A fish garden pond can, and if you take this advice will, be one of the most rewarding elements you can add to your landscape. Aside from being so rewarding, it can be very fun and highly creative if you decide to do-it-yourself. I highly recommend that you read up, because there is a great deal that you must decide before you begin. There are many different ways to learn how to build a fish garden pond. If youre doing this yourself its no walk in the park. However, having someone else do it for you takes out all the fun and creativity. So dont let the hard work ahead stop you, because once you complete your fish garden pond it will be something you treasure forever. First thing is deciding the placement of the garden pond. This is entirely your opinion; some things to consider might be the layout of the land and shade surrounding the pond. How big do you want your garden pond? If youre putting fish in the pond, especially Koi, you will need to make the pond as big as possible and deep enough that it doesnt freeze completely. With a deep of only 30 inches or less you should give the fish and plants a constant temperate (required for survival lot of aquatic life) and keep the pond from freezing in the winter. If you cannot regulate the temperature of your water then you should make your pond at least 48 inches deep. With a shallower depth you also promote algae growth. So consider these factors, when picking the location. Next you will decide the layout of your fish garden pond. This is where you can be highly creative and design whatever shape fits your landscape and your personality. You can use a rope or garden hose to preview the shape. Some things to decide on might be stepping stones or a bridge across your pond and maybe a waterfall on the side or a fountain in the middle. You can get books about fish garden ponds to give you ideas. After deciding what you want it would be best to purchase these things before you start the process, they can be extremely difficult to add later. All these decisions and you might be thinking you havent even done anything yet. It is very important to do these steps in order. A garden pond can cause a lot of problems and can be a very expensive mistake if not planned properly. With that said, now its time to get to work. First you will start digging your hole. Follow your pattern and check your depth. You might want to consider different depths to add a neat effect, and also for plants that need different depths. Next you need to purchase a pond liner. There are many things that you can use for lining the pond and they are a lot cheaper than a standard garden pond liner. For example if you purchase a thick enough sheet of painters plastic or double it up it will work just fine. Lay this in the hole and anchor it along the sides with a border of your choosing. Now youre ready for water. Make sure everything is exactly how you want it and start to fill it up. Also make sure youre plastic is anchored well; you might even want to bury the excess for added support. Fill the water to the desired amount and youre almost there! Now you can decide on how to beautify your ponds edges with rocks, plants, waterfalls, whatever you heart desires. Now that you have the foundation laid you can experiment with the surround landscape for years. The last thing you will do, and be patient, is add fish. You need to make sure the water has acclimated and is safe for the fish. You can purchase easy to use water tests at local pet stores. Do your research before deciding on which fish to put into your pond. Many fish are only tolerant in certain temperatures and cannot make it year round in a garden pond. Also, different kinds of fish grow to different sizes. So make sure that they are mated with similar sized fish so they dont become fish food! Dont worry though because there is a wide variety of beautiful fish for your pond. Soon enough youll be picking them out and watching them grow while you enjoy the experience of your beautiful fish garden pond. |
