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Ponds

Mark and Lalana Moore

2007-09-01 09:52:00

I have a preform pond and the water is green most of the time. I want to make it bigger and deeper. Should I add on to this container or start over?

I would suggest taking the container out and using it to house your fish while reconstructing your pond and use it when you clean your new pond once a year. Dig the hole deeper, making at least 1/3 of the pond at least 3 feet deep, preferably where the waterfall area is. Dig a 2 foot deep area for the water lilies and a 1 foot deep area for the marginal and bog plants. The deeper the water, the cooler it will be and the algae will not bloom as profusely. There are natural products you can use to help control algae that cause green water and string algae.

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Ponds

Charlie Traffas

2007-07-30 15:23:00

I have been considering putting in a pond. What do you think about the pre-formed plastic ponds?

The pre-form ponds are not good starter ponds, they have limitations. Most are no more than 18-24 inches deep. They usually come as a kit with a pump, tubing and fountain attachments. Not all are designed for waterfalls, but usually everyone wants one. The main problem for adding a waterfall to the preform pond is attaching it to the side and getting the water to stay in the pond. Many leaking problems are connected to this installation task. The walls cannot support the weight of heavy stones along the edges. Warping of the sides occur when the weight is unevenly distributed. Cracks occur when the side walls have warped or maybe the whole tub will slide around causing one side or edge to up heave out of the ground. Other negatives on pre-forms, include not enough room for nice aquatic plants and not deep enough to winter fish and plants. Not enough water volume and depth to keep the temperature down, which results in an algae problem, and so on and so forth. Some positive ideas for pre-formed ponds include using the pre-form as a lotus bog or to feature some other aggressive aquatic plant that is beautiful and contained. You do this by filling the pond with soil 4-6” below the ledge, planting such plants as Horsetail, Louisiana Iris, Plantain, Yellow Flag Iris or Lotus. Then top dress the soil with well gravel 1-2” and fill with water. This can be a lovely addition to a larger water garden Koi pond that is installed using cement block walls and rubber lining, with a minimum of 800-1000 gallons, and at least 3 ft. deep in 1/3 of the pond. The cement block walls will insure that there will be no sagging sides, and a nice solid ledge around the pool for walking and approaching the water’s edge. The EPDM rubber lining will last, almost forever and provide years of enjoyment with minimal maintenance. I would call the maintenance a labor of love experience! It would be misleading to say a pond of any kind has little or no work. I would encourage everyone to study, research and learn about this awesome hobby before you jump in so to speak. We invite you to join us for tours and educational free seminars on water gardening and explore your options. Then we’ll all be happier and can jump in together.

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Ponds

Charlie Traffas

2007-07-01 12:34:00

I want a water garden in my front yard, but I have a neighborhood full of small children that are not supervised very well. What can I do?

Water features are a wonderful addition to any landscape. They bring life to it by adding movement, sound and tranquility, and water features can be the focal point of your garden. Therefore you want it to be as safe as possible for everyone. If unsupervised small children are an issue and you cannot put it in a secured back yard, then a regular water garden or koi pond may not be the best choice at this time. But don’t be discouraged there are other water features to consider, such as a disappearing waterfall, overflowing urn, or a bubbling rock fountain. They are constructed with a lower reservoir or pond level. The hole that is dug to create this area is lined with cinder blocks to support the walls of the pond. A padding and liner is placed to make this reservoir hold water. If having a waterfall, a liner is required under this area as well. If the liner is not one piece it must be glued together, never overlap it or it will leak. A grating is put over the top of the pond area. This grating is supported by the cinderblocks and has river rock or flag stone on top so you can walk on it. There is no body of water exposed for anyone to fall into making it safer for small children. A pump is used to re-circulate the water, and Aquatic plants can be placed in the water by leaving a small opening in the rocks. Plants will help to soften and naturalize the area, and the nice thing about this feature is that if the situation changes and you are able to have a conventional water garden, the center rocks and grating can be removed to expose the body of the water. Then you would be able to add more plants and fish if you desire.