 | Charlie Traffas has been involved in marketing, media, publishing and insurance for more than 40 years. In addition to being a fully-licensed life, health, property and casualty agent, he is also President and Owner of Chart Marketing, Inc. (CMI). CMI operates and markets several different products and services that help B2B and B2C businesses throughout the country create customers...profitably. You may contact Charlie by phone at (316) 721-9200, by e-mail at ctraffas@chartmarketing.com, or you may visit at www.chartmarketing.com. |
Ponds
2007-07-30 15:23:00
Is a pre-formed plastic pond a good idea?
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.
