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"Where should I start?" is a question we get
asked every day. The best way to answer that question is
with another, "What kind of pond do you want?"
You should consider what type
of aquatic life you want in the pond. Is it going to be
goldfish, koi, frogs or turtles? Or is your main concern for the
aquatic plants? Perhaps you only want the pond for the sound of
a waterfall. Each type of pond will need to be planned for its
specific features. The most common problem new water gardeners
have is that their pond is too small. A small pond limits the
number of fish and plants you can add,
WATER GARDEN:
A water garden typically contains both goldfish and a variety of
aquatic plants. Water gardens in moderate climates usually need
for an area of the pond to be at least 2 feet deep. These ponds
will require a constant water flow for aeration of the water, as
well as an ecosystem filtering plan like the “Aquascape Ecosytem”.
A pond Kit is highly recommended to provide all the proper parts
and filters for a clean water garden. These kits will include A
Bio fall filter that will house the microorganisms that eat the
algae and bacteria in the water. This unit is the main filtering
device that is produced by mother nature herself. These
beneficial microorganisms will continue to reproduce and create
a colony that will keep your water crystal clear.
This filter has a built in
“weir” waterfall ledge and will be the first cascade in the
water feature. Along with this filter is the skimmer unit that
will sit in the pond edge. This unit will house the pump, mesh
filter, leaf catcher and auto fill unit. The skimmer will “skim”
the top 2” of water from the pond thus trapping almost all leaf
debris in the leaf catcher. After the units are set in you can
lay the liner down, rock the water feature, add plants and
lights, then enjoy.
KOI POND:
A koi pond is built utilizing the same steps as the water
garden, but will require a few added considerations. A koi pond
will limit the amount of plant life available to be grown
because koi eat some plants. A koi pond should also be larger
because koi get quite large despite the size of the pond, it is
recommended that a koi pond be no less than 1000 gallons in
volume (about 6’x7’x3’ deep). We would highly recommend a pond
around 10’x12’x4’ deep . The koi will grow more chubby and round
when in water more shallow than 3’ deep. The koi will only fill
in their torpedo shape with deeper depths with higher water
pressure. You also may want to install a back wash pump that
will drain the pond from the bottom.
WATER FEATURE:
When you only want the sound
or the view of the waterfalls without the maintenance and added
filters, you can chlorinate the water. The feature will require
only a skimmer for the leaf debris but no Bio fall at the top.
This type of system should be built the same way as any water
garden, only without the ecosystem. One should regulate the
chlorine similar to a pool but with less chlorine.
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