in recent years the designs of pre-formed pond shapes have greatly improved. The introduction of modern materials has also led to improvements, some of the restrictions of earlier technology now having been removed.
Concrete ponds do not have quite the same following as previously, but are still constructed for some larger projects, especially as fish ponds, and by serious fish hobbyists who are involved in specialized fish breeding and showing. Although the construction of a concrete pond is never going to be easy, some of the previous problems that have placed limitations upon concrete construction for the home gardener have been overcome with the introduction of various additives. This has been especially important in the areas of temperature as it affects the laying of concrete and its subsequent hardness and resilience. Internal waterproofing techniques, as well as external sealants have also been greatly improved.
Discuss – Most garden ponds do not simply consist of a hole filled with water and fish. You can create a basic garden pond in a day. Adding a garden pond to your yard is the first step to creating your own getaway. Although you should build a garden pond for yourself, it is nice to know that your guests are sure to love it, too.
The greatest revolution, however, has been seen with the introduction of bentonite, especially the bentonite blanket. This has enabled the traditional method of clay puddling to be revived in a different form. The bentonite blanket comprises a specialized clay layer between geo-textile fabric that enables the gardener to line an excavation with natural clay, but without the attendant problems associated with old-fashioned clay puddling. Leaks are virtually unknown as the blanket is self-sealing.
Philip Swindells has over 40 years gardening experience. A former botanical garden curator and an international horticultural consultant, he has worked extensively in the UK, North America, the Middle East and Australia. The Author of more than 50 gardening books, he has been awarded a Quill and Trowel Award by the Garden Writers’ Association of America. He is also a former UK Garden Writer of the Year. He is currently editor of http://www.internationalwatergardener.com.
Filed under Koi Pond Building by on Apr 8th, 2008. Comment.