Adding a water feature to your garden, such as a pond, is an investment not only in the value of your property but also in the well-being of your family. It’s the perfect motivation to spend more time outside and re-establish contact with nature. The sound of running water will make your garden a relaxing oasis.
A garden pond is simpler to construct than you would imagine. With some forethought and preparation, you can build a pond that serves as a gorgeous centrepiece and a haven for wildlife.
Plan Your Pond Size and Design
To begin, choose where you want to locate your pond in your garden; Wildlife and plants need sunlight, but if you have limited space, you can build your pond in a shady spot.
As for size, keep in mind that larger ponds with a higher water volume are easier to maintain; Under the sun, the water in small, shallow ponds tends to warm up fast, creating ideal circumstances for algae and bacteria growth. As a result, the water can become green or muddy.
However, you can prevent this if you build your pond to be the right depth. How deep does an outdoor pond have to be? Garden ponds should be at least 60 centimetres deep to ensure enough water volume to avoid this problem. If there’s a possibility that the pond will freeze during the winter, try 90 centimetres.
Once you decide on the size, draw out the area you wish to make into your pond with chalk or rope (or even a hosepipe if you’re low on DIY supplies and want an informal design). Here, you’re free to let your imagination run wild and choose any shape as these garden elements don’t have to be round. You can check out the designs on PondHaven.com for inspiration.
Get Your Supplies
To be able to accomplish your project, there are a few pond supplies you will need to get. The best place to buy your pond supplies is at specialised stores where skilled professionals can recommend the best options for your needs.
Pond Liner
A pond liner’s function is to keep pond water from leaking onto the surrounding ground. A butyl liner does this job best. It’s a rubber pond liner and slightly more forgiving when confronted with sharp rocks and surfaces. It also has significantly higher waterproof capabilities than most fish pond liners made of other materials.
Underlay
Besides serving as a tight water barrier, an underlayer will provide a second layer of protection to prevent fish pond liners from breaking on pointy and rough surfaces. A great solution is a high-density polyethene (HDPE) liner. It only weighs one-third of regular underlays and is only half as thick as EPDM or PVC liners, but it is more resistant to punctures.
Pump
Do ponds need pumps? Every pond needs a pump that can provide a high enough flow rate to supply it with filtered water. Determine the needed flow rate before you buy a pump. Its maximum flow rate should be at least 50% of the pond’s volume. This is because water movement in the pond should occur at least every two hours to maintain ideal water conditions.
Filter
Consider getting a pressurised filter. It is flexible about positioning and doesn’t compromise water filtration qualities either
Start Digging
Once you’ve got your garden pond equipment, it’ll be time to start digging. Using a square-edged shovel, dig a trench around the pond area. You can dig diagonally to give the pond a shorelike appearance if that’s your wish. To prevent damage to the pond cover, ensure there’s no sharp debris and that the base is perfectly flat.
Install Pond Underlay
Spread the underlay and secure it with pebbles, tent pegs, or another appropriate garden item. It will prevent it from shifting. Make sure to cover every spot where the pond liner can be at risk.
Install Pond Liner
Evenly lay the liner over the excavation hole and fold over any wrinkles to avoid producing areas of weakness that may cause the liner to collapse in the future. Remove your shoes if you need to enter the hold to insert the liner correctly to lessen the chance of damaging it. When positioning the liner correctly and erasing creases, you can add a small quantity of water to weigh it down. Make sure to leave at least a 50 cm overlap around the sides
Fill the Pond With Water
You can begin filling the pond once you’ve laid out the pond liner properly, any creases are smooth, and there is ample overhang (50cm+). It’s important that you do this slowly because the liner can shift slightly as the weight of the water forces it down into any space. During the filling, keep an eye on the folds and pull and tuck the liner where you notice any extra tension to create a neat finish.
Add the Finishing Touches
Next, you can adorn the pond’s edge with pebbles and cobbles to hide any ugly pond liners that will keep the liner in place. Use golden gravel to offer a warm, inviting touch or graphite grey slate rockery stones to make a fashionable and uniform border.
If you’re unsure of how much gravel to buy, then use this handy gravel calculator to make sure you’re ordering the correct amount of gravel.
Install the Pond Equipment
After adding the finishing touches, install the necessary equipment to maintain water quality and make the pond habitable.
Pressurised water filters can fit practically anywhere. You can firmly anchor them to the ground or place them further from the pond, such as under a tree or inside a shed. This is helpful when you need a waterfall but don’t want the filter to be visible or alter the aesthetic of your pond.
There is sometimes a third output for flushing garbage in pressurised pond filters. The contaminated water can be flushed, sprayed a short distance into the yard, or connected to a hose to be transported to a drain or a flowerbed.
The most widely used type of pump is the submersible pump. Such a pump should be installed at the pond’s bottom and be easily serviceable. The pump may be easily moved out of the pond by fastening a line or rope to it. Never raise a pump by its electrical cable to prevent fatal electric shocks. As much pond water as is practical should be added to achieve optimal circulation.
To prevent blockages by mud and debris, it might be essential to move the pump off the pond floor if there is a lot of sludge present. This can be done by setting the pump on top of a stone slab that is placed on the bottom of the pond.