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[H1] Pond Guide
For literally thousands of years, ponds have been one of the signature features of the most elegant gardens in the world. While a pond is one of the defining elements of a garden that has been created with every attention given toward aesthetics, there are some significant engineering concerns involved where the installation and maintenance of a garden pond is concerned. This website provides extensive information on both the aesthetic and practical elements involved in the creation and maintenance of garden ponds and contains material which will prove useful to those who are just beginning their journey as a gardener as well as to those who are very experienced in the endeavor.
A garden pond, when created correctly, can provide a touch of elegance that can last for literally generations. As is the case with any artistic endeavor, the means of creation dictates the success of the result.

[H3] How to Build a Pond

It takes more than a shovel to build a water pond! One must engage in some sophisticated planning, be certain that they have the right supplies on hand and that the area chosen is up to the task. One must have a good grasp of the various tasks involved to ensure that their creation is exactly what they had in mind.

[H3] Fish Pond

These are one of the most elegant and, frankly, one of the most enjoyable additions that anyone can make to their yard. Installing an outdoor pond allows one to keep fish in an environment which is as close as possible to their natural home and which allows for one to get truly creative with the design.

[H3] Koi Pond

These are one of the most impressive examples of the fish pond. They benefit from the presence of these large, beautiful animals. The fish themselves need special considerations paid to their care and the water must be properly filtered and circulated so that they can enjoy a healthy environment.

[H3] Pond Liner

Outdoor ponds would eventually be a dry hole without a liner! From concrete to rubber to more advanced plastics, there are an incredible amount of liner materials available on the market. Learn about the various liners available and how they can help one create the garden of one's dreams!

[H3] Pond Plants

Outdoor ponds are an ecosystem in and of them self. Installing plants helps balance out this ecosystem. Even where fish are the principal feature, plants provide a place for them to hide, nourishment and a way to keep the environment clean of toxic wastes that build up.

[H3] Pond Algae

All water ponds are susceptible to becoming infiltrated by this pesky plant but there are many ways in which a skillful owner can get rid of it for good and enjoy crystal clear water. From introducing competing plants to installing sophisticated UV filters, algae can be beaten but, if it's let go too long, one may be facing a long battle.

[H3] Pond Pump

A water pump is the heart of any backyard pond. These are the devices that power the filters, the waterfalls and fountains and which provide for the proper circulation of the water. Installing these devices properly is necessary to ensure that they function to their highest level of performance and to ensure that the water is kept healthy and safe.

[H3] Pond Fountain

A fountain may seem like a complex addition but, between the many different variations available on the market and the surprisingly easy installation, it's a wonder that all garden ponds aren't supplied with one. They help add air to the water and add a touch of class. Fountains make a fantastic feature for all garden!

[H3] Pond Filter

Proper filtration is an important requirement. These needs vary depending on what type of garden pond one has constructed. There are several different types of water filters on the market. Understanding the basic workings of these devices is an absolute necessity.

[H3] Pond UV Filter

Outdoor ponds may be an ancient and enduring symbol of an elegant home but new technology has been enlisted in the fight to keep the waters clean. UV filters destroy algae by attacking it right at the DNA, rendering it unable to multiply and gradually turning turbid waters into crystal clear habitats for plants and fish.

[H3] Pond Lights

Just because the sun has gone down doesn't mean that one can't enjoy their outdoor pond. In fact, with the right lighting setups can be even more beautiful in the night than they are in the day. From colored lights to floodlights to floating lights, backyard ponds can become a 24-hour destination.

[H3] Pond Supplies

Backyard ponds require maintenance and that maintenance requires that one has the right materials on hand. Choosing the correct products is necessary and can be very enjoyable. Done correctly, one can spoil one's koi and one's plants with a clean and healthy environment and cut down on maintenance time.

[H3] Pond Waterfall

No garden pond is complete without a waterfall. These easy to build features add a dimension of elegance and relaxation to your garden. The sound of the running water adds to the aesthetic value and the aeration these features provide is excellent for fish.

[H3] Pond Kits

Want to install a water pond but don't know where to start? Kits provide an easy way to get going. These kits are the best way for beginner to get started. No matter what size or shape one has in mind, there is most certainly an appropriate kit available.

[H3] Pond Calculator

Various calculators to make one's life easier. Calculators to calculate the volume of a pond, the size of liner required, a pump flow calculator and an electrical running cost calculator.

[H1] Pond Liner
A pond liner ensures waters stays in one's pond. There are a variety of liners available, one to suite every pond construction you can imagine.

[H2] Choosing a Pond Liner & Installation
The pond liner will be one of the most important decisions one makes regarding the construction of their pond. The first question to ask is whether one wishes to design their pond around the liner or to purchase a liner that conforms to their ideal pond.
[H3] Flexible vs. Preformed

[IMG: Pond-liner]

With a bit of work, a flexible pond liner can be cut to fit the shape of any pond. This is an excellent choice for those who are going for a very natural look for their fish or garden pond. Liners made of PVC (Polyvinylchloride), HDPE (High Density Polyethylene), EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) and Butyl Rubber are the most common choices for flexible liners.
One may also use concrete as a sort of flexible liner. Though it will obviously be completely inflexible when it dries, a professional can lay concrete to fit any shape desired.
Preformed liners have the disadvantage of not allowing the owner to choose their own shape but sometimes this is actually desirable. It simplifies the process of digging out the pond and a preformed liner can provide years of good service. Most of these are made out of fiberglass. Remember that one must lay a layer of brick sand under the liner for it to function correctly.
[H3] Advantages & Disadvantages

Each type of pond liner has an edge in certain regards. EPDM liner, for example, is very long-lasting (able to withstand a couple of decades of use), is resistant to ultraviolet radiation and can offer excellent performance in cold climates. It is, however, expensive compared to some of the other options.
PVC is very inexpensive and is easy to use. This material conforms to the pond layout with little work and can provide about 10 years of service, in most cases. This material is not desirable for cold climates, however, and one should take this into consideration if they live in a more northern zone. Direct sunlight can also have a detrimental effect on this material.
Somewhere in between the aforementioned options is HDPE. These liners have a life expectancy of 15 years. They do not offer good performance in cold zones. They are one of the less-expensive options, however, and are generally safe for flora and fauna. The material of which these are made is famously tough.
Rubber liners, specifically Butyl Rubber, are probably what most people have in mind when they think of a liner. These are long-lasting, on the same level as EPDM and are fairly easy to work with though they are hard to fold. These liners tend to be thick and heavy. If one is installing a fish pond, make very certain that the fish will not be negatively affected by these liners. They are toxic to some animals and, therefore, may not be the best choice for those who want a koi pond.
Fiberglass has been in use for almost a century and it is famously tough. A fiberglass liner is not flexible and, therefore, the pond must be designed around the liner. For sheer durability, there are few better choices. These have the disadvantages of looking artificial and being complex to install. One must put in a layer of very compacted brick dust to accommodate these liners.
Some fiberglass liners will come with features such as planting shelves added into the design. Remember that the hole dug for the pond must support these features and that they can't be simply placed into a bowl-shaped hole which will place the weight of the water entirely on the fiberglass.
If one really wants to go all-out, a concrete liner is likely the option they'll choose. Concrete is incredibly durable and can be patched and repaired when needed. However, installing a concrete fish pond or water garden will require a professional. Installing concrete on a slope requires that additional materials be added to the concrete and is a very precision job.
Concrete ponds tend to grow more algae than other types. They are also very expensive compared to the other liner choices. Concrete may crack in cold climates and it can take sometimes weeks for the concrete to cure after it's installed. Remember that footings are required for this type of pond and that the installation will be a very time-consuming and expensive task.
[H3] Aesthetics

Flexible liners of the various plastic types described offer the most natural look. These are usually dark in color and disappear when the water is added, creating the illusion of great depth. They are less intrusive than concrete or fiberglass liners.
A fiberglass and concrete liner will be the most restrictive where shape is concerned. Though it is flexible, the rubber used for fish pond liners can be challenging to adapt to very curved and flowing designs.
[H3] Determining Size

Determining the size of the garden pond liner will require some math, alternatively the online pond liner calculator can work out the required size. One will have to purchase their liner a bit big for safety and so that there is adequate room for edging, as well.
To determine the length of the liner required, the formula is: Pond Length + (Pond Depth * 2) + Overlap
To determine the width of the liner, the formula is: Pond Width + (Pond Depth * 2) + Overlap
Remember to measure the length and width at the longest and widest parts. The Overlap provides the extra material for safety and for edging. Normally adding 4" to 6" to the Length and Width for Overlap (this is equivalent to adding 2" to 3" per side of the liner) should be enough for safety and to provide the extra material which will be placed underneath the edging.
[H3] Fish or No Fish

Fish require a greater water depth, particularly if one lives in a cold region of the country. Remember to dig out the pond to at least 3 feet deep for goldfish in a cold area of the country and to at least 4 feet for koi or larger fish. Also ensure that the chosen liner material will not be toxic to the fish.
Aquatic plants are usually placed in pots which are, in turn, placed on the plant shelves or in the bottom of the pond. If one happens to have a great deal of complex design in their pond, the more flexible liners will be much easier to install.

[H1] Pond Pump
A water pump is the heart of any backyard pond. These are the devices that power the filters, the waterfalls and fountains and which provide for the proper circulation of the water.

[H2] How to Choose the Correct Pond Pump and Maintainance
Features such as waterfalls, streams and fountains add a whole new dimension to a garden or fish pond. All of these features require a pond pump to function correctly. There are numerous types of pumps available on the market. Selecting the right pump involves far more than finding a brand name or a good deal on the price. There will be some math involved in this process and one must also ensure that their safety is properly considered. After all, installing a pump means installing an electrical device in water which can be very dangerous if done incorrectly.
[H3] Safety

[IMG: Pond pump]

Before even getting started, one must make certain that they have the correct hardware for the job where safety is concerned. The garden pond pump should only be powered by an outdoor outlet unless it is a solar pond pump, in which case it will be solar powered. This outlet absolutely must have a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) installed on it. The GFI is a device which most people have seen on their bathroom outlets. These devices serve to break the circuit when water comes into contact with any electrical device. Without such a device, safety cannot be guaranteed.
One must also make certain that their outdoor outlet is a proper distance from the pond. A minimum distance of 6 feet is desirable though a distance of 10 feet is better still. This ensures that the outlet does not come into contact with the water when one is working on the pumps or filters. Given the proper safety equipment, it's time to proceed with selecting the garden pond pump!
[H3] Water Quantity

Pond pumps are rated according to how much water they can move over a given time. In the case of smaller pumps, they will carry a rating listed as GPH which stands for Gallons per Hour. This rating refers to the amount of water that the pump can move in one hour and refers to a specified height. The height above the ponds surface that the water must be carried to is known as the "head". The maximum flow rate will be achieved when there is zero head, as the head height increases the flow rate will diminish. Waterfall pumps are normally advertised with flow charts that display the GPH at incrementing head heights. Therefore, if one's pump will be carrying the water to an elevation, check the pumps flow chart to ensure it will provide adequate flow at the necessary head height.
Solar pumps are not very powerful and generally solar is only used to power a pond fountain pump. Very powerful pumps are rated in horsepower. These ratings - and occasionally GPH ratings, as well - are sometimes referenced to a chart provided by the manufacturer. These charts make it easier to determine how much water the pump will actually move in any given situation. Some stores will have this information listed generically, as well, which can help one to select a pump with enough power for the job.
[H3] Above and Below

Some pumps are stationed above the water and some submerged. Each has its own particular advantages and disadvantages.
The above water type are very easy to maintain and troubleshoot. They're also kept clean of many of the pollutants such as sand and gravel that may have a negative impact on the performance of submersible type. These pumps, however, can be very pricey and the more powerful units may generate a lot of noise. This noise, of course, can detract from the effect of the water features they power and make the entire environment much less attractive.
Submersible pumps are more popular for small ponds than their surface-mounted cousins. These are placed directly into the water where they operate almost silently. Of course, if there are problems with these pumps one must go through the hassle of pulling it out of the water to repair it and there is the hazard that the pump may gradually break down without it being apparent to the owner until it's too late.
Submersible pond pumps are also susceptible to contaminants floating in the water. There are pumps available that operate via magnetic engines. These are preferable to the older pumps. The older type required oil and coolant to operate properly. If they happened to have a failure which resulted in a rupture, this pollutant could easily end up in the water. Oils can interfere with oxygen exchange and present a poison hazard in and of themselves to anything living in the water. The magnetic pond pumps do not suffer from this drawback and, therefore, have become very popular with owners. Magnetic drives are very simple and, because of that simplicity of design, there is very little to go wrong in these devices.
Some pond owners attempt to use swimming pool pumps in their ponds. This is generally not recommended. A swimming pool is a much cleaner environment than a pond and those are not designed to deal with the particulate pollution. Purpose-built pumps are the best choice.
[H3] Doing the Math

The amount of work done by the pond pump depends both on the height (static head) and the distance the water must be carried through the hose (friction head). To approximate the friction head, for every 10 feet of hose the water must be moved is equivalent to carrying the water 1 foot high. The static head is determined by measuring from the surface of the pond to the top of the waterfall or pond fountain. For example, if one's waterfall is three feet above the pond surface and the water is carried through 20 feet of hose, the total head will be equivalent to five feet.
Where the size of the pond waterfall or stream is concerned, every inch of width is the equivalent of 150 gallons over the course of an hour. A waterfall with a 5 inch spillway, for instance, will require a pump that produces 750 gallons per hour in raw flow.
The pump should circulate half the water at least once per hour or for a koi pond the entire volume should be circulated at least once per hour, the pond pump calculator can work out the required flow rate. To determine the volume use the pond volume calculator. Or to do it manually, the formula is (length * width * depth). If the pond is circular or odd-shaped, break it down into small rectangles to figure out the volume. For every square foot of volume there are 7.5 gallons of water. A pond that has a volume of 100 cubic feet will contain roughly 750 gallons of water. Most ponds, of course, are much smaller than this. From this figure, one can determine the GPH rating needed for proper circulation of the water.

[H1] Pond Filter
Proper filtration is an important requirement for a pond. There are a variety of filters to meet the needs no matter what type of garden pond one has constructed.

[H2] Selecting, installing and maintaining a Pond Filter
A pond filter is one of the most important parts of any garden pond whether it be a fish pond or a simple water garden. These devices come in several different configurations and levels of price and complexity. Depending on one's pond design, a filter, aerator and pump will all be a necessity. These devices can be installed at different positions within or outside the pond, depending on the type chosen, and each has their own advantages and disadvantages.
The simplest type of pond filter is a basket type. These may be stationed at the surface of the pond or underwater depending upon their design. These work by forcing the water through a net which captures larger debris and then return the water to the pond. These filters are a basic necessity for any pond. There are various types of filters available which can remove debris of greater or smaller sizes. The basket will need to be cleaned from time to time to avoid clogging. This is done according to the schedule designed by the manufacturer of the device.
A pond UV filter is one of the more advanced types on the market. This garden pond filter proves that the old axiom "sunlight is the best disinfectant" is essentially true. More specifically, it is the UV radiation in sunlight that kills algae and microorganisms so efficiently. These filters expose quantities of the water to a powerful UV light that destroys microorganisms and algae which pose a hazard to fish. This type of filter does require cleaning. The UV bulb housing may become encrusted with grime after a time and this needs to be removed so that the maximum possible amount of UV light is delivered to the water that travels through the pump. These pumps generally take a small amount of water through them at a time. They're an excellent enhancement but, in and of themselves, they generally can't handle a quantity of water sufficient to provide for the safety of all the water in the pond.
A bacterial filter uses living organisms to purify the water of organisms that prey on fish and other pond-dwellers. These have to be primed with bacteria before they are set to work cleaning the water. Usually, they are reprimed frequently during the first few weeks of use, according to the manufacturer's instructions and then at longer intervals thereafter. Bacterial filters work best against algae and other "pond scum" type pollutants. When one switches on a particulate filter, such as the aforementioned basket type, the results will be visible before too long. A bacterial filter may take a while; even as long as a couple of months to clean up water that has become fouled. These garden pond filters should be installed before an algae problem manifests to avoid having to clean up the mess after the pond plants have established themselves.
[IMG: Pond filter]

The pond volume will have a significant effect on the results of any given type of filtration. Pond filters are not the area where one should consider cutting corners, to be certain. They should have the capacity to filter at least half of the total water volume every hour, or all of the water every hour for a koi pond. For large ponds, obviously, one should anticipate spending a decent amount of money on filtration technology. While this may seem excessive, without proper filtration the fish will inevitably become sick and die.
Filter maintenance can be something of a chore but, for those who love working in their gardens, it does add another task which is gratifying to learn and which will improve the quality of one's pond. Maintenance will depend greatly upon its location. Obviously, the filters that are stationed below the waterline involve a more complex set of procedures and one should anticipate that cleaning these devices will take at least a couple of hours. Above the water filters and skimmers are much easier to clean. One should adhere to their regular maintenance schedule as determined by the manufacturer even if the pond appears to be clean. However, if the water seems to be getting dirty, the first place to look is at the filters.
Some pond filters will have to be dug out of the ground to be fully cleaned. Others will simply have to be disassembled. In the case of a basket filter, this task is very easy. One simply disassembles it and cleans out the individual parts using a hose, puts the apparatus back together and sets it working again. In the case of a biological type, the process will be similar but one should consider refreshing the bacteria at the same time that they clean out the filter. If algae or other nuisances are becoming a problem, it's generally best to cover all of one's bases.
Always inspect the parts thoroughly. One should make certain they keep all their documentation so that they have an idea of what each part should look like which will make it much easier to determine if something is damaged or broken. When cleaning the parts, make sure that they all function as intended before replacing them in the filter. If one happens to go bad, most pond aficionados recommend that it is replace it with the same type of pond filter unless a switch was pre-planned. Changing the type of filter will affect the volume of the water being treated and doing so spontaneously simply because one's old filter has broken may upset the pond.
Pond filters can be very expensive but, as is the case with most purchases, one does get what one pays for. The most expensive filters are generally more durable, efficient and effective than their discount cousins. One may save a few dollars by purchasing a cheaper unit but that savings is oftentimes offset by the amount of time that one will spend cleaning and maintaining the cheaper unit. Make certain to follow the manufacturer's instructions to the letter when installing any filtration device into a pond.