Let's Start Digging

Hold on there cowboy, you got some planning to do. Before embarking on this long journey, here are a few things to consider:
Location and size of the pond
Layout and size of the equipment.
Facilities like power and water
Dirt disposal, yes, there will be lots of it.
Safety, both kids and pets

The size of your pond will depend on two main items, the available area and use. If you are going after raising prize Koi, then there are several criteria you need to follow. You will need a minimum depth of 3 feet up to 6 feet or more. If you want just a garden pond with plants and goldfish, then you can build a much smaller pond. There are also other considerations depending on if it freezes at your location or building codes.

Layout covers things like having your waterfall and river at one end and a skimmer at the opposite end. Some people will consider prevailing winds to ensure that surface debris is directed toward their skimmer. That’s pretty hard to figure out given proximity to fences, trees or other structures. So, just stick with the first thought. River on one end skimmer on the other. Not only will this help keep the pond free of debris, it will also circulate the water throughout the whole pond.

Equipment covers pumps, skimmers and plumbing. Pumps should be sized to provide enough water flow to exchange 1-1/2 time the total amount of pool water per hour. I have used submersible pumps in the past, but given I’m trying to be maintenance free as possible. I’m going with an external pump this time. The wattage and GPH also tend to be much better on external pumps vs submersible as well. Bio-Filters are great, but they still produce waste that needs to be cleaned. It’s a job that is very messy and stinky. You have to remove all the filter material hose it all down, keep the dog from rolling in the muck and then put it all together again. This time, I’m going with an external pellet type biological filter. It is similar to a pool filter except it used small plastic pellets as opposed to sand. Cleaning is done by walking up and turning a knob to flush out the muck. This waste will be stored in plastic barrels to water the flowers. I have seen firsthand how much muck settles to the bottom of a pond to not use a bottom drain. So I will incorporate two, one at each end of the pond. Unless your pond is indoors, it will also need a skimmer. This will carry off everything that settles on the surface. Which if you’re not careful will include floating plants and small fish.

Facilities is self explanatory. You will need power to run pumps, UV Filter, lighting and whatever else you install. Plan ahead and add some capacity for future additions. Having water nearby is also a bonus, as you won’t have to stretch a hose across the lawn to add water.

Dirt Disposal, It’s amazing how you can dig a one foot by one foot hole and end up with a two foot by two foot pile of dirt. Plan ahead and store the dirt well away from where you are digging. There’s nothing worse than having to move your pile as it’s in the way. You will use some for the waterfall and river, but you’ll probably still have more than you know what you can do with. In the past, I have built a raised bed garden planter and also disposed of via the normal garbage pickup. Be forewarned, that there is usually a weight restriction, so you can only dispose of a few buckets at a time. The last pond I built was located in Arizona, where the ground tends to be very hard. I used to fill the hole with water and by the weekend, I was able to remove enough dirt to fill the garbage can for the week. Refill with water and repeat all summer long, fun times.

Safety, pond sides tend to be very slick with algae, so anything that falls in will have a very hard time getting out. Local building coded might dictate that a fence of some sort be placed around the pond. Both my previous pond and this pond are already located behind the pool fence, so I’m already there. I will also be building in plant shelves at varying heights that can be used as steps to exit the pond, as the dogs tend to like to swim in the summer.

This is not meant to be a step by step guide, as there are several books already available to provide those. I’m providing things I have seen and learned over the years, so you can hopefully get several years of enjoyment out of your pond instead of regretting the day you dug it.