Wanting to build a garden pond Some tips to start you off Wanting to build a garden pond? Some tips to start you off
Most professionals who create ponds are in fact not all that well equipped to provide the ideal and best advice ... perhaps they can landscape gardens, choose and place plants well but pond keeping is far more than that ...
When you have finished reading this book and if you are still not sure or would like some reassurance ask someone who can provide the information and will give you sensible advice. If the advice is sound and makes sense and can be backed up by example or published information then it is probably good advice. However if something does not make good sense to you maybe seek further advice and certainly probe the advice given. A bad installation is expensive to fix.
It is simpler, cheaper, better and quicker to use pre-formed ponds ideally made from fibreglass in natural rock finishes with matching waterfalls or streams as you can see in the picture ...
click here for some natural looking rock water features
Some general tips to start off with
Problems can show themselves in many forms but the most obvious and frequently encountered is the dirty water pond.
Unless you are prepared to install a biological filter I would strongly advise you to reconsider your intention to build a pond. Without a biofilter you will be almost certainly be disappointed with your pond and it will be a source of annoyance rather than a pleasure. I promise you that you will install one sooner or later or you will fill the pond in.
Do yourself a big favour and do it in the beginning. Pond keeping is about enjoyment. It is not about hassles and disappointments.
Do not buy a pump until you know how to select the right one. The chances are good you will get inadequate advice from many retailers and be sold a pump which is totally unsatisfactory because some retailers themselves do not fully understand what they are selling.
The cheapest pump to buy is often the most expensive to run especially with regard to larger capacity pumps and running costs can be high. Every unit of electricity consumed by your pump will cost at least 25 cents in South Africa and in Europe or USA considerably more than this.
Pumps for use in ponds should have at least a 2 years guarantee and for ponds must have 10 metre cable lengths and 3-core cable at that. It is illegal in South Africa to sell a pump with less than 10 metres of 3-core cable for outdoor application.
If you want a fountain effect in your pond choose a pump that comes with a fountain attachment. They can be expensive to buy later. Such a fountain can only run well if the pump has a strainer device. This is normally a special open-celled plastic foam on the suction side of the pump. It prevents particles of dirt from blocking the fountain nozzles.
Do seriously consider spending a bit extra on an Ultra Violet clarifier (UV for short). This keeps your pond from going green in summer. It will make a dramatic difference to your enjoyment of your pond and is the secret to crystal clear water. I am tempted to say that if you do not do this at the time of installing your pond you will wish you had done within 6 months.
Do not overstock the pond with fish. For the gardener with a small pond of say 1,000 litres or less goldfish are ideal. They are hardier than koi eat less than koi and so grow more slowly. They do not destroy plants as badly as many koi will do.
Do not let me put you off keeping koi. These fish really are wonderful and beautiful fish. Put less rather than more fish in your pond but we recognise this is difficult advice to follow especially when you have a beautiful, crystal clear pond and you have managed to breed some of your own fish.
Do make access to the filter and UV easy and you will never regret this. When selecting hose keep the diameter as large as possible and minimise the hose length. Avoid piping that kinks and avoid bends and sharp corners because these can seriously affect the output from a pump. The ideal size pipe for most garden ponds of the sort we are discussing in this book is 25 mm internal diameter.
Unless you really enjoy landscaping and digging buy yourself a waterfall or stream made from glassfibre with a rocklike appearance. These are so realistic these days it makes no sense at all to me to go out and buy rocks and then engineer them into a waterfall using liners or concrete. A waterfall is a great way to introduce oxygen to the water and this helps in the overall good health of the pond.
Do buy high quality food. It probably costs a bit more per packet but repays itself handsomely in water quality improvement and reduced filter maintenance. Your fish will also benefit far more from this food and odds are at the end of the year you will have spent less. If there is no information on the packet indicating contents and analysis DO NOT buy it. Aim for a minimum of 35% protein and ash content less than 10%.
Do put water plants in your pond. They add a great deal to enjoyment and appearance to most garden ponds.
Be aware that water lilies do not like turbulent water or splashing.
Oxygenator plants are good for any pond. Koi generally like to eat plants so protect them by using gravel on top of the soil after planting in the container.
New article ... Damsels and Dragons around your water garden should be encouraged
This web page is an extract from Tony Roocroft's "The Complete Pond Solver" ... you can read more about it at http://www.really-useful-books.comYou can't beat a real water garden. How to turn a pond into a water garden.