Getting Started

Size: For plants and goldfish almost any size surface area and 12" to 18" deep will do. A half whiskey barrel can be home to a couple of goldfish and a few plants provided that they get enough oxygen. Koi need at least 8 to 10 feet of surface area and at least a pond that is 3 to 4 feet in depth. Deeper for Koi is always better for their health and well being.

Location: Shade will keep down algae bloom BUT water lilies need a minimum of 3 to 4 (some need more) hours of sun to bloom. Morning sun and afternoon shade would be ideal here in South Texas because of our extreme heat. Remember that leaves, tassels, etc., falling from trees can cause serious problems in your water quality so it is best to obtain the proper netting to minimize those problems during the leaf drop season.

Pond Lining: A preformed shell or rubber liner is recommended for plants and fish. If you use concrete remember to seal and cure it but also remember that our clay soils heave so be prepared to deal with cracks that might leak.

You may also want to read about Rock Bottom Ponds here

Pumps and Filters: Pumps will be determined by special features (waterfall, fountain) and type and number of fish. Filtration is MECHANICAL (pump), or BIOLOGICAL (a container filled with a media that will allow beneficial bacteria to colonize and help remove or neutralize waste). A pump is used to circulate water in the pond and/or through a filter, for a waterfall or fountain and to oxygenate the water. A small pond that is well balanced with plants and goldfish does not necessarily require a pump or filter. Gallons per hour or horsepower will determine the size of a pump. MECHANICAL filtration should turn the water in the pond every 2 hours. BIOLOGICAL filtration, every 4-6 hours.

(How to select a pump)

Electricity: One thing not to mess with around your pond or water feature is your safety. Everyone knows electricity and water do not mix. GFI or Ground Fault Interrupters, are a definite must have when it comes to breaking the "JUICE" before electrocution.

Children: Watching smiles light up the faces of young neighbors or grandchildren as they feed the fish or dangle their feet in the water are cherished moments. However, vigilant supervision is necessary to prevent accidents. Young children should never be allowed near the pond without adult supervision. A child can drown in as little as 2 inches of water.

Fences with childproof locks are mandatory in many places, and a good idea everywhere. Place locks high and/or inside the fence to prevent child access. There is no Federl law that requires fencing around a pond, but your city may have its own jurisdiction. Please check your local regulations.

Some ponders also include small steps inside their pond. In case a child were to fall in, they could possibly get out on their own. Alarm devices are also available, just search for Pool Alarm.

Chlorine: As soon as the pond is constructed and filled, use a chlorine remover to insure any chlorine/chloramine in the water is neutralized. Plants may be added immediately. Fish should be added two weeks after plants. Please be patient with your new pond. It can take four to eight weeks to balance and will probably turn "green" before it reaches that balance and clears.

Algae: (green soupy water or "moss") If your pond has plants and fish, work toward a goal of 50% to 70% plant coverage of your water surface. Check your pH - too high or too low can affect algae growth. Stop feeding your fish until algae is under control, then feed sparingly. To help clear "green water", flocculants, enzymes and ultra-violet lights are available. For string algae or blanket weed you may try enzymes, yellow cornmeal or barley bales.

Fish Kills: Let's hope that it never happens. You walk out to feed the Koi and goldfish and many of them are floating on top of the water, dead. Many more are in distress, weak, sluggishly swimming around your pond.

If your fish are dying - don't panic. Follow these steps immediately:

Perform Water Tests - ammonia / nitrites / pH / oxygen levels. Make notes of live fish behavior, Remove all dead fish, Perform a 50% water change, Remove any sensitive plants like water hyacinths, water lettuce, Anacharis, parrots feather and perform a salt treatment. If the problem clears but only short term, your pond may need a thorough cleaning out. Please test your water before calling anyone for help. There's very little they can do if water tests have not been performed. The ammonia should be 0. So should the nitrites. pH should be between 6.8 and 8.0 though 7.0 to 7.5 is better.

Fish Behavior - Are they gulping for air? Are they swimming properly? Spiraling? Turning upside down? Think about what was done to the pond, if anything, which could attribute to the problem. Is there any film on the water?

Dispose of Dead Fish - Unless you're willing to take the fish to a university for an autopsy, there's nothing you can draw from a dead fish. Do note if the eyes look sunken, if there are any apparent ulcers, if the skin is peeling or if the fins are ragged. Get them out quickly. They will trash the water quality.

Perform a Water Change - Chances are something is wrong with the pond environment even if all water tests indicate no problem exists. It could be run-off or over-spray from insecticides or low dissolved oxygen levels in the pond. Either way, it does no harm to perform a water change. Do NOT forget to add dechlorinator if you are using tap water which is most often treated with chlorine.
Perform a Salt Treatment - Non-iodized, pure salt is inexpensive and so effective! Once you have changed your water out put in three cups of non-iodized, mineral-free salt per 100 gallons of water spread out over a 3-day period at the rate of one cup per 100 gallons per day. This will encourage the production of the fish's protective slime layer by natural means while they adjust to the addition of salt. We do not recommend using any product that artificially produces a slime coat, especially during an emergency. It will coat the fish's gills also taxing its ability to breathe.

Plants: All plants work like natural filters and give shade, shelter and food for your fish. The premiere plants are lilies. Lilies like sun, give good surface coverage and have beautiful blooms. Hardy Lilies die back in the winter, but are perennial. Tropical day and night blooming lilies may or may not be perennial in Texas, but are worth the gamble for their aroma, vibrant colors and frequency of bloom. Marginal or bog plants add variety and interest to your pond; from Arum to Water Poppy, both hardy and tropical, there are too many types to name here. Oxygenators are underwater plants that can be left free floating or potted and help with surface coverage and as spawning media for fish.

More information: Pond Plants

Uniseals and Bulkheads: Building a pond can have its share of frustrations. One of the biggest is trying to ensure that the pond is watertight. You have enough to worry about when it comes to puncturing the investment you made in the liner, you don’t need the worry of your connections through skimmers or filters.

You were extra careful when installing the skimmer face plate through the liner. You took your time in making sure every PVC joint was adequately glued. The weir to the waterfall is attached well and sealed properly, now comes the part where you need the PVC pipe to penetrate through the wall of a skimmer or bio filter.

To ensure a good seal, there are two options:

A bulkhead is made from plastic and has 2 parts to it that screw together and a gasket in the middle. Once you have the hole cut where you need to pipe to connect to the skimmer/container/filter etc. You take one part of the bulkhead and place on the inside of the container where the hole is cut, the other on the outside. The gasket supplied will be sandwiched between the container wall and in the inside gasket piece. The two pieces are then screwed together. The pressure created from the two pieces coming together compresses the inside bulkhead piece and the gasket against the inside wall creating a water tight seal.

They come in a variety of sizes to fit the pipe you are installing for your pond. The come in different styles from SLIP FIT the THREAD FIT for your outside pipe to attach to the bulkhead.

Bulkheads are very simple to install, however won't properly seal when trying to use them on anything with a curve to it's walls such as 55 gallon drums some people use for filtration. Bulkheads should only be used on the FLAT parts of container walls. They can get pricier as the size they facilitate grows.

Uniseals are soft rubber grommets (a rubber doughnut). The principal behind how they function is simple. You cut a hole where you need your pipe to penetrate the skimmer / container / filter, etc. Simply put the Uniseal in the hole and then push your pipe through the Uniseal. The pressure caused by the extremely tight fit as the PVC pipe squeezes the Uniseal rubber against the hole seals up for a water tight seal. Uniseals can be found here: The Uniseal Warehouse

Benefits of Uniseals include being more cost effective (cheaper than bulkheads) and they work in small spaces. They also can be used on CURVED walls of containers unlike bulkheads.

Downside, is sometimes getting them to go through the tight fitting Uniseal can have you cursing like a sailor! I’ve taken a little vegetable oil and lubed the pipe before inserting for a better slide though the Uniseal. Seams that the bigger diameter pipe you tackle, the more elbow grease your going to need to muster.

Both work equally well from using them in pond applications and boils down to personal preference.

Whatever you choose, don’t think you can just water seal your holes through pond components with sealant and be alright. Do it right the first time with a Bulkhead or a Uniseal.

Settlement Tanks: Every ponder is in pursuit of clear and clean water. Filters and methods of polishing the water come in a multitude of different designs and creations. One such way of effectively removing all the small floating organics is creating a series of filters made of plastic 55 gallon drums easily purchased or given away free at car washes and soda/food warehouses.

Several of these drums are then linked together for the water to flow through. Each drum has a specific purpose. The first drum in series that receives the incoming pond water is the SETTLEMENT tank. The water spins around in this tank and settles out the majority of the sediment, fish waste, and suspended particles in the water column from the pond. The 2nd tank normally has filter pads or other material to further cleanse the water. The last and final drum is for the BIO MATERIAL. By the time the water get's to this point - the water is fairly clean, allowing the bio material not to get as "gunked" up, so the bio-bugs living there can live and thrive and help clean your pond on a BIO LEVEL.

Critters: Your pond is all done, now it's time to relax, sit back, and enjoy your new creation! However, you’re not the only one that will be coming pond side for a visit!

Creatures great and small will find the new source of water/food/shelter/and cool retreat a welcome haven to incorporate in their life as well.

Depending on the area of the country you live in and how rural your locale is, your new guests will vary from unwanted king fishers hovering overhead to dive down on unsuspecting goldfish to several boisterous bull frogs or maybe even a snake looking for a opportunity to dine on other pond visitors!

It seems the first visitors to most peoples' ponds will be insects of all shapes and colors. Amazing arrays of dragonflies and mayflies come to drop eggs into the ponds waters and regenerate generations to come. With the insects comes the larger predators like frogs and toads. Almost from nowhere, these amphibians come to take advantage of the new water. Hopefully you will enjoy their nocturnal chorus, even though your neighbors may think the loud symphony is less than desirable.

Predatory mammals like raccoon may stop in to find a fish snack and uproot water plants in search of grubs and worms.

Death comes from above as well in the form of a fish keepers worst nightmare on wings - THE BLUE HERON.

In more rural areas, deer are often seen sneaking a cool morning drink at the pond. Ducks also have been known to use a pond as a welcome rest in their migration in certain areas.

Whatever your location, rest assured you’ll have wildlife in various forms coming to pay you a visit. Some of these visitors are desirable while others will have you ready to fly out the back door screaming and yelling to get them to leave... all part of the fun of water gardening and ponding!

Learn from experienced ponders: "If you were to do it all again, what would you do differently?" So much great information, we had to put it on it's own page.