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We've been looking into a pond as of about 3 days ago. I'm wondering what product(s) to consider purchasing and what NOT TO BUY. :). I'd like to have all of my ducks in order b4 We jump into this. Of course we would like a larger pond for a smaller budget ;) We are thinking maybe 8' x 8'however this is why I am asking the question. Thank you for your help. db
 

sissy

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liner will be most expensive to me kits are overpriced .The pump will be next and digging will be the hardest .Build your own filter and save the money for a bigger liner .LKava rock and plants and you will have a nice pond .Make sure you have electric done with a dedicated circuit or 2 and that may run up the cost for an electrician .I bought laguna pumps not only for the warranty but energy savings .
 

Mmathis

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Hello and welcome! Congratulations for looking for your answers now!

This might sound like a stupid question, but have you looked into fish health and what you'll need to know to maintain a pond? I think a lot of people jump into it head first, get their pond built, and things start going downhill from there. Learn about the nitrogen cycle, fish loads..... Algae is your friend.....

You said 8x8, but how deep are you planning?

Like @sissy said, your liner will be your most important purchase -- EPDM is the best, but also most expensive. If you skimp on the liner, you're asking for trouble. Oh, and don't forget a good underlayment. You'll need a pump and a filter. There are too many types to say which is best. You'll need a pond water test kit. You won't need a heater to keep the water warm in the winter, but if you live where the water freezes, you'll need something to keep a hole open in the ice. Also a good item is an aerator and air stone to provide oxygen.

Are you going to have a bottom drain? These require different equipment and set-up than a submersible pump. What about a skimmer? Not absolutely necessary, but they are helpful.
 

sissy

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It also will help us if we know where you live ,heat and cold matters a lot when you are building a pond .Your budget also will help us help you .
 
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Thanks for the replies! We live in Littleton, Colorado. I forgot to mention that we want a waterfall as well. I do have experience with fish having owned large (180gallons salt and freshwater) fish tanks in the past so I am pretty familiar with the Nitro cycle. I have not really thought about how deep to go. Maybe 36" inches? Is there a general rule of depth for a specific sized pond? We will not be starting out with fish. I want to build it so that if/ when we decide we want fish we will not have to "re-do" anything. At this point I will assume that it will have a skimmer and will not need a drain in the bottom of the pond (whew!). As far as a budget, I need to make myself a bit more familiar with how much pond do you get for. $ XXX amount of dollars. We kinda know what we want however we have no clue about what it might cost to get what we want. :) My backyard gets its fair share of sun and I have a blue spruce and 2 cottonwood trees for shade on one side of the yard. They are all about 15'/ 20' feet tall. I'll guess I don't want a pond under trees due to the Nitrate problems of falling leaves and also not in direct sunlight as well? Thanks for your help! :). db
 

Mmathis

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@dollarbill I assume that in Littleton, your winters get cold enough for freezes. Where that is a problem, we usually advise "as deep as you can go." Three feet might be OK for goldfish, but that's stretching the minimum for koi. So, I would say, no less than 3' -- unless you plan to take them inside during the colder months [which lots of people do]. Since you won't be starting out with fish, you can save some $$ on that expense, and instead put it toward a good liner. And again, go as BIG as you can afford. Believe me [and everyone else here] that once you get caught up in ponding, your current pond is NEVER as big as you wish it could be, LOL!
 

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