As with every type of construction project, there are certain basics that need to be paid attention to; planning and building your own clean fish pond is no different.
Naturally, the first issue will be what sort of shape or size your yard will allow, but your design questions extend much more deeply than that. Designing ponds involves everything from the nearby fence to the trees and plants in the area, and even what might lurk underground, beneath the pond location. You’ll have to take all of these things into account.
People often don’t realize that designing a pond doesn’t just involve digging a hole and filling it with water. One element to factor into planning a pond is the trees and other vegetation that surround it.
If you place it directly under some overhanging trees, supposedly for shade, then you may create problems for yourself with leaves falling into the water and clogging it. No fish pond filtration system from a pond supply store will be enough to clean out this type of vegetation. And another thing to consider is tree roots.
If the pond is too close to trees, these will likely penetrate it and begin to create problems. The reasons are twofold; you don’t want the pond to get clogged up with fallen leaves, and just as importantly, you don’t want tree roots penetrating the pond itself. So you’ll need to know where they are so you can place your clean fish pond where they are less likely to interfere.
You’ll also need to learn where there might be pipes or power lines running underground in your yard. Don’t break any pipes as you dig up the ground where you want your pond to be.
Make sure you’ll have access to any power and drainage you might need, and be aware of all municipal regulations and inspection requirements. When you excavate, at this point you’ll also need to dig the areas where a filter, pond pump and other equipment will go.
Once you place your pond liner and decide how to edge the pond, you can choose your aquatic plants. Keep a good balance among those that float and those that root along the edges.
You’ll need to research aquatic plants and provide a balance between floaters and marginal plants, and perhaps introducing packaged bacteria in recommended amounts to get the ecosystem going. Introduce packaged bacteria, under the guidance of a pond stocking store, to help the ecosystem gradually establish itself, and then begin placing a few fish at a time over several weeks.
If you plan carefully from the beginning, then in no time you’ll have a fish pond that will be healthy and balanced, and will become your pride and joy.
Popularity: unranked [?]
