Fish Pond Construction?

Question

how do i build an outdoor fish pond that isnt too big but large enough for a few fish

Answer 1

The short answer is to get a water tight container (that you either build yourself or purchase), and add water, plants, and fish. Voila! You have a pond.

The longer, more technical answer is: 1) Decide where you want it and how big it ought to be. If you want to stock koi, you need several hundred gallons, at least (mine is 3,000) and it ought to be part shade, part sun, and away from trees (unless you want to be scooping leaves out all the time).

2) Start digging - again, for koi, at least 3 feet deep in at least a portion of the pond. Keep in mind that almost no one ever wishes they would have made their pond smaller. What looks like a big hole, seems to miraculously shrink once you get fish, plants, and rocks in it! We had around a 500-750 gallon one, and the next year, immediately turned around and expanded it to a 3,000 gallon one! And, if you are anywhere where you might get predation from herons, egrets, raccoons, etc., build the sides straight - don't do any steps or ledges for plants, etc. You can put your plants on upside down buckets, upside down milkcrates, or even powder-coated metal plant stands (I've used all three), instead, and it will be MUCH more difficult for predators to get at your fish. This will make your fish calmer and more likely to be friendly when YOU come to visit them.

For a *really* small pond, you could use a half-barrel like they use for planters. They are widely available in places like Lowe's or Home Depot, as are the plastic liners designed to fit them. They probably hold close to 50 gallons, and I have one that I fed the pump line up through an old-fashioned hand pump, so it looks like water is pouring out of it, back into the barrel. I also have a marsh marigold, a water iris, some fairy fern, and 4 small (3-4") sarassa comets in there.

Step 3) Put in a liner. I think the easiest ponds are those you build yourself. If you get a pre-formed liner, you have to dig your hole *exactly* the same shape/size as the liner, and it is possible that UV exposure over time will cause it to crack and/or leak. Also, if you live in an area prone to freezing, the annual freeze/thaw cycle of the ground can cause the liner to heave itself out of it's hole. Basically, though they may be cheap to begin with, the troubles that come with them on the back end makes them not a very economical or aesthetically pleasing option in the long run, in my opinion.

Instead, I would say get the heaviest EPDM liner you can afford - at least 30 mil (mine is 45 because changing a liner is a rough job!). Use carpet pad for underlayment - much cheaper than "official" underlayment. Once your hole the size you want it, line it with sand, then the carpet pad, then the EPDM (let it sit out in the sun for a bit before working with it - the heat will soften it and make it easier to maneuver).

4) Although this step is optional, for the overall health and well-being of your pond, as well as its inhabitants and the overall appearance, you really need to install a pump - submersible or external, either one is fine. I recommend getting one that has the capability to turn over your entire pond volume in an hour. It's always better to go with a pump that is bigger than you need, than to get one that is too small. Go with an actual pond pump, too. Sump pumps and other types can leak oil back into your pond if they should malfunction (which would kill your fish and possibly your plants), whereas pond pumps have all the oil, etc., sealed inside. In my opinion, this is where you should spend your money.

5) Also sort of optional: A filter. There are ponds without them, but those ponds are generally either VERY well established ones, or green, slimey, mosquito-infested messes. I don't necessarily think UV filters, or any mechanical filters, are necessary, however - we've had our pond for 8 years, and started off with a bead filter and UV filters. We had a terrible time maintaining water quality - it was a daily worry (take care of the water and the fish will take care of themselves!). We had a friend that kept telling us to go veggie, and we just thought that no way could a "primitive" veggie filter be better than the latest technology in mechanical filters and UV filters, etc. Boy, were we wrong! Last year, we finally switched to a veggie filter - one that takes the water out of the pond through a bottom drain, and pumps it through heavy feeding plants (we use water iris) to take out the nitrates before letting the water go back into the pond. Our water has never been better. This year, we discontinued the bead and UV filters altogether, and we have had ZERO water maintenance problems since - running solely on a veggie filter! In general, you want enough plants to fill an area equal to at least 15-20% of your pond's surface area (we have a 500 gallon veggie filter for our 3,000 gallon pond). And, they are cheaper and WAY less maintenance. Here is a link, plus you can e-mail me through my profile and I can give you more specific "how-to's" if you decide to go this method: http://www.bonniesplants.com/how_to/vegg...

6) Add water. Don't use secondary or irrigation water - it is full of parasites and other critters that can be harmful, or even deadly, to your fish. Use good ol' tap water and treat it with a dechlorinator.

7) Add plants. Even if you do decide on a mechanical/UV filter instead of a veggie one, you will still need plants. Fish eat, then make waste (ammonia), which is bad for them. Luckily, Mother Nature has a bacteria that "eats" the ammonia and converts it to nitrites. Unfortunately, nitrites are also bad for fish. So, Mother Nature has another bacteria that converts the nitrites into nitrates, which are OK for fish in very small quantities, but which plants love! (It is basically fertilizer). So plants in the pond end up soaking up most of the nitrates, which keeps your pond water in good shape (again, if you take care of the water, the fish will take care of themselves - just feed them, is all....). Aim for plants equal to roughly 50-60% of your pond's surface, though they don't all need to be surface plants. A good combination of oxygenators like anacharis, heavy feeders like lillies and iris, and floaters like water hyacinth, azolla (fairy fern), and water lettuce, should look very good and provide for good water quality (note: big koi will eat anacharis and fairy frn, though). As a bonus, plants provide shade for your fish and places for them to hide when they feel threatened.

7) Add your fish - or turtles or frogs or whatever else you want to grow in your pond. Replace evaporation with conditioned water as needed.

8) Sit back and enjoy. Be sure to feed your animals and test the water quality frequently to ensure the best results - for fish, a sure fire way to determine if they are stressed is by how they hold their fins. If the fins are erect and straight, they're pretty happy. If the fins are clamped close to their bodies, they are not happy. Time to test water quality and act accordingly....

Here's a good link that basically explains all of the above: http://watergarden.com/pages/build_wg.ht...

Here is a good link on fish health: http://www.koivet.com

Sorry to be so long-winded - I guess that's what happens when you ask a fish geek about her hobby! Anyway, ponding is a great hobby and if you try it, I'm sure you'll love it and you will probably get hooked on how relaxing it is to listen to the water and watch the fish, etc. I wish you the best of luck - please feel free to contact me if you have questions/run into problems. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

For a smaller pond like this, your best best is a preformed pond liner. You can find kits that include the liner, pond filter, pump and all the directions at most larger Home and Garden Centers like Lowes or Home Depot. They are easy to install and usually the job can be done in a day. Best of luck with your pond!

MM

Answer 3

The sight and sound of water brings a peaceful, elemental feel to backyards and gardens. If you don’t have a natural source of water on your property, consider building a pond. Ponds can be as practical as they are beautiful: properly constructed, they provide habitat for wildlife in your region. Read on for instructions on building a wildlife pond or a garden pond to enhance your backyard setting.

Answer 4

Very simple,dig a hole in the ground the way you want your pond to look like and put something in the bottom to stop the ground from absorbing the water.I would put something with a bright color so you can see your fish and not a big broun hole. It is a lot easier to buy one from the pet shop and dig the hole to match the bottom of your pond.

Answer 5

easy, dig a hole of some sort, put tarp on the bottom of it so the water doesnt just sink into the ground... maybe put some sand or rocks on the bottom, put plants around it, put rocks around.. & stuff like that


-DFK