How To Create An In Ground Fish Liner Pond Using Flexible EPDM Pond Liner
EPDM Pond Liners The Flexible Way To Create A Backyard Liner Pond
The major advantage of selecting a flexible pond liner instead of a rigid preformed pond or concrete pond is the flexibility in the choice of pond shape achievable. This said it is always good common practice to produce a pond shape without too many angles. The majority of liner ponds will be strong and sturdy enough with 500 micron (0.5mm) liner but you can go thicker if you want to. The thicker the pond liner the stronger but more expensive and less flexible the pond liner will be. A word of warning ... Keep your pets out of the pond because their claws will damage the liner, causing leaks and tears.
The most common pond lining material in the USA is EPDM rubber (ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber), due to it being a low cost pond lining material that is also extremely tough. In the USA one of the leading branded pond liners is Firestone Pond Gard Liners. Firestone were the originators of EPDM rubber. Laguna Pond Liners are another excellent flexible pond liner alternative in the USA. The UK water gardening market tends to prefer Butyl rubber and LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) Liners. Another popular pond liner material is PVC. The major advantage of LDPE pond liners over Butyl rubber and PVC is the fact that it doesn't tear easily should the liner get a puncture.
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Deciding Upon The Shape & Size Of Your Liner Pond
Once you have decided upon the location of your new backyard pond you will need to know how to measure the liner. Most pond liner manufacturers sell the product in standard sizes, supplied in square or rectangular format. Try if you possibly can to create the shape and size of your liner pond project around these sizes. Joining pond liner is a possibility but it isn't a simple job and is more hassle than it is worth, in my opinion. You will find a guide further down this page on how to measure the width and length of flexible pond liner required, along with a guide to the depth of pond required.
How Do I Account For Pond Depth
If you intend to build a backyard water garden or fish pond that may be an unusual shape then a Flexible EPDM Pond Liner is definitely the best option. The depth of your intended garden pond design needs to be considered ...
Contrary to popular belief a liner pond does not need to be at least 1 meter deep (3.3 feet), unless you intend to build a large liner pond with large koi. Most small to medium sized backyard ponds only require a depth between 14" to 12" (35cm to 60cm). However there are advantages to building a deeper liner pond, such as less pond water temperature fluctuation, a place for your koi and goldfish to escape to should a predatory bird or cat visit your pond and probably the most important consideration for pond keepers living in the northern US states, where winter temperatures plummet to well below 0 C, and that is frozen backyard ponds ... in these sub zero temperatures ponds may freeze to a depth that makes it almost impossible for your pond fish to survive ....
Pond depth ... here is a good general guide:
| Depth Of Pond Guidelines | |
| Surface Area in sq. m (sq feet) | Depth in cm (inches) |
| Up to 5 (50) | Up to 60 (24) |
| 5 to 12 (50 to 120) | Up to 100 (40) |
79 gallons (300 liters) of water per 10 square feet (1 sq m) of pond surface should be the minimum consideration when designing the size of your garden pond. This equates to no less than 12" (30cm) depth for a pond 3 sq ft (1 sq m) in size.
Pointers For EPDM Rubber Liner Pond Design
Try to main a regular shaped pond design and avoid over elaborate fancy designed with lots of edges. You can quire easily create a landscape pond using aquatic pond plants for variation and shape.
The majority of liner ponds in the USA are made from black Firestone PondGard EPDM Rubber... black flexible EPDM pond liner color is an excellent choice for the following reasons ... Black pond liners create the illusion of depth ... Black pond liners create a contrast in color, allowing your pond fish and plants to stand out even more ... please note however overtime pond algae will adhere to the sides of the liner, creating a green color. This is natural and will provide a tasty snack for your pond fish.
Please note that once you have excavated the pond and just before you start to fit the liner you will need to line the hole, to stop sharp stones and other sharp objects from piercing the pond liner ... I suggest one of the following ... pond underlay, carpet underlay, discarded carpet, newspapers, fine sand etc.
It is almost inevitable that you will want to add aquatic plants once you have your pond up and running. A word of caution! As with any well thought out and good design, you will need to consider the end product and what you want from your garden fish pond. Obviously the type of pond plant variety will also need to be considered. Aquatic plants, depending upon species will require depths anywhere between 3 to 6 inches up to 3 feet; water lily varieties for example require deep water. With this is mind please be careful to allow for the extra liner material required, if you intend to incorporate layers or shelves into your pond project.
Use the method below to decide what size liner you need to buy to fit your desired pond dimensions (all EPDM pond liners and other pond liner materials, such as PVC liner, Butyl rubber is supplied in square or rectangular form).
| Fish Pond Liner Size Required Calculation In Feet Or Meters | |
| W | |
| L | |
| Measure Maximum depth of garden pond | D |
| Decide on ledge width (allow at least 0.3 meters or 1 foot each side of garden pond) | S |
| Flexible pond liners width required | (W+2xD+2xS) |
| Flexible pond liners length required | (L+2xD+2xS) |
How To Calculate the width of Pond liner Needed
The diagram below can be used to help you decide upon the right width of pond liner required. Always remember to account for the depth of your pond (on both sides) when measuring i.e. you have a pond that is to be 3 feet deep. This means that you will need at least 6 extra feet in width, in addition to your pond width, measured at the widest point (max width on the diagram).
I would also recommend that you leave at least 1 FT (30cm) of overlap on both sides of the pond.
The final material used for pond edging will be placed on top of this overhang. The next step is then to add the MAXIMUM depth and the MAXIMUM depth again.
Example - Pond Width = 6 Feet ... Pond Depth = 3 Feet
You will need at least 6 Feet + 3 Feet + 3 Feet + 1 Foot + 1 Foot = 14 Feet
How To Calculate the Length of Pond liner Needed
Example - Pond Length = 12 Feet ... Pond Depth = 3 Feet
You will need at least 12 Feet + 3 Feet + 3 Feet + 1 Foot + 1 Foot = 20 Feet
The final flexible liner that you need is 20 Feet x 14 Feet ... If you plan to have quite a few shelves then add another 1 Foot per side.
Once you have calculated the size of pond liner required try to find a standard size that best fits. If the size doesn't come anywhere close then you will be best off altering the plans slightly and recalculating.
How To Install A Liner Fish Pond
Use A Spirit Level For Accurate Liner Pond Construction
Stage 1 - Dig down to the first shelf level.
Stage 2 - If a second shelf is required then dig down to this level ensuring that you leave enough width for the shelf that will hold pond planters.
Stage 3 - Dig out the centre until you reach the desired depth. At this stage add a pond underlay to protect your pond liner from becoming punctured or damaged by sharp objects, such as stones so ensure the excavations of the shelves and centre depth 2 inches (5 cm) more to allow for a layer of sand.
Stage 4 - Place a layer of clean damp sand over the excavated pond shell. Place a pond underlay or old carpet on top of the layer of sand from stage 3 above.
Stage 5 - Smooth out the pond liner out as well as possible and place heavy stones around the edge to keep the liner in its place as you fill your new backyard pond with water.
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How to Create Planting Areas for Your Flexible Liner Pond
The sketch here was provided by Peter J May from his book The Perfect Pond Detective
All backyard water gardens should contain aquatic plants of some description. Apart from adding a touch of color and beauty to any backyard pond, pond plants serve an important function in your pond's eco system.
Read this aquatic plant article for further information about the purpose and categories of pond plants.
Landscape Water Garden Ponds using flexible EPDM Pond liner
Another important consideration when designing your pond is access for wildlife in and out of the pond. Make sure that you get the pond edges right. The last thing you want is to find floating dead birds and wildlife who have had the misfortune of becoming trapped in the pond.
Creating a V notch in the flexible pond liner design is common practice and also allows for a more natural and aesthetically pleasing finished liner pond, as well as allowing easy access in and out of the pond.
The photo shows a v notch filled with sand and a pond filled with water.
Click here for the very best on-line offers in the USA on Firestone PondGard EPDM Rubber Liners | Click UK pond Liners for excellent on-line pond liner deals in the UK
Click here for unbeatable money saving offers on USA Pond Supplies and Pond Keeping Equipment in the UK, Guaranteed.