Pond Basics
Location:
- Where in the landscape do you want your pond? Tucked away or as a focal point?
- Do you have Full Sun, Partial Sun or Shade? At least 6 hours of sunlight is needed for a Water Lily.
- Is there runoff where you wish to place your pond?
- Is it possible to dig down at least 18"-24"? Fish need it to be at least this deep for optimum health.
- Do you have access to electricity at your proposed site?
Basics Needed to Set Up Your Pond:
- Pond Liner: either rigid or flexible. When purchasing a flexible liner, measure down the sides, across the bottom and up the other side, and add on foot the each side for overlap.
- Pumps need to be running for a filter and possibly a waterfall, fountain or spitter. Pumps for a waterfall need 100-150 gallons per hour per inch of waterfall width. (For example: a 10" wide waterfall – 100 x 10" = 1,000 gallons per hour coverage.)
- Filters are available in mechanical (traps particles in material for removal during cleaning) and Biological (uses beneficial bacteria to feed on impurities and nutrients in the pond water). A mechanical filter should have half the volume of the pond pumped through it in an hour. Also, filters can be underwater or above ground.
Pond Flora and Fauna:
- Plants come in four types: Underwater, Floating, Surface and Marginal. Underwater plants are primarily oxygenating plants.
- Oxygenating plants need to be stocked one bunch per two square feet of surface coverage.
- Floating plants and surface plants help to achieve the 40-60% of needed surface coverage.
- Marginal plants come in a wide variety and help to create an atmosphere, as well as taking nutrients out of the pond.
- Many people stock their ponds with fish, tadpoles, and snails. All will bring many hours of enjoyment to the pond.
- Note: tadpoles and snails are not needed for healthy pond, but are always welcome!
