As a more temperate climate comes, so does our desire to be outside and put some spark into our gardens. We simply love spending a day in the backyard, trimming dead leaves, or potting new flowers. On this account, many have considered adding a little water element such as building a garden pond.
Regardless of its size – whether it’s still with dense plantings or a water pump loaded with exotic marine life, without a doubt a garden pond provides a sense of relaxation and comfort and it’s the ideal spot to sit back after a stressful day at work.
You can cultivate various plants on the pond’s shore and even fill the pond with marine animals. Aside from aesthetics, this mini-aquatic boosts the value of a property and draws the attention of a possible client above any other home improvement.
You can effortlessly build a pond that is stable and durable without encountering any problems with the help of proper devices and materials. In this article, we will provide you with step-by-step procedures on how to build a garden pond. Keep on reading!
Step-By-Step Guide To Building A Garden Pond
1. Selecting Your Backyard Pond Type
It’s critical to have a plan beforehand and give thoughts regarding the type of inlay you like to adopt. There are numerous garden ponds that homeowners opt for when they choose to enhance their backyard. Each kind carries its own perks and concerns; hence, it’s necessary to consider what type of pond is most suitable for you before kicking off with the construction.
There are many different kinds of garden ponds that you can construct based on your budgets, effort, and time you can commit:
Wildlife Ponds
Mini bodies of water in a garden can be an excellent addition to any property. Yet, when you want an ecosystem that is both efficient and easy on the eye, wildlife ponds may simply be the best option for you!
Wildlife ponds are artificial aquatic ecosystems that allure numerous kinds of animals such as frogs, birds, and other mammals, with no pumps or any filters. It will be especially helpful when you achieve this since you won’t need to spend much time checking and maintaining it.
Having a wildlife pond in your yard is a superb method to appreciate nature and support the local ecosystem. They present habitations for these animals and allow them to grow in the bordering environment. Further, they deliver natural water filtration systems that can help neighbouring gardens and aqueducts, or other vegetation around your house.
Koi Ponds
From the name itself, Koi typically dwell in this type of backyard pond. Koi is Japan’s national fish and a domesticated variant of the typical carp. These small ponds are specified differently from other fish ponds as they have distinct requirements and have been verified widespread enough to earn their own classification. Aesthetically pleasing and lively are the phrases that often enter one’s mind as he/she looks at those fish.
The first thing that you will have to observe is that Koi are rather pricey and will need to be specifically looked after for them to live. You should have a well-kept pond to keep these fish thriving. Be careful where you build the DIY pond since you don’t wish to overly expose the Koi to the cold. Being aware of the many Koi pond upkeep techniques is important for a beneficial and functional pond.
Plant Ponds
Some homeowners actually like water plants and fancy having visually-imposing plant life instead of fish. In such circumstances, it can be practical to build a pond that is completely reserved for growing plant life such as hardy plants or water lilies. These kinds of small ponds are more standard than you might believe and are much easier to oversee than ponds that have marine life. You won’t need to be seriously concerned about being thorough with the filtration as the plants can flourish in this environment, provided that you choose suitable ones for the environment in which you live.
Waterfall Ponds
Waterfall ponds are a lovely way to revamp and improve your outdoor area. A huge amount of time will be spent in construction – pond liner spread, shelves must be made, and pump or filter equipped. Much of the excess soil from the installation can be utilized to construct the waterfall. Decorative stones and decorative rocks are used to border the edges of the pond and to form a lovely path for the waterfall. An excellent combination of fish and plants can be placed to have a rather low-upkeep garden pond and save money. A pump is added to supply water from the filter box to the peak of the waterfall.
2. Think About The Shape of Your Backyard Pond
Is there any particular style or shape of the backyard pond that you’ve always dreamt of? Do you prefer round or rectangular ponds? Or, perhaps innovative, naturally-formed ponds? It is a query of preference. After all, for the majority of ponds, the shape is not vital, excluding a Koi pond.
Style of Garden Ponds and Pond’s Size
- Formal ponds
- Round ponds
- Square ponds
- Small ponds
- Large ponds
- Preformed pond
The pond shape usually hinges on the functional space in the backyard and on the location where it is placed. In a huge yard, a small pond will appear erroneous and a large pond is an appropriate option. Usually, in a small backyard, a small pond is constructed so that there is still some space to safeguard the water feature.
When deciding on the shape of your pond, you must consider the water flow. A particular current has to be feasible. If not, dirt, falling leaves, and other debris may pile up in the ‘stagnant’ zones, which will eventually affect the water quality of the whole pond.
3. Determine Where You Are Going to Build The Pond
First, proceed by deciding where you will construct the backyard pond. It must be set up in a location with sufficient natural light.
The garden pond must be built with adequate sewage since you wouldn’t like rainwater or contaminated water to flow into the pond and make it polluted. Additionally, you may wish to build it in an open area, making it especially striking so you can look over it from your windows, balcony or deck.
To cherry-pick the ideal spot, get to an upper floor or inspect the garden’s perimeter. Make an attempt to separate the pond from the kids’ playground or pet’s play park. Also, never build ponds near huge trees because they can obstruct the direct sunlight.
4. Plan The Pond Depth & Start Digging
Outline your aquatic ecosystem on the ground with a rope or garden hose and then start digging! But, you have to ensure that the spot where you will build your DIY pond has the right ground level.
- If the suggested garden will have tiny ornamental fish, between 0.6m – 1m depth is a must.
- If Koi Carp or fish of the same size are to be added, then a measure of 1m -1.5m depth is needed for your pond.
- If it is solely for property beautification (like no fish), you must note at least 0.6 meters of water depth.
During the cold season, the deeper water will stay one or two degrees warmer than the surface, giving a cozier room for the fish to torpor.
Digging from the centre is the most profitable method as you won’t need to fret about slipping into it. Remember to get rid of some feet of dirt and smoothen the pond hole for them to have an identical depth. While you take out the dirt or sand, you’ll see rocks, roots, and other debris. Chop them with a shovel and discard them from the hole.
Build the pond as big as your area allows. By the moment the construction has ended and you include the perimeter of the pond’s water surface, it may appear smaller than you envisioned.
5. Pond Installation & Placing Pond Liner
Get rid of any sharp stones from the ground, then line the hole with protective underlays. This is vital as it safeguards your pond liner from getting cut. Then, put any thick, waterproof and flexible liners on the bottom of the excavation.
High-grade pond liner, such as ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM liner) is relatively costly. PVC liner is more affordable than EPDM liner.
For materials like flat rocks, retaining walls, concrete slabs, and water, spending money for a liner can sound like a huge expense. A pond liner is particularly useful in maintaining water for an extended period. It is justifiable to spend extra money on a prominence, curb appeal pursuit like this small pond.
Spread the pond liner atop of the hole and, without any footwear, climb in and press the liner into every corner. If possible, do not fold the sheet. Additionally, the liner has to be slightly larger than the trench. A 15cm lapping at the corner is advisable. Thus, it must cover the entire excavation and contain some drape over the edges as well.
6. Add Stones
After the liner is correctly laid, you may begin putting rocks in your pond. Begin from the bed of the trench. First, lay the huge rocks against the vertical flanks of your shelves and smaller stones in the gaps and horizontal covers of the pond. Make sure to cover the exposed membranes for a natural impression.
Do I Need To Line The Pond Liner With Stones?
Not only does wrapping your liner in stone enhance its look, but it also equips holes for fish to hide and a huge space for good microbes to thrive. This, alongside aquatic creatures and water plants, will help maintain the pond clean and clear effortlessly.
7. Choosing A Pond Pump & Filter
8. Edging Your Garden Pond
Add plants by making shelves to put pots – these can be used cement blocks or wall fragments. Remember to be uniform with your selection of plants within your aquatic ecosystem. If you reside in a damp woodland area, you will not be planting cacti. Contrarily, do not use fern if you’re living somewhere with dry weather.
9. Adding of Decoration
Now, perhaps the most exciting part of this project, adding your favourite decorations! Remember to leave the pond for a week (especially if you add chlorine) before adding any plants or fish to let the chlorine wane.
Aquatic Plants
Plants not only appear pleasant, but they also promote a beneficial natural habitat in your pond. It traps extra dirt in the water, reducing some of the mess on your filters. Plants also absorb sufficient sunlight that algae consume, so plants help lessen algae growth. Some in-demand aquatic plants are lotus, water poppy, water hyacinth, and water lilies.
Adding Fish
Fish are a vital component of the water ecosystem. They will certainly control the number of algae existing in the pond, and they are wonderful pets. What’s more, some fish variants devour mosquitoes and their eggs, not to mention other pests. The type of marine creatures you add will depend on how big your pond is. If you prefer having Koi, experts mostly recommend a pond with a total gallon of 1,200. You can have overhang plants to provide shade for your fish.
Enjoy The End Results
