Tips for building a pond

     Tips for building a pond

Ponds can be constructed in many ways. You will want to build your pond so it fits well into your landscape, is located where it can be best seen and enjoyed, and is constructed to require the least amount of maintenance. Even a simple pond is a fairly big project to build if you want to do it right. Here are some basic tips about pond building.

Before you shop for materials or break soil, decide on your location. Remember you will need electricity to keep a pump running and you will probably want to be near a water source for topping up, cleaning and other chores. You will also need to figure out where your utilities will go.

Once you have your site, check out pictures in books, on the web and magazines to get a feel for what look you will want. Remember ponds can come in any size, shape or design. They can look natural, formal, contemporary, tropical, stony or sandy, geometric or freeform.

Then it’s time to decide if you are going to build the pond yourself or hire an expert to do the job for you. If you plan on building your own, you can buy a kit, use a preformed tub, or start from scratch with a rubber liner or cast cement. Each form has its advantages and disadvantages in durability, ease of construction and design flexibility.

If you are designing from scratch, you might want to draw out your pond on paper or on computer with a simple landscape design software. Take measurements so your pond is not too overwhelming for the area you want, but also make sure it isn’t so small it gets lost. Most people with ponds will suggest you build the largest pond you can since ponds can become so fascinating that it’s easy to keep wishing for more space to add newly discovered plants, fish, rocks or other things. Sketch in measurements for width, length and depth as well as shape. Add provisions for plumbing and electrical. You will want to decide ahead of time on features like bottom drains, clean-outs, UV lights, leaf traps, skimmers and waterfalls.

Find out what your city building codes are BEFORE you start to avoid unhappy surprises. And construct your pond with safety for children, pets and from local predators factored in. If you want to have koi fish, for example, your pond should be at least 3’ deep. Yet some city ordinances may require a pond of over 18” deep to be surrounded by fencing as if it were a swimming pool.

Spend plenty of time on designing and prep. Keep the shape simple: a complicated form will get lost in the execution. The more time you put into planning and preparation, the fewer mistakes and regrets you will have with your finished pond. If you aren’t sure about whether or not you will want a  water feature in the future, build in the basics so you can add it later without having to destroy all your current work.

Include as many ways to make pond cleaning and maintenance easy as you can. Most people who give up on their ponds do so because they failed to make access and cleaning easy enough. Or they took short cuts in the building that led to expensive failures.

You can use your drawn plan throughout construction, changing it as you add or subtract ideas. Research, planning and preparation are the most important parts of any building project. Ponds are no different. These may not be the most fun parts of building a pond, but if you do the basics of pond building right from the start, you will avoid problems later. And your pond will give you years of beauty and enjoyment with minimum maintenance. Build your pond wisely and you can love it for years to come!

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Check the video below of ponds being built at the Santa Clarita Water Gardens