Building A Pond

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If you could have the perfect paradise in your backyard, what would it look like? That may sound like a funny question, but for most pond owners, that’s exactly what having a water garden is like. They’ve created the ideal haven they can visit anytime they want and linger in as long as they desire. In addition to the beauty that comes from any well designed landscape, water brings a magical dimension of reflections, sparkle and musical sounds. It also provides the opportunity to attract wildlife, and grow plants that are only happy in a watery environment. There are so many ways of working with water that the problem isn’t finding design that will work for you, but rather having to make a final choice among several types that you want. There’s something to suit every situation.

Close your eyes and picture the perfect pond. Is it a focal point in the garden or a destination spot? Are family and friends gathered ‘round? Do brightly colored Koi call it home, or is it covered in eye catching water lotus? Relax alongside a water garden and experience a tranquility that transcends today’s stressful world. Recuperate from your hectic day with free moments, listening to the soothing sound of a waterfall. Join the many satisfied homeowners who readily profess adding a water feature to their landscape was the best investment they’ve ever made. Think about the relaxation; leave the stress of the world behind, surround yourself with a natural oasis, your own slice of heaven on earth. Right there in your own backyard

Why do you want a pond? Never really thought about it?

Answering the question as to why you want a pond will help you decide what type of pond/water garden you install. Do you want to have fish? A beautiful backyard showcase? The relaxing sound of a waterfall? Are you a gardener and want to expand your knowledge and love of plants? Maybe you’re not sure what appeals to you about a pond. But you know that sitting next to one makes you feel good.

3 key questions you should ask yourself

Whether you intend to build it yourself or hire a professional, it’s important to do your planning beforehand. What follows are some of the questions to ask yourself when considering a pond:

  • What about water gardening appeals to you? Whether it’s the plants, fish, frogs, turtles, birds, or the overall look, make that the focus and emphasis for your pond.
  • What kinds of places and settings do you like the most? It could be a stream in the mountains, a spring in the woods, or a waterfall. Whatever it may be, plan to recreate aspects of it on a smaller scale for your yard.
  • When you’re at home, do you spend more time inside or outside? Keep this in mind when positioning the pond: If your inside, it should be near a large window for viewing; if you’re outside a lot of the time, it could surround a patio or deck.

Adding a water garden is an easy 20 step process.

Mark out pond area. Place Skimmer and BIOFALLS© filter. Lay plumbing.
Hook up BIOFALLS© filter. Excavate pond. Install liner and underlayment.
Hook-up skimmer. Rock in pond. Position underwater lights.
Wash stones. Fill pond - LUNCH! Build waterfall and stream.
Bring in top soil. Build retaining wall. Tweak waterfall.
Trim Liner. Mulch berm. Clean up.
Receive Water Gardening - Getting Started Magazine and bacteria Enjoy!  

Think a pond will be too much work and maintenance?

Naturally balanced ponds are the key to success. Aquascape Designs has developed a working ecosystem making your pond virtually work free.

The Aquascape Ecosystem.

Underlayment
A non-woven, needle punched underlayment forms a soft padding for the liner.
Unlike newspapers, it’s quick to install.
Unlike sand, it completely covers the vertical areas of the pond shelves.
Unlike carpet padding, it allows gases to escape out the sides while looking more professional.
Liner
Strong 45-mil EPDM liner is the best choice for most pond installations
Unlike concrete, it is easy and inexpensive to install and won’t crack
When covered with stone, it has a 40-year life expectancy
If a leak were to occur, a simple inner-tube patch kit can make it as good as new
BIOFALLS Filter
Creates a perfect base for building beautiful, leak-free waterfalls.
Requires only once a year cleaning when used in combination with a skimmer pre-filter.
A non-clogging swirl chamber allows even distribution of water, aiding filtration and increasing waterfall width.
Can be sunk into the ground for a stream effect or raised to create a greater water drop.
Filter support rack holds filter mats and doubles as side supports.
Simple, uncluttered design. No moving parts to break.
Easy to camouflage, removable upper rack on Signature Series BIOFALLS Filter makes filter easy to disguise into the landscaping using rocks, plants and gravel.
High surface area filter mats included with the Signature Series BIOFALLS filter have 50% more surface area than traditional mats.
Skimmer Pre-filter
Eliminates routine maintenance by removing debris before it sinks to the bottom of the pond which allows pond construction in any location, even directly beneath trees.
Requires only two to three minutes every other week to clean while standing outside the pond.
Hides the pump and plumbing from view alongside your pond instead of in your pond.
Won’t drain your pond down if a leak develops in the plumbing or waterfalls.
The pump is easily removed by loosening one hand tightened fitting on the discharge piping above the water line.
Keeps the pump free from clogging by trapping waste in a catch area before it reaches the pump.
High-density polyethylene construction assures strength with extreme durability.
Patent Pending- adjustable faceplate on Signature Series has four inches of travel, enabling you to tweak out the perfect water level.
Plant Pockets
Best way to get rid of unsightly plant containers
Each pocket is about 6” deep.
They promote health in plant development by allowing the root to spread through surrounding gravel.
Rocks And Gravel
Contrary to popular opinion, adding rocks and gravel reduce pond maintenance.
Gravel, unlike a smooth pond liner, provides surface area for bacteria to colonize.
Covering the pond liner with gravel protects the liner from harmful UV rays and damage from animals and other sharp objects.
The rocks and gravel also help hold down the liner high ground water conditions and creates areas for fish to hide when predators come around.
Finally, a stone bottom looks far more natural and is safer to walk on than an exposed slippery rubber liner.
Plants
Marginal plants can be planted directly in the gravel. Their roots will spread through-out the gravel, cleaning the pond by using nutrients and growing vigorously.
Fish
Fish, like Koi and goldfish, can be successfully kept, and even bred, in water that is only two feet deep as far north as zone 4 (MN).
Bacteria
AquaClearer bacteria naturally balance the pond.
EcoBlast & SAB provide the 1 – 2 punch for naturally controlling string algae.

How To Get The Most Water Volume Out Of Your Pond Kit

To calculate the optimal water volume on your pond is as simple as 1,2,3. Before your begin, you’ll need to subtract one foot from both your liner width and length to allow your to finish your edges. This will give you six inches of liner to work with all the way around your pond edge.

  1. Subtract 1 foot from the length and width, add 6 inches to the depth
  2. Calculate the Gallons (Gallons = Length x Width x depth x 7.4)
  3. Repeat Step 1 until the Gallons starts Decreasing

Here is a table of the most common pond kit sizes and their optimal depth to gain the most water volume.

Pond Kit Size Maximum Gallons Actual Pond Size Maximum Gallons
6’ x 8’ x 2’ 518 7’ x 9’ x 1.5’ 533
8’ x 11’ x 2’ 1036 8’ x 11’ x 2’ 1036
11’ x 16’ x 2’ 2220 10’ x 15’ x 2.5’ 2331
16’ x 21’ x 2’ 4440 13’ x 18’ x 3.5’ 5284
21’ x 24’ x 2’ 7400 16’ x 21’ x 4.5’ 9990

Calculations are based on rectangle ponds with straight vertical edges. Curves and plant shelves will reduce your total water volume but are encouraged for a more natural appearance. The addition of rocks, boulders, and gravel will also reduce your total water volume. Therefore, it is important to meter your water to know your exact water volume.

In a pond that is more than 4’ in depth, you’ll need to circulate the water at the deepest point by using an aeration system or bottom drain. If you fail to do this, in the warmer months, the water in the bottom of the system will have greatly reduced oxygen levels and your fish will not venture down to this area.

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