I'm looking for an easy way out since I garden alone. Planning on having some grading work done and may as well excavate a pond site. I saw a pre-formed pond at Home Depot
Excellent price. Does anyone know what I should look for in material or quality? Has anyone done a pre form? I'd really like to stay away from the liners since I know my dogs will want to try it out!
Need advice in choosing a pond
Hi Violabird! And welcome to Dave's. It's a pleasure to meet you.
I have a preform pond and I love it. I also got mine from Home Depot. You will get lots of different opinions on whether a preform or a liner is "better" but for me the preform is simply more convenient. It's easier for me to keep it clean. I keep my fish in all winter but I also have a heater going about 5% of the day. (about 1-1/2 hrs) If you're planning on having plants then you'll want a preform with ledges on the sides. I will suggest that you'll want to go as deep as physically possible if you're planning on having fish and keeping them all winter. I see you're in Georgia so I don't think that will be much of a problem.
Let us know if you need more help. That's what we're here for!!
Again, Welcome!!
"T"
Thanks Sledder, nice to meet you too! The one I'm considering is 220 gal. is that a good size? I read somewhere that there is a minimum size that would be more stable, but I can't find that info again.
My first pond was a 220 gallon from Home Depot. It is a wonderful starter pond. But it will fill up real quick. I was able to put 3 lilies in it along with some floaters. You could add some marginals on the shelves also. I love it very much. But I needed to go much larger. LOL. But it will always have a place in my garden.
I got mine from Home Depot and it lasted only two winters.
Has a leak in the bottom some where. Will make a bog pond out of it and make a new pond out of rubber liner this spring.
Hmmmm, Home Depot says they have a new supplier this year for better quality, I hope it's true. They also say that the great thing is that they don't need to be sunk completely into the ground... Any more advice from you Real Ponders on this?
Thanks, I really hope to start soon, but I really value your advice!
Tarogers,you can always put the liner in your already existing pond.......
I just cleaned out my pond from home depot. It is in perfect condition. I have not had any problems with it. It is made of very rugged plastic. Easy to clean also. Much easier than my other liner ponds. I just wish I could purchase a pre-formed pond large enough for my needs. But it is impossible. I had to go up to over 7,000 gallon pond this year. Will add another 7,0000 pond this fall for next spring. That tells me that I need to stop purchasing lilies. HA HA.
Violabird, Great way to get started. And welcome to ponding. There is only one bad side to ponding----------- you always have to have a larger pond, it is like an infection,an itch you'll never get rid of.... Oh, but what a wonderful itch.
There are many, many sites on the web where you can find help and Dave's is one of the Best.
I hope you enjoy ponding
Annabelle15
I'm in the same boat as Violabird. I garden alone and think a pond would look wonderful. One thing I need advise on is location. Sun or Shade? I'd like to place it about 10 feet from the house in front of a bay window. It is on the east side of the house so gets morning sun and afternoon shade. Won't the sun promote algae to grow? Everyone I talk to advises me not to start too small. They always want bigger. Like boaters. Any advise?
Oh boy...another hot topic. It depends on what sort of water garden you want. Are you planning on having fish? and plants? You'll prefer the sun if you're planning on having plants. Fish like nice cool water. And you're gonna have algae not matter where you put it. You're in Rochester, NY, right? Then you're weather will keep it cool even in the sun. Mine is in the late morning and all afternoon sun. If the water seems too warm to me during those hot summer days I simply float ice jugs in it.
Grab a shovel and start digging. lol Although you'll probably have to move the snow first. lol
I opted for the rubber liner instead of the preformed. There is more design flexibility in the liners. A couple of cautions from others I know who put in the preformed ponds:
1. you will have to make the hole exactly like the form. Or you will end up with buckling and cracking. Suggest you use a hose to settle the soil around it as you install it.
2. buy one twice the size of what you think you want--if it will fit in the space. Anabelle is right. I have an 800 gal. pond, which I thought was HUGE and I could never fill. WRONG! Took me about two years, though I still manage to squeak in a few small bulbs here and there. I'm about to the limit on that, too now. I'm ready for another, larger pond--you can't add onto preforms usually. Some have "modules" to where you can put on little stream runs, falls, etc. instead of just having a big pool.
HAPPY PONDING!
But, one benifit of preformed ponds in the ease of cleaning them. I can just pop them out an clean them and put back in hole. With my liners, I have a horrible time cleaning them. But I do enjoy the liners ponds greatly. Mostly when you have to get the size pond I have to have now. LOL. Just installed a 7,000 and am sure I will have it filled up within a month. Now planning on installing another 7,000 to just handle my victoria lilies this year. When will this ever end? LOL