Posted by CD Aquatics on Mar 18 2019
From introducing a fresh and dynamic design element to your garden to creating a calming oasis to escape to, there are endless reasons why people chose to build a garden pond.
For a rookie designing and building their first garden pond, the whole process can be disconcerting and maybe, slightly intimidating. So, as to not leave you like a fish out of water, we have put together a shopping list of pond supplies, containing everything you will need for a first-time pond build and WHY - the most convenient starting point to set you on your way to creating your dream garden pond:
In the preparation phase of your garden or koi pond, you will need a spray marker or string and of course, a spade. The string or spray marker enables you to plot and mark-up the desired size and shape of your koi pond to make sure you are entirely happy with its dimensions before you begin excavating the ground.
Once you are happy with the shape and size of your pond, and you are confident it will comfortably house your fish, you can begin digging the foundations, and for that, you will need your spade!
Placing underlayment on the surface of your pond will aid the proceeding pond liner in creating an extra tight water barrier, but it will also bring an extra layer of protection to prevent the fish pond liner from tearing on stones or rough surfaces and stretching during its installation.
The primary function of your pond liner is to prevent pond water from leaking into the surrounding ground. The most effective is a butyl liner, which is a rubber pond liner and therefore slightly more forgiving when faced with sharp rocks and surfaces but also has much more heightened waterproof properties than most fish pond liners manufactured in other materials.
A decorative fish pond liner is not compulsory under any means, but the majority of pond enthusiasts do lean toward a decorative coating or a layer of rocks or gravel purely for aesthetic purposes and to hide the plain rubber pond liner. Laying lose gravel might seem like a much easier option to lay, opposed to fitting a new liner, but the extra effort might be worth it in the long run and garden pond maintenance will be a lot easier as pond vacuums can be used on decorative liners – unlike lose stones.
Having access to nearby faucets and electrical outlets makes life much more straightforward in the initial construction AND long-term running and maintenance of your garden fish pond. It takes a lot of water to fill your garden pond, so if you are not waiting for your pond to fill naturally with rainwater, filling the pond will be a much quicker (and lighter) task if you do not have to transport water from an inside tap.
Connecting pond lighting is also a far more convenient task if you have an outdoor electrical outlet, threading cords and wires from within your home can be a long and sometimes expensive task if you have to install special outlets and thread them through the brickwork.
Pond accessories such as pond lighting, pond plants and water features or fountains are the garnishes to really complete the aesthetics of your garden pond.
Fish owners always want to provide the healthiest water environment for their fish, but the way the pond looks is just as important. You want to be able to stroll in your garden and feel a sense of pride for your creating, or be able show the pond off to friends and family who can look onto the pond in awe, and pretty pond accessories help you to achieve that star-quality. Whether this is your first attempt at a pond or your tenth, water plants, pond fountains and pond lighting can elevant the professionalism of your pond.
Pond pumps, pond filters, netting and skimmers are all to make your life much easier when it comes to the maintenance and cleaning of your garden pond. Pond pumps and pond filters will do a lot of the manual work for you, and will also drastically requce the frequency at which you need to deep clean your pond. Whereas leaf skimmers and pond netting will help with the general day-to-day tidying of your pond.
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