I would like to introduce you to a wonderful hobby that is fun and rewarding, the world of garden ponds. If you would like to build a pond then let me give you some tips that I learned over the years. Whether you are thinking about fish ponds or garden ponds, these few tips will help you get started.
My first tip would be to plan your pond carefully.
You want to locate your pond away from trees or large plants because when fall comes the leaves fall, and guess where they go, right in your pond. They cause decay and waste and make more work for you. It is good for your pond to be in about 60% sun but not more than that. Too much sun and you will promote algae growth, which can quickly over run a pond.
My next tip is to decide if you are going to have just a garden pond or fish pond?
This is important because now you must decide on a pond liner. There are basically two ways to go here one is a rubber liner or a molded liner, it will make a difference about the type of pond you are going to have. If you are planning to add fish then I would go with the rubber liner which is flexible, strong, and let you design your pond in any shape you choose. If you decide to add Koi, then you must have a pond of at least 3 feet deep at one end, but if you are just going to have a water garden pond then a molded liner would be fine.
My third tip is all about filtration and keeping your pond clean.
How embarrassing it can be to have a few friends over and you show them your pond, but they are unable to see your fish because the water is too dingy. We are going to prevent that from happening by using the proper pond filter and pump. To make this a fun and rewarding hobby you must install the right filtration system for your pond maintenance. You need to calculate how many gallons of water your pond will hold, so that you can size your filter and pump. I will give you my suggestion here from years of experience with 3 different ponds with trying many types of pond filtration systems. To maintain crystal clear water in my pond I use what is called a staged filter system with a submersible pump at the bottom of my pond. The reason I use a waterfall is to help oxidize the water, and besides it looks good.
My final tip is to add water plants so that your fish can have cover on those bright sunny days.
For instance, I have water lilies covering about have of my pond that produce beautiful flowers and still give shade to my fish. Be careful what types of plants that you add, especially if you have Koi in your pond because they love to munch on vegetation. I even use floating planters that keep my Koi from eating the plants. As you can see, backyard ponds can be a very wonderful sense of pride and enjoyment for your whole family.