Planning Your Own Backyard Pond

By Owen Jones

If you have a backyard or back garden, you can have a fish pond. They are not costly to build and if you make it yourself it is clearly even cheaper. You can make your own pond pretty easily, you just have to bear a few things in mind when you plan where you are going to situate it and how big it will be.

A backyard fish pond is fantastic for all kinds of households. Tending a backyard fish pond is not difficult and the mild exercise can be good for you. it is also therapeutic to watch the fish and other pond life going about their routine business and children will learn a bit more about nature,

It is important to plan your pond before you pick up your spade and the first thing to think about is where you are going to place it. Try not to put it under a tree or you will be dredging leaves out of your pond every day in autumn. Do not put the pond at the lowest point in your garden or it may overflow when it rains and your fish may swim away which means that you will need to sandbag it before it rains every time..

The noon sun can be very hot, so it would help if the pond had at least partial shade between 11 AM and 2 PM. If your locale is subject to freezing then the pond should be 30-45 inches deep for at least 4 m2 or 36 ft2, although if the winter can be really severe, it is best to seek advice from a neighbourhood pet shop. Have a look at the pre-formed fish ponds in a garden or pond centre to see if you like those shapes and sizes. If you do not, then you can buy a butyl pond liner (a sheet of rubber) and design your own pond.

After you have dug out your backyard fish pond and put your pre-formed or butyl liner into the hole, you should finish off the pond's edge with either brick, block or stone. Use similar materials to construct a few caves in the pond itself for the fish to take cover in. You can also anchor the fountain and any under-water lighting. Fill the pond with water, but do not put any living thing into it yet. Put the rest of your equipment in.

You will require a general purpose pump to send water to the pond filter, which should be two or three feet higher than the water level. The water will then have to pass through a filter to remove plant debris and faeces and under a UV light to kill bacteria. It can return to the pond via a waterfall, which will help oxygenate the water as will the fountain.

After a week, the water will have lost the chemicals like chlorine which the water company puts into it and you can buy plants and fish, but do not rush into it. You may want to build a few shelves to put flower pots on for the aquatic plants that have need of them.

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About The Author
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is at present concerned with fish pond accessories. If you are interested in a Solar Powered Pond Pump, please go to our web site now for some great deals.