Pond building advice

[southlonder]

I am trying to build a small pond and have finished with the digging bit.
Two questions :-
1) Can I get a decent pond liner from homebase ?
2) It is not 100% even can I just use soil to build up the low bit ?

[ron1863]

You can get decent pond liners from numerous sources - garden centres are good but dearer. Line the pond with thick layer of sand before putting the liner to ensure that there are no sharp stones etc that could pierce the liner.

[southlonder]

Could I use newspaper instead of sand ?

[ron1863]

Originally Posted by southlonder

Could I use newspaper instead of sand ?

I don't know, but I would imagine that it would rot down and any sharp stones could then pierce the lining.
Someone on WAB will give you better advice than me, but sand is very cheap to buy, especially a builders merchant, B&Q and Homebase are too dear.

Ron

[Kayleigh]

Hi southlonder,
Its best to line it with sand then use either old carpet or proper pond underlay. Try to go for the butyl as this has a lifetime guarantee and it is more flexible.
But if you want a cheaper option go for a pvc.

[deer boy]

Hi southlonder as Ron & Kayleigh said best to use sand (look in your local playing park )
As for question 2 i wouldn't worry about it our pond has a deep end & a shallow end

[Kayleigh]

Yes you can level it with soil. You really need to get it level, or you will find it hard to hide the liner. Then it will crack with the weather.

[shei111]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Yes you can level it with soil. You really need to get it level, or you will find it hard to hide the liner. Then it will crack with the weather.

Hello What I done when we first dug our pond was bought some sharpe sand then went to the local dump and got a carpet put that in, with butyl liner its guaranteed for life but ordinary liner carries 10 year gaurantee, like kayleigh say make sure its pretty much level otherwise you will see the liner in higher parts, but if unfortunately you do see a bit of the liner you can get some turf and hang it over the pond edge so that eventually the grass will grow down to the water, good in a way because thats how frogs like to go in and out of ponds plus you will next year see frog spawn in the grassed edges , and it does look very natural.We all have different ideas how we build our ponds this was my way, probaly another member will give you better advise then its up to you, good luck. shei.

[larachmor]

My main advice would be not to skimp on the quality of the liner - buy the best you can, and make sure it comes with a good guarantee. At some stage you may well find yourself having to go in to do a bit of maintenance and/or clearance and this is when the liner is most susceptible to damage (e.g. a small stone in the tread of your wellie!!) A friend of mine installed a new pond, used cheap liner, sprung a small leak and all his hard work had to be undone.

[Lance Morgan]

Paper/carpet etc will rot. Get a good quality liner and use sand as a base for the liner.

[Kayleigh]

This is my pond lined with sand, I then lined it with pond underlay for extra protection.

[forfi]

I have 2 ponds in my project and there are some photies and a little detail in my photo files.The ponds are a part of a bigger project.

forfi Gallery - Wild About Britain Pics

[Dan Salter]

sadly you have already passed the part where in my opinion people go most wrong and that is the digging/profile of the pond...i see umpteen ponds for wildlife built with steep sides...they look like a sunken bath or jaccuzi..which is no good for wildlife...i think the problem is when people dig a pond...in their head they picture those awful preformed plastic gold fish ponds from garden centres and emulate that?....

keep it sloping gradual and shallow with beaches and deep in the centre...just like nature does it. i would go with the sand and old carpet loption....its tricky...yes ok carpet will rot eventually!...but sand only stops the stones it wont stop determined roots and brambles from piercing the liner...old carpet will hold this off for a lot longer...than sand on its own.

[southlonder]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

sadly you have already passed the part where in my opinion people go most wrong and that is the digging/profile of the pond...i see umpteen ponds for wildlife built with steep sides...they look like a sunken bath or jaccuzi..which is no good for wildlife...i think the problem is when people dig a pond...in their head they picture those awful preformed plastic gold fish ponds from garden centres and emulate that?....

keep it sloping gradual and shallow with beaches and deep in the centre...just like nature does it. i would go with the sand and old carpet loption....its tricky...yes ok carpet will rot eventually!...but sand only stops the stones it wont stop determined roots and brambles from piercing the liner...old carpet will hold this off for a lot longer...than sand on its own.

Can you not have sloping on one side ? Or a rim rather than sloping ? It is just that my pond is quite small (cos my garden is) and I want it to be deep enough for wildlife but good with the sides ?

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by southlonder

Can you not have sloping on one side ? Or a rim rather than sloping ? It is just that my pond is quite small (cos my garden is) and I want it to be deep enough for wildlife but good with the sides ?

a compromise is good, one part sloping one part stepped (rim) which you can put plants in baskets on? but SOMEWHERE must have gradual slopes for amphibian access...but also for acces out if a Hedgehog falls in etc?...

[southlonder]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

a compromise is good, one part sloping one part stepped (rim) which you can put plants in baskets on? but SOMEWHERE must have gradual slopes for amphibian access...but also for acces out if a Hedgehog falls in etc?...

How about a piece of wood so anything that falls in can get out ?

[Kayleigh]

My pond is sloping on all sides, it has a gravel edge on the sleeper side where its shallow enough for blue tits and goldfinches to bath and drink and a turf edge on the lawn side where the grass is kept long. Any Hedgehogs that come along can easily get out. I though a wildlife pond and sloping edges goes together.,
That's the whole point so wildlife has easy access.

[cat72uk]

i have just put in my 3rd pre moulded pond
never had a problem with my other 2 so i used one again

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by southlonder

How about a piece of wood so anything that falls in can get out ?

Its better than nowt...a pile of logs half submerged or some un sharp rocks/boulders/pebbles....just think like a hedgeypig....

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

My pond is sloping on all sides, it has a gravel edge on the sleeper side where its shallow enough for blue tits and goldfinches to bath and drink and a turf edge on the lawn side where the grass is kept long. Any Hedgehogs that come along can easily get out. I though a wildlife pond and sloping edges goes together.,
That's the whole point so wildlife has easy access.

Totally agree kayleigh....

[forfi]

What about the water?

[forfi]

Ahhhhh So.Any old water will do?

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by forfi

Ahhhhh So.Any old water will do?

Sorry!! thought it was a trick question..

You can use tap water if you must but its best to use rain water as with tap water you will get blanket weed but that will clear with time.

[forfi]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Sorry!! thought it was a trick question..

It was Reading another thread just now I was amused at the thought of having a pool settle after just 2 weeks and this using tap water.Most tap water is essence of swimming pool and the chlorine alone will kill off many of the microscopic creatures that live in ponds and thus mess up the food chain.I use only rain water and spring water from our well when needed and yet those ponds took nearly 2 years to settle.Wildlife is maybe more important to us at the microscopic level, I accept that most folks like to ooooh and ahhhhhhh at the idea of Bambi coming to drink at their pool but with so much of the countryside wrecked,these pools are a lot more important than ever before.Think of them as sanctuaries for our dwindling water-dwellers.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by forfi

It was Reading another thread just now I was amused at the thought of having a pool settle after just 2 weeks and this using tap water.Most tap water is essence of swimming pool and the chlorine alone will kill off many of the microscopic creatures that live in ponds and thus mess up the food chain.I use only rain water and spring water from our well when needed and yet those ponds took nearly 2 years to settle.Wildlife is maybe more important to us at the microscopic level, I accept that most folks like to ooooh and ahhhhhhh at the idea of Bambi coming to drink at their pool but with so much of the countryside wrecked,these pools are a lot more important than ever before.Think of them as sanctuaries for our dwindling water-dwellers.

The chlorine in tap water evaporates off quite quickly its the nitrates that causes algal bloom that's the problem..
By the time microscopic creatures arrive at the the pond the chlorine will be gone.
But chlorine affects the mucus membrane on amphibians and fish so is best avoided topping up an established pond up with it.

I can't understand how yours has taken so long to clear..
Is there enough plants and oxygenators in there.
Have you got a liner or is the pond natural and is something like fish stirring up the bottom.

[forfi]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

The chlorine in tap water evaporates off quite quickly its the nitrates that causes algal bloom that's the problem..
By the time microscopic creatures arrive at the the pond the chlorine will be gone.
But chlorine affects the mucus membrane on amphibians and fish so is best avoided topping up an established pond up with it.

I can't understand how yours has taken so long to clear..
Is there enough plants and oxygenators in there.
Have you got a liner or is the pond natural and is something like fish stirring up the bottom.

Sorry Kayleigh,left out an essential word there.I should have said settled down,it cleared after 2 weeks but it was 2 years before it settled down to becoming its own little eco-system with everything from bacteria upwards in residence. Have a look at me photies which explian part of the story,more to come when I get time.forfi Gallery - Wild About Britain Pics

Topping up with tap water can be lethal to tiny creatures unless the water is allowed to sit until the chlorine evaporates,but that's not the only toxin in tap water.