Getting Started
by Dave Breiter, Petstore Staff Member

Though it’s never been explained it is widely accepted that people are drawn to water. Whether it’s to the ocean, a lake, river, or stream we just can’t seem to resist the allure of water. It is associated with peace and tranquility; a peace and tranquility that is not enjoyed often enough in today’s busy world. Maybe that helps to explain the rapidly growing interest in ponds. Everyday more and more people are adding some form of pond to their home, garden, or even their offices. These beautiful displays of water can be surprisingly easy to install and affordable. That is with proper planning. Without the appropriate planning it’s likely all you are going to add to your life is more stress and frustration rather than enjoying the peace and tranquility of your pond. This section has been designed to help the person who is interested in building a pond get the right start.

What type of pond do I want?

So you’ve decided you want a pond. Congratulations! Now you must face a multitude of decisions starting with what type of pond do you want to build. Ponds are broken up into four main categories. These categories include decorative water features, water gardens, fish ponds, and combination ponds. Below you will find a detailed description of each type and additional information to assist you in your decision making process.

Decorative Water Features

These are displays that utilize either moving or still water but contain no plant or animal life. They are a great choice for the person who is looking to add the peace and tranquility of a pond to their life but don’t want the added maintenance that comes with most ponds. In general these are pre-fabricated units that just need to be plugged in and have water added to them.

Water Gardens

Water gardens are ponds that are designed specifically to grow and display plants. These ponds can be extremely beautiful but do require more work in design, installation, and upkeep than a water feature would. Most water gardens require a filtrations system and a reasonable amount of space. If you are considering this type of pond please keep in mind the growth rate of the plants you wish to display. Many aquatic plants will double or even triple in size during their growing season. Even though this makes for additional upkeep with pruning and fertilizing most people that have this type of pond will tell you that the added beauty is worth every minute of time they put in. This pond is even a good fit for people who don’t have a “green thumb”. Most aquatic plants are very easy to grow as long as some basic needs are met.

Fish Ponds

Fish ponds are exactly what they sound like. These are ponds that are designed to accommodate fish. The most common type being a Koi pond but it’s not limited to just Koi. Fish ponds can be created to house many different types of fish including native species to your area, ornamental fish or even saltwater fish. It’s all up to your imagination. Like water gardens a fish pond will require specialized filtration, a significant amount of space, and your time and effort in ongoing maintenance. Fortunately, with most well designed fish ponds you will be able to settle into a comfortable schedule of feeding and routine maintenance which allows you to enjoy your pond. Though a fish pond is larger and more exposed than an aquarium they tend to be more stable and easier to be successful with.

Combination Ponds

These are ponds that include any combination of the other three (water features, water gardens, and fish ponds). Combination ponds are extremely fun, dynamic, and beautiful displays. With all that dynamic beauty comes the largest requirements of space, equipment, and time. Even though they have the most requirements you are rewarded with the greatest returns in terms of pleasure from the pond and flexibility in what you can do with your masterpiece.   

Which is for me?

Only you can decide which pond is right for you. When in doubt, do more research before making your decision.

Pre-formed pond vs. liner

There are three main ways to line your pond: concrete, flexible liner, or preformed. Only the later two of those are realistic for the do it yourself pond. Concrete lined ponds should be left to the professionals. Below you will find a description of the two most popular methods for lining your pond as well as information in helping you determine which one is right for you.

Preformed Pond

Preformed pond liners are a hard plastic shell that has a predetermined shape and size. Kind of like a plastic bucket in the size and shape of a pond. Since their size and shape are predetermined they are very easy to install. Just dig a hole to match the appropriate depth and shape and then install. They are available in a variety of sizes and shapes and they tend to be very sturdy and durable. Unfortunately, they do limit your creativity to the shapes that are offered. Also, the smooth walls make it difficult to stack rocks in a way that creates a natural presentation.

Flexible Liner

These would be the most common and versatile liner on the market today. They are made from highly flexible rubber or plastic and come in large sheets. Almost like an industrial version of a painter’s drop cloth. With a flexible liner you can create whatever shape and size pond you want. They are relatively easy to install. Unlike the preformed pond, with a flexible liner you dig a hole to the size and shape you desire, line the hole with the flexible liner, and then cover with rocks and gravel. Flexible liners do require more planning and a little more labor to install but they do provide you with the most creative control and they produce the most natural looking finished product.

Which is right for me?

Once again, this decision can only be made by you. Both methods are tried and true and provide great results. Some important considerations in making this decision should included cost, time you want to spend in planning designing and installing, the finished look you desire, and which best suites your needs.

Should I Purchase a Pre-packaged Kit?

In an effort to make things as consumer friendly as possible many manufactures of pond products are now offering pre-packaged pond kits, basically ponds in a box. Some consumers are skeptical about these kits, others embrace them, and the rest of us question if they are right for us or not. Well let me help you with this. For the most part these kits are very complete, containing everything you need to set up a pond short of the rock and water. Most of them contain the same components that the manufacturer sells individually. They tend to be very cost effective, usually saving the consumer five to twenty percent compared to purchasing the items individually. I will warn you, though, to be cautious when buying a kit. I have described kits in a general sense to you. That does not mean that all kits are this reliable. Do your research. Only buy a kit from a manufacturer whose products you know and trust. Look at the kit and its components carefully to be sure it is as complete as you think it is. Don’t use price as your primary determining factor. You will get what you pay for and usually if a kit price sounds to go to be true then it is. Overall, I highly recommend kits for simple ponds and as a starting base for more complex ponds.

What type of filtration should I use?

There are two main categories that pond filtration systems fall under; submerged and external. Both have pros and cons and can be successfully used on different types of ponds. Below we will describe these two main system designs and when each is appropriate to use.

Submerged Filters

These filtration systems get their name from where they are placed in your pond, under the water. These types of filters are designed to operate submerged within your pond. They typically are attached to a submersible pump which directs water through the filter. A submerged filter systems can be a very effective way of filtering your pond. There are really only two main downfalls to submerged systems, limited load and access for cleaning and maintenance. Due to the limited surface area of these filters they have a minimal carrying capacity for biological load. Also, since there are submerged within your pond they are difficult to access for servicing and messy when doing so. As with all filters they do have an appropriate use in which they excel. They are recommended for use as pre-filters in water features to extend the life of your pump, for use in most water gardens where there is not a heavy biological load from fish and flow rates are not as crucial, and in some smaller fish ponds such as container ponds. It is recommended that you consider external filtration systems for any reasonable sized pond or ponds which carry heavier biological loads.

External Filters

Just like submerged filters, external filtration systems are so named because of where they are located, externally from the pond. These systems are found outside of the pond either in direct contact or piped from a distance. These systems can be as simple as a pump and canister filter to as extensive as pond systems can get. This gives them a lot of flexibility in when and how they can be utilized. With this flexibility comes the biggest set back in an external filtration system, their cost. It is true that external filtration systems cost more than their submersible counterparts but that added cost is returned three fold in ease of use, flexibility of the system, ease of adding components, ability to handle a much larger biological load, and the list goes on. If you are planning a pond that does not fit within the specific guidelines mentioned in the submerged filters section than I highly recommend researching external filters. A properly filtered pond will be so much more enjoyable with far less frustration.

Additional important factors to consider when planning a pond

A pond has the potential to add immeasurable beauty, peace and tranquility to your yard and home if it is carefully thought out and planned. Otherwise, simple oversights can cause significant grief and frustration down the road. We are here to help insure that does not happen. Below you will find some additional considerations you should make when planning your pond.

Local Regulations

Depending upon the size of the pond you are designing and your local regulations you might be required to obtain permits and/or adhere to certain building regulations. Keep in mind that most ponds present a major change in landscaping which you are responsible for.

Safety

In many ways a pond is not much different than a swimming pool. It’s a large body of water which poses many of the same safety issues. Some local regulations may require you to fence your pond to protect kids and animals. That in mind you may want to keep safety in mind when designing the pond and include a shallow bank to make it easy to exit the pond in the event of an accidental fall in. In addition it’s a good idea to examine your home-owners liability insurance to see if the pond affects it and to ensure that you are covered.