Hi all!
I am a first timer at water gardening. I am planning to put in a pond in my backyard. I am in the process of digging the hole for the pond. My pond is going to be about 15'x20'. I was wondering if folks had any advise regarding pond kits as opposed to buying pond items individually?
Any other advise is greatly appreciated!
Michael
Building a pond. Should I use a kit or not?
Hi there fellow PA gardener! And welcome! I have a small water garden with a preform pond. If you're considering a "kit" do your homework. By that I mean alot of reading first. Compare the prices of the various parts to purchasing individually. My biggest concern would be whether the pumps are large enough. I'm a big believer in keeping all the water moving through a filtering system and if the pump isn't big enough I'd be worried. I have approx 230 gal and I'm constantly running 2 pumps. And in the summer I run 3.
Also keep in mind you'll most likely want to go bigger within a couple years.
ml, just slipping in to say happy birthday. So, Happy Birthday!
Ml, I agree. If you are going to buy a kit, do your homework. Many kits dont really take into account the lift and such when they include the pump. I find many pumps are inadequate for the size pond in the kit. Especially if you are going to have anything like a waterfall. I have a waterfall and a waterfeature. My waterfall is run by a 1600gph pump. My little water feature is run by a 750gph pump. Also remember that if the water is going through a filter, that will slow it down too. You want the water to circulate once an hour. Many people make their own filters and make it better and cheaper than what is available out their.
I don't have a pond, but both Sledder & rylaff brought up what I've heard the "pros" say on radio programs. The two biggest mistakes people make are 1) pump too small to do the job wanted, and 2) either they start with a pond too small (as soon as it's up, they love it so much, they wish they'd gone bigger) or they don't plan to allow for going bigger in the future.
How do you make your own filter, and with what? I bought an urn that I will eventually turn into a water feature (I don't have an outlet outdoors yet). All I want the water to do is constantly spill over the sides, down through river rock into the catch basin, and then re-circulate. Do I need a filter for that?
The filter helps keep the pond balanced so that nasty waste products like ammonia dont build up and kill the fishies. So if you are not going to put fish in there, then you dont really need the filter for that. There are alot of websites with instructions on building your own filter and can be done better and for a fraction of the cost.
Hello, I been installing ponds as a hobby turned into a small Business. I use a kit purchased from Aquascapes in Chicago. You can find there products just about all over. Sure you can make some of your own items, it will save money. I think of the time and trouble when it does'nt work just right. When I order a kit it comes with everything. I just measure and call in and order a kit for a 16X21 pond and I get everything but stones and plants. everything is already calculated for you, liner size pump size everything. To this day all my customers are very happy. Let's see if I can add a picture of my pond.
That is so pretty. You must enjoy it a lot.
Yes very much!!!