Building a Backyard Pond-Design, Size, Pond Building

Building a pond in your backyard garden adds another level of depth to your garden decor. A well designed garden pond should encompass overall relaxation, peace and a sense of tranquility (feng shui for the spirit) by utilizing the surrounding area that you have to work by incorporating and blend in the foliage, flowers and sky to make up a beautiful welcome backyard garden pond feature.

Backyard Garden Ponds Provide Feng Shui for the Sole

Water not only adds a natural relaxing ability but also provides a cooling effect for the area that it is installed in not only for physical and mentally it also provides immediate humidity around it. This is a spectacular microclimate that allows you to add a variety different plants around it while having the option of (Hardy water lilies, tropical water lilies) and the possibility of a fish pond (kio pond water feature).

 Adding plants and fish to your design provides you with the aesthetics of ornamental while still providing an ecological function (Living Garden) to the process.

Depending on the area and size that you have to work with will have a direct impact on the size and design of the pond that you want to build for your backyard. Many different design possibilities are available for garden water features.

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Mini Ponds Are A Great Idea For Small Garden Water Features

Mini pond kits can provide you the opportunity for installing a miniature pond water feature with the help of a small sealed plastic container to a large reflecting pond that will offer you a variety of different options of adding plant life. You can build water fountains or a cascading waterfall that falls into a well-designed stream that would empty into your pool would be a great design idea.

A beautiful design feature that will give your pond a completely different look and ambience for your yard is the nighttime vision that you can create with different underwater pond lights to solar lights that you could position around your fountain allowing you to illuminate your beautiful water feature with spectacular light colors. Hardwiring some Patio/Path lighting is an easy addition if you do it from the beginning and included it in your pond design.

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Your Backyard Is a Pallet for an Artistic Pond Design

Take a look at your overall grade of your backyard if you have a slope that you can work with you can build quite a nice waterfall easily allowing you to enjoy the sound of water both day and night. If you are working with a level grade you can bring in extra dirt to build up a wall allowing you to design your own waterfall by forming the slope the way you want to.

Streams that continue on from the waterfall to let can be designed in a variety of different lengths and widths. With a stream you have the option of connecting to small ponds together if this type of design works for your yard.

Your first step in deciding where to put your water garden project is the location in your yard. Decide whether you are planning your pond to have a waterfall or a stream and to what depth that you are trying to accomplish whether you want fish in your pond or not. Where you locate your pond try to have sources of water and electricity that are easily accessible providing you power for your pond equipment and for keeping your water topped off in your pond.

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Best Location for Your Backyard Pond/Water Feature

• Slope/Grade of Land: When you are working with your backyard you have to take in consideration the grade and slope of the yard. Try to stay away from the lower grades of your yard if possible as when it rains the water tends to flow to lower lying ponds that give you a headache of Muddy Waters and the possibility of knocking over plants and washing away your fish. A good suggestion is placing your pond so that it is built just above your lowest spot. Consider using the slope as a possible waterfall or stream which means putting in proper drainage for around the pond.
• Pond Soil Conditions in Your Yard: Depending on the type of soil that you have in your yard can make it easier for difficult when you are digging and installing your garden pond. If you have a very rocky type of a ground to work with you may want to consider installing an aboveground water feature. Sandy soil can also provide you some downfalls as well as the sides may not be strong enough to hold up to a flexible liner. Heavy clay soil is tough to work with but will give you a very sturdy construction to hold up against any type of pool liner that you use.
• Taken Account Natural Environments: When you're looking for where to put your pond check to see where the sun and shade might be happening as this will affect your plant growth depending on how much sun (or shade) your plants will need. If you have a windy area you want to try to have some kind of coverage (or install a windscreen or shrubs). Check for overhanging trees as this can cause sap, leaves or any other debris that will fall from the branches.
• Pond Utility Access: Check to make sure that you are not building over top of any gas, electrical lines or even sewer lines. You should also take into account how close you are to the necessary water supply and electricity that you will need for your water garden.

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Pond Size and Shape Will Determine Flexible/Rigid Pond Liner

Deciding on the size and shape of your pond is going to be your next design choice. If you're going to incorporate a small pond you can use a preformed pond liner or if you need a more flexible choice especially if you're going to build a large pond you will want to incorporate a polyethylene flexible pond liner. Both of these are very durable, well made and have a variety of the same installation instructions that would be required.

Small Ponds and Their Designs

If you do not have a large area to work with or you do not want to incorporate a large pond in your yard then you have a choice of a small garden water feature. With this design option you can build the pond up against a wall and use a standing water feature or you can mount it against the fence.

If you are working with an enclosed courtyard patio then you have a beautiful option of adding a stone multilevel tiered fountain. With proper electrical hookup (GFI circuit breaker) you will be able to easily install a pump having water flowing over the fountain basin.

Large Ponds and Their Designs

The size of the pond allows you to increase the overall capacity of adding more lilies, lotuses and other water plants and also create a larger even more wide variety of species for fish lovers. Providing you with a rainbow of colors for your fish.

Typically a large pond is considered over  10 x 5 size and typically will not have that much more difference on how to take proper care of your pond it just means a larger area for a larger ecosystem for your pond.

No matter what size upon you are going with balance is the key. Make sure that your plant life and your fish population choices stay within a balance as they are both essentially working together to help maintain the life of your pond. By properly removing debris and oxygenating the water and providing you the benefit of controlling the growth of pests in your water.

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Provide a Shelf for Your Pond Marginal Plants

If you want to provide plants in your pond design it is recommended that the surface water be at least 40 square feet with an 18 inches depth minimum. If you're going to have a larger pond then it is recommended that you make it deeper by digging to a depth of 2 to 2 1/2 feet.

Provide a shelf around the edge of the pond that is typically around 10 to 12 inches wide making sure that you are working with a depth of the water level of around 9 to 12 inches. This will give you significant area for your plants to flourish in, allowing for their crowns to be under the water level.

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Maintenance Tips for Your Pond Water

Water supplies that you are going to use for your pond will have some form of chemical disinfectants that are usually added to the water (chlorine or chloramines). Although typically these chemical levels will not harm your plans they can affect the health of your (fish, snails and depending on your area frogs) that have become part of your ecosystem.

There are a variety of ways of you to remove these chemicals from a new pond. It suggested even if you do not plan on stocking your pond with fish that you treat the water accordingly.

Water Treatments/Maintenance

• Check Local Water: The first thing that you want to do is check with your local water supplier and see what kind of chemicals that they add to the water. You can also use chemical testers to verify what chemicals and levels are in your water. If need be you can hire a company to come and test your water (this is an inexpensive water testing option).
• Use a Dechlorinator/Treatment: This is the best way to help remove chlorine, your other option if you have the time is to let the water stand for about a week in your pond allowing for the chlorine to just naturally dissipate before you do any stocking of your pond.
• Use a Chloramine Remover: Your local garden supply center should be able to provide you with a treatment for removing Chloramine from the water this will also remove your chlorine levels. This kind of chemical treatment removes these levels of contaminants just about immediately. You can safely add fish to your pond after the treatment. Make sure you use this treatment every time you are refilling the pond after your maintenance cleaning.
• Topping off Pond Water: When you are just topping off and filling up small levels of water you do not need to treat the tap water that you are using. Place the hose securely to the bottom of the pond and add the water slowly, this is the best way to not shock the fish or have them being attracted to the water activity of the hose. It is recommended that only 10 to 20% of water be added at a time.

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There Are A Few Options for Building a Pond

Today's designed backyard ponds do not require the use (or expense) of mixed concrete. This also means that you do not need to have a contractor come in and pour a cement foundation. There are a couple of options that you have that can make it a lot more affordable and allow you the option of building a backyard pond yourself.

 Either with a pond kit or your own design you have a choice of using a long-lasting, light weight polyethylene synthetic liner allowing you the choice of making your own shapes and sizes of your backyard pond.

Your other option is the use of a rigid fiberglass/plastic shell that is preformed to the shape and depth of a pond design. Even though both construction designs require you to do a fair bit of work to dig the hole and to properly fit the liner or preformed shell properly.

Building your backyard pond process:

• Digging out your pond
• Build your pond with a rigid pond liner
• Installing a flexible pond liner
• Selecting a Pump for Your Water Garden
• Backyard pond maintenance tips
• Spring Care for Your Pond

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Pond Building Has a Process and a Step-By-Step Plan

When you have decided that you are going to build your pond in your backyard and know where you're going to put it there are a variety of steps that you are going to have to decide on and instructions that you are going to have to follow.

For many centuries Gardens and the use of pools have been used to provide interest and intrigue for a wide variety and types and sizes of decorative gardens. Water is considered one of the most positive and essential features that you want to incorporate in your backyard decor. Whether it is a pool/pond or adding a few different water fountains that are self-contained. The sound of running water brings a sense of comfort (chi) to your outdoor living area.