How to build a pond

Ponds are the perfect garden feature. Not only do they add a level of beauty and serenity to your outdoor space, but they act as wildlife magnets, helping your garden to flourish by supporting the plants and animals.

After sitting by your pond on a Sunday afternoon, listening to the calming trickle of water and watching the birds and butterflies come and go, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without one!

If have some advanced DIY skills and want to give building a pond a go, this article is for you. If you’d rather leave it to the experts, enter your postcode below and connect with the best local talent.

How to build a pond

Follow these steps to build a general pond:

Step one: Planning and design

First, decide where you want your pond to be located, considering things like sunlight and proximity to trees. Ponds sitting directly beneath trees often end up collecting more debris, which means more maintenance.

Also, decide how wide and deep you want your pond to be and where you will locate a filtration system, fountain or any other features you intend to add.

Step two: Excavation

Using some pegs and string, wooden stakes or spray paint, mark out the planned area. Next, dig a hole to your desired depth, making sure the sides are level.

Remove any items that might puncture the pond liner, such as rocks, tree roots or any other hard/sharp objects.

Step three: Install the liner

Before installing the liner, lay down a fabric underlay to protect the liner from punctures, which are unlikely since you removed all hard objects, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Lay your pond liner on top of the fabric, making sure it’s secure and fits the excavation snugly. Secure the edges by anchoring them with rocks or specially designed edging.

Step four: Add water and filtration system

Once your liner is fully secure, you can begin adding water. Slowly fill up the pond to allow the liner to adjust to the water pressure.

When it comes to installing your filtration system, closely follow the manufacturer’s instructions, as each system has a slightly different installation process.

After installation, test the system to ensure the pump and filter are working as they should, circulating and filtering water effectively.

Step five: Final touches

Apply any final touches to personalise your pond and make it look how you originally envisioned. This could involve adding stones, plants or statues. You could also add some lights to make your pond look beautiful at nighttime and to increase safety.

How to build a small wildlife pond

Building a wildlife pond is almost exactly the same as building a regular pond but with a few additional modifications and considerations.

For example, creating sloped sides around the pond helps small animals enter and exit. You can also add thin mesh over the top of the pond to protect young amphibians from predators.

It’s also a good idea to not have fish in your pond if you want to attract a diverse bunch of critters because fish often eat beneficial insects and amphibians.

How to build a fish pond

Creating a fish pond is slightly different to building a regular pond and involves a few more steps to ensure the health and safety of the fish. It’s best to have your fish pond professionally built, but if you have the skills to do it, follow these steps:

Step one: Planning and design

When planning and designing a fish pond, you have to take into account what kind of fish you want to add, as different species have different requirements.

Generally speaking, the bigger the fish, the bigger the pond needs to be, as larger fish produce more waste and need more space and oxygen.

Choose a location that has both sunlight and shade. Also, choose a location away from trees, as falling debris can harm the fish and also make maintenance more difficult.

In terms of zones, have deeper parts for the fish to use in the winter and shallower parts for plants. Lastly, design the pond so that it incorporates good filtration and aeration systems, as maintaining good water quality is essential.

Step two: Excavation

Define the pond’s shape with stakes or spray paint, then proceed to excavate the hole according to your design, keeping the sides level.

Remove any rocks, tree roots or other debris to protect your underlay. Also, remember to create shelves for plants, as these help with oxygenation.

Step three: Install liner

Before installing the liner, install a protective underlay to prevent punctures. Roll out the pond liner over the top of the underlay, ensuring it extends beyond the edges, then anchor it with rocks or specially designed edging.

Step four: Add water and filtration system

Slowly add water to let the liner adjust to the increased pressure. Set up your pump and filtration system and test it to make sure water cycles correctly.

Step five: Install and set up electronics

This step should be done by a professional if you don’t have any experience with electronics.

The pump, filter and any lights you plan to install should be fitted by a pond installer to ensure they’re correctly set up and don’t pose a threat to the fish.

Step six: Planting and landscaping

Add some aquatic plants to the shelves you created in the pond. These will serve a few purposes. Besides looking nice, they produce oxygen and act as shelter for the fish.

Conceal the edges of the liner with some pebbles, plants and any other decorative elements you like the look of.

Step seven: Introduce fish

Once the pond is ready, you can begin introducing your chosen species of fish.

Before releasing them fully, allow their water-filled bags to float in the pond for a while, as this acclimates them to the temperature.

Step eight: Ongoing maintenance

Remember to feed the fish according to the supplier’s instructions and regularly check their health, as well as the health of the plants in the pond.

Also, monitor water levels, check the filtration system and remove debris from the pond routinely. You may also need to perform seasonal duties, like removing algae in summer and protecting the fish from the cold in winter.

How to get help building a pond

Whether you want to know how to build a natural pond, how to build a waterfall pond or how to build a raised pond, a landscaper specialising in pond construction can help you.

You can also find out more about the cost of building a pond here, and more about the cost of maintaining a pond here.

To connect with quality tradespeople in your local area, simply pop in your postcode below.