DH and I are planning a DIY project for installing a pond and waterfall feature in our backyard. It is not going to be a huge pond, only approx 4 ft x 6 ft. We have been surfing the web and books for step by step instructions with pictures or illustrations, but haven't had any luck finding anything very thorough. Do you know where we can find good, clear instructions? Thanks!
Looking for step by step info
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sissy
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Have you looked at you tube or googled pond building .Some of the sights also that sell pond supplies have step by step pond building articles .There are some good things on here in the diy section also .Oh and welcome to our little group .E-how has pondbuilding ,drs foster and smith and pondoc.com
I haven't searched the entire internet but I've never run into any kind of "good" step by step instructions. This includes books and videos you can buy or find at the library. I've seen tons of sites about someone building their first pond but then you never hear anything about the result. So the collective knowledge is kind of based on zero experience. Most of what you read is just people repeating what they've heard from someone else with no experience.
Part of the problem is water gardening is a very diverse subject. There are many kinds of ponds,each built differently. You'll get a ton of info on all the different types of ponds without knowing which kind of pond the person is talking about because basically they don't know either. There simply is no standards of any kind in water gardening. No authorities.
The other problem is how does a new pond builder know which methods work and which are just made up crap? It's an impossible situation. In the forums I've read over the years I've seen many new pond owners ask a question, get a few dozen different answers, and almost always pick the most complex, costly and less likely to work. It's a catch-22. Myths will always sound better....they have to or they wouldn't stay around forever. So to person new to the hobby you're kind of in a tough place. You'll think you're learning a lot, but may not be.
The reason I bother to say all that is to support my idea that you're better off not reading too much. Trust your common sense. Try simple solutions first. Most of the problems you'll run into will be in the details anyways. For example, I've built many waterfalls...almost all have had leaks. I've read lots, talked face to face with other experienced pond builders, yet the devil is in the details.
My suggestion is to read little, build, learn from experience, fix, repeat. But I assume that won't sound right to you. Catch-22.
The good news is a water garden is hard to mess up. Hole, liner, water. If you want clear water add a pump and a UV filter. It's really that simple. After that it gets complex when you start to decide what kind of pond you want and you want more control over the results.
Part of the problem is water gardening is a very diverse subject. There are many kinds of ponds,each built differently. You'll get a ton of info on all the different types of ponds without knowing which kind of pond the person is talking about because basically they don't know either. There simply is no standards of any kind in water gardening. No authorities.
The other problem is how does a new pond builder know which methods work and which are just made up crap? It's an impossible situation. In the forums I've read over the years I've seen many new pond owners ask a question, get a few dozen different answers, and almost always pick the most complex, costly and less likely to work. It's a catch-22. Myths will always sound better....they have to or they wouldn't stay around forever. So to person new to the hobby you're kind of in a tough place. You'll think you're learning a lot, but may not be.
The reason I bother to say all that is to support my idea that you're better off not reading too much. Trust your common sense. Try simple solutions first. Most of the problems you'll run into will be in the details anyways. For example, I've built many waterfalls...almost all have had leaks. I've read lots, talked face to face with other experienced pond builders, yet the devil is in the details.
My suggestion is to read little, build, learn from experience, fix, repeat. But I assume that won't sound right to you. Catch-22.
The good news is a water garden is hard to mess up. Hole, liner, water. If you want clear water add a pump and a UV filter. It's really that simple. After that it gets complex when you start to decide what kind of pond you want and you want more control over the results.
fishin4cars
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Welcome aboard, There is a lot of reading material here. Have you tried lowes or Home depot? they sell good how to books that give good step by step illustrations, and good ideas, also in the spring both stores usually give siminars on building ponds and usually do one for a stor display at most stores. be sure and plan on going as big as your budget and space will allow. larger ponds are usually more stable and easier to maintain, plus most of us can voche, Most of us have out grown at least one small pond overr the years to build a bigger one, you and your fish will usually out grow a small pond in a single season.
taherrmann4
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Welcome aboard.
I would also check out some of the construction threads that people have started on here, some have really good pics of the different stages as they were building their ponds.
I would also check out some of the construction threads that people have started on here, some have really good pics of the different stages as they were building their ponds.
sissy
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First you will have to decide what kind of pond you want ,below ground ,above ground or half and half and then filter and waterfall .Seeing you are from Pennsy you may want to go 4 ft or more if you are wanting fish .Then you really have to decide where you want it and that will depend on electric and how you can get that to the pond .Viewing it is important as it would be nice to have it where you sit all the time for the most viewing pleasure and relaxing sound .You want to be able to hide your filter some how or use a filter that is part of the pond .Then filter media can be anything and pump well that is up to what you want to spend and if you a have a budget keep that in mind .
sissy
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good pond calculator at www.pond.com you can put in the size and depth and it will give you the pump size and the liner size and if you know your electric rate it will give you how much to run the pond .Rough estimate but at least it is something .Also tell you filter types and other things you might need to get a start on the pond
Welcome MOM!
Heh Heh Don't worry, I'm not trying to confuse you with my Ma, just greeting you per your screen name.
There are LOTS of resources available to the pond "ponderer". But, as Waterbug elluded to, many are simply peronal ideas and notions and not meant to be a step-by-step guide. Some are incorrect, some are vague are some are just not what you are looking for or an entirely different direction than you want to go.
However, there are vast resources available to you, including this very forum. You can look here at the pictures of others ponds and see all the uniqueness amongst our own group and kinda get some ideas about what you like in a pond. Then, you have to envision "YOUR" pond as you want it to be. It is more of a personal decision and design, in my opinion, than it is any cut and dried set of rules or plans.
You dream of it, design it and make it all yourself. Unless you want to pay someone to do it for you. Most people don't want to spend that kind of money though, even if they have it.
I assume that your home looks a specific way. Your yard and your patio and what-not all befit your personal image of you and your home.
You want the appearance of your pond to match the same image and or theme, so you truly must design or generate the concept yourself.
Once you have envisioned that ideal pond, then you can go searching hither and fro to analyze what others have done before. Pick the styles and the options and the equipment that you like or can use to reproduce what you see as the mental image of your pond.
Once you get the details organized regarding what you want, then you can start piecing it all together and researching what you truly need to do to make it all come together. That's when the FUN and the WORK begin.
My advice is "Don't skimp and don't go too overboard either." You will probably be disappointed or sorry with the results if you do. Work within your means of time and budget. Do most if not everything yourself, do it your way and don't spend too much money on your first attempt. Plan things out ahead of time, buy salvaged equipment if you can, experiment and test a lot. Relenquish yourself to notion of changing your mind often and don't worry about being perfect. Be content with what works rather than what you intended.
Read as much as you can about everything and take your time learning as much as you can about every subject. Basically get engrossed in the building of your pond to the point that you understand it all well.
I cannot tell you any step-by-step things because I am a greenhorn to ponds and I am just getting started, too. However, I can easily discern that there is a vast amount of information and ideas to consider with pond building. I am personally interested in another avenue (a glorified fish tank for keeping live bait for my fishing hobby). So, you see that I am not creating a garden pond. However, I stumbled upon this forum and now I am "hooked" (nice pun there) on ponds and the hobby and dearly desire to get my own garden/fish pond going also. I used to dabble with the idea when I was younger and I loved the experience, but I never set up a full scale "outdoor pond" before. It was always just a large (but still very scaled-down) model in an aquarium or homemade terrarium. They were all quite neat and unique, but nothing compared to a true outdoor pond.
Now I am very eager to get back into that realm. A great deal of that inspiration came from the other members of this forum! Loads of great ideas and information here! Besides, there are great people to chat with and run your ideas across who will critique them and give you sound advice and lots of links to other resources. Oh, and did I mention that they are FUN, too? Yes! They are.
One last bit of advice from me... Try to simulate the natural world as best you can and then, just enjoy the heck out of it all.
Gordy
Heh Heh Don't worry, I'm not trying to confuse you with my Ma, just greeting you per your screen name.
There are LOTS of resources available to the pond "ponderer". But, as Waterbug elluded to, many are simply peronal ideas and notions and not meant to be a step-by-step guide. Some are incorrect, some are vague are some are just not what you are looking for or an entirely different direction than you want to go.
However, there are vast resources available to you, including this very forum. You can look here at the pictures of others ponds and see all the uniqueness amongst our own group and kinda get some ideas about what you like in a pond. Then, you have to envision "YOUR" pond as you want it to be. It is more of a personal decision and design, in my opinion, than it is any cut and dried set of rules or plans.
You dream of it, design it and make it all yourself. Unless you want to pay someone to do it for you. Most people don't want to spend that kind of money though, even if they have it.
I assume that your home looks a specific way. Your yard and your patio and what-not all befit your personal image of you and your home.
You want the appearance of your pond to match the same image and or theme, so you truly must design or generate the concept yourself.
Once you have envisioned that ideal pond, then you can go searching hither and fro to analyze what others have done before. Pick the styles and the options and the equipment that you like or can use to reproduce what you see as the mental image of your pond.
Once you get the details organized regarding what you want, then you can start piecing it all together and researching what you truly need to do to make it all come together. That's when the FUN and the WORK begin.
My advice is "Don't skimp and don't go too overboard either." You will probably be disappointed or sorry with the results if you do. Work within your means of time and budget. Do most if not everything yourself, do it your way and don't spend too much money on your first attempt. Plan things out ahead of time, buy salvaged equipment if you can, experiment and test a lot. Relenquish yourself to notion of changing your mind often and don't worry about being perfect. Be content with what works rather than what you intended.
Read as much as you can about everything and take your time learning as much as you can about every subject. Basically get engrossed in the building of your pond to the point that you understand it all well.
I cannot tell you any step-by-step things because I am a greenhorn to ponds and I am just getting started, too. However, I can easily discern that there is a vast amount of information and ideas to consider with pond building. I am personally interested in another avenue (a glorified fish tank for keeping live bait for my fishing hobby). So, you see that I am not creating a garden pond. However, I stumbled upon this forum and now I am "hooked" (nice pun there) on ponds and the hobby and dearly desire to get my own garden/fish pond going also. I used to dabble with the idea when I was younger and I loved the experience, but I never set up a full scale "outdoor pond" before. It was always just a large (but still very scaled-down) model in an aquarium or homemade terrarium. They were all quite neat and unique, but nothing compared to a true outdoor pond.
Now I am very eager to get back into that realm. A great deal of that inspiration came from the other members of this forum! Loads of great ideas and information here! Besides, there are great people to chat with and run your ideas across who will critique them and give you sound advice and lots of links to other resources. Oh, and did I mention that they are FUN, too? Yes! They are.
One last bit of advice from me... Try to simulate the natural world as best you can and then, just enjoy the heck out of it all.
Gordy
j.w
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I think you can find everything you need to start your pond right here if you just look around and ask questions. A lot depends on what kind of fish you are adding. Koi need lots of room, goldfish not so much. My pond is about 2500 gals and about 3+ feet deep. I started w/ just a submersible pump inside a 10 gal bucket w/ holes drilled in the sides filled w/ fiber material as filter. Worked for me for yrs but got tired of using a rope to pull it out to clean. Hard on the back. So now hubby has made me a filter waterfall set up where water runs from pump out of pond into waterfall basin filled w/ filter material and easier to clean. Still pretty simple but works for me. I just have goldies and not too many for my size pond.
sissy
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what jw said is what is important you can easly change how you filter it and and the look of it but when it comes to size and depth that is the hardest thing to change expecially after you get fish ,those little devils are hard to catch and store somewhere safe .Pumps you can start with a cheaper one and then upgrade as you have the extra cash .Hoses can be changed also fairly cheaply and filter size and what you use to filter it will change and change .I don't remember how many times I have changed both of those things .One thing to remember do not put rocks on the bottom of the pond there is way to much with them and not healthy for your fish either
Wow! Thanks for all the great advice! I will do some looking around on this forum to get some more direction. I am actually not a total novice to ponds, our last house had one that was put in before be bought it. But, maintaining a pond and building one from scratch are two different things!
What sparked our idea is that we were offered free river rock and boulders. Our community pond is being torn down and they are giving all the rock away. We planned to use the river rock on top of the liner to coat the bottom and sides, but sissy suggested not to do this. What is the reason for that? Don't want to do it if it will be a bad idea.
What sparked our idea is that we were offered free river rock and boulders. Our community pond is being torn down and they are giving all the rock away. We planned to use the river rock on top of the liner to coat the bottom and sides, but sissy suggested not to do this. What is the reason for that? Don't want to do it if it will be a bad idea.
j.w
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Lots of muck, plant debris, leaves and fish poo all collect in between the rocks and when you need to maintain the bottom of your pond by scooping stuff up w/ a net or vacuum it makes it totally almost impossible to do and you get a large headache cuz you then realize you need to take all those rocks out every time you clean. Some people do somehow manage w/ the rocks and they have some kind of system they use to keep things under control but if you are asking me.............then I would say don't do it but if you do I will not criticize them that do. They can really look nice in there but they will get a nice green coat on them and you won't be able to see them much anyways after awhile. The bottom and sides of the pond will get a nice coat of welcomed algae which is beneficial to the fish w/o any rocks in there. Just giving you a heads up preventative prescription for not getting a future head ache, lol!
Ok, that makes sense. What, then, do most people put on top of their liners to make their ponds look more natural? We weren't planning to go too deep (we have lots of bedrock and digging is almost impossible). I know it has to be a certain depth for fish to overwinter. We aren't even sure that we are going to put any fish in it at all (and will most definitely not if we cannot make it deep enough for them to survive the winter). If we do make the pond more shallow, what can we do to hide the liner?
sissy
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And that gunk on the bottom carries stuff that can kill your fish .You can use the rocks yet and they would be prettier where people can see them all around your pond .They would be worth more to you that way an you will like them even better .On the bottom of the pond they will get covered and not look as pretty .The liner will hide itself and you could do what waterbug suggest and has pics of the rock ledge made of cement
There are two things for certain about rocks in the bottom of a pond.
1. They will kill your fish.
2. They will save your fish.
In water garden forums #1 is the most common belief.
On the other hand the world's largest professional pond builder considers loose rocks in the bottom of the pond essential for fish and pond health. They have studies said to prove this as a fact. I'd mention this company's name but I'm not sure of this forum's rules. Some water garden forums in the past have forbidden the mention of their name.
So the choice is as clear as a new pond in July.
Easy solution
The solution is to use common sense. The easiest common sense is to not believe either. The odds are just way better. You'll be right more than you'll be wrong. In the case of this example you'd be right because both statements are so overly simplified that I at least would consider them wrong. However, since both are based on fact they can be debated endlessly as long as science is kept out of the debate of course.
Little bit harder solution
A more complex common sense approach is too believe both. Unfortunately this takes some research, and by that I mean fundamental research on how a pond actually works. If the research is just reading opinions you'll get no where. For example, you might run into something called "wildlife ponds". In these types of ponds muck on the bottom is cherished because a lot of life grows in it which is good food for the fish. These ponds run for years and years without killing all the fish. Common sense might tell you #1 is wrong, and it is.
That might also lead to research rocks being home to beneficial bacteria, but also that these beneficial bacteria can't live when covered with muck. So common sense would tell you #2 is wrong, and it is.
For your case this might be enough. You want rocks, they don't kill fish...good enough.
Informed solution
If you want more understanding you have to research even further. And now it gets really difficult, and this is probably not why you wanted to build a nice relaxing pond.
The answers are really pretty simple. Unfortunately there are competing camps, both intent on "winning" rather than actual investigation. And it's you, new pond builder, that get to sort out the mess.
Rocks on the bottom is only one issue. Pretty much every other aspect of ponds have the same competition for opinions being consider as facts.
The third alternative
Like Captain Kirk you may want that third alternative...rocks on the bottom and zero muck.. Unfortunately that will bring you to the next absolute truth for ponds cement kills fish.
When looking for an answer endless information and opinion may not be that helpful.
1. They will kill your fish.
2. They will save your fish.
In water garden forums #1 is the most common belief.
On the other hand the world's largest professional pond builder considers loose rocks in the bottom of the pond essential for fish and pond health. They have studies said to prove this as a fact. I'd mention this company's name but I'm not sure of this forum's rules. Some water garden forums in the past have forbidden the mention of their name.
So the choice is as clear as a new pond in July.
Easy solution
The solution is to use common sense. The easiest common sense is to not believe either. The odds are just way better. You'll be right more than you'll be wrong. In the case of this example you'd be right because both statements are so overly simplified that I at least would consider them wrong. However, since both are based on fact they can be debated endlessly as long as science is kept out of the debate of course.
Little bit harder solution
A more complex common sense approach is too believe both. Unfortunately this takes some research, and by that I mean fundamental research on how a pond actually works. If the research is just reading opinions you'll get no where. For example, you might run into something called "wildlife ponds". In these types of ponds muck on the bottom is cherished because a lot of life grows in it which is good food for the fish. These ponds run for years and years without killing all the fish. Common sense might tell you #1 is wrong, and it is.
That might also lead to research rocks being home to beneficial bacteria, but also that these beneficial bacteria can't live when covered with muck. So common sense would tell you #2 is wrong, and it is.
For your case this might be enough. You want rocks, they don't kill fish...good enough.
Informed solution
If you want more understanding you have to research even further. And now it gets really difficult, and this is probably not why you wanted to build a nice relaxing pond.
The answers are really pretty simple. Unfortunately there are competing camps, both intent on "winning" rather than actual investigation. And it's you, new pond builder, that get to sort out the mess.
Rocks on the bottom is only one issue. Pretty much every other aspect of ponds have the same competition for opinions being consider as facts.
The third alternative
Like Captain Kirk you may want that third alternative...rocks on the bottom and zero muck.. Unfortunately that will bring you to the next absolute truth for ponds cement kills fish.
When looking for an answer endless information and opinion may not be that helpful.