How To Arrange A Pond On 6 Acres

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Pond device on your site

Decision-making

I think that all owners of small garden plots are faced with the problem of the correct distribution of the territory so that it is possible to fit a vegetable garden, flower beds, a green lawn, a decorative pond and, of course, a recreation area on it. When determining priorities, a body of water is often far from the first, if at all, on this list. The first step towards my old dream of building my own pond was the exchange of an apartment for a garden plot in a nearby suburb of St. Petersburg. Having received the backyard at my disposal, I, naturally, was in no hurry to clutter it up with beds and flower beds, since I intended to make at least a small pond on it …

1st week. May. Pond layout

Decision is made. There will be a pond! For an approximate determination of the costs of the arrangement, it was necessary to determine the dimensions of the pond. The larger the pond and the more intricate its shape, the more money will have to be spent on its equipment. The limiting factors in resolving the issue are not only money, but also the size of the site, as well as the possibility of wintering fish and plants. After weighing all the pros and cons, I finally decided on the dimensions of the pond. Length 6 m, width 4 m, depth of the wintering hole 1.5 m. Following the recommendations of many manuals, I marked the boundaries of the future pond with a watering hose. With this technique, it is visually easier to imagine the general picture of the arrangement of the pond-coastal complex.

2nd week. May. The digging process is the hardest part of building a pond

The process of digging up a pond is, to put it mildly, quite difficult. I had to spend about four days on it and bend my back pretty much. I would recommend hiring cheap labor or a mini excavator.

You also need to keep track of the same level of the banks. To do this, you need to use a long board and a level. The excavated earth can be used to build a rock garden or raise the general level of the ground on the site.

3rd week. May. Laying waterproofing materials. Filling the pond with water

The time has come to lay the waterproofing materials and fill the pond. It took me 14 hours. Half of them - for filling the pond with water.

Laying geotextiles - this material is used to prevent film punctures and other mechanical influences. For relatively little money, a 50 × 1 m roll of Russian brand was purchased. Since the roll is only 1 meter wide, the installation was carried out in stages. In some places, the edges had to be stitched (glued), and it turned out to be something like a solid cover.

Laying PVC foil- it is used to isolate the pond from the effects of groundwater and prevent the collapse of the banks. Teichfolie PVC film meets all the requirements for a garden pond and does not emit substances harmful to fish and plants. It is characterized by a good fit and the ability to regain its shape after compression. The film has high tensile strength, easy to stick, and is immune to heat, frost and UV radiation. To improve elasticity, it is recommended to install the film on warm sunny days. The folds are temporarily pressed with stones. The rest of the work will be done by water.

I calculated the size of the film as follows: I added a meter to the length and width of the pond on each side. The pond itself is 4 × 6 m, and the film needed 6 × 8 m for it. It was enough just right. Filling the pond with water. If you have loose soil or there is a problem of filling the pit with groundwater, then I recommend pouring water, at least half of the volume immediately after laying the film, then you will see how the water evens out the film and presses the folds to the sides. In principle, for convenience, this can be done after decorating the pond with stones.

If you are pouring water from the tap, then do not be lazy to take readings from the meter. This will help you calculate the exact volume of the pond for the correct selection of the right equipment model and the amount of hydrochemistry. 7 thousand liters of water or 7 cubic meters fit into my pond.

4-5th week. May. Selection of equipment, construction of a cascade

For the arrangement of the pond, I used a pressure filter. These filters can be located below the water level and are therefore easily masked by dropping them into the ground. For the operation of flow and pressure pond filters, you need to purchase pumps. There are several options: pump pumps and fountain pumps.

By the time the equipment was installed, a variety of aquatic insects had already appeared in the pond: water striders, swimming beetles, water lovers and crustaceans - aquatic donkeys that feed on detritus and other organic bottom sediments. A favorable environment for the development of living organisms, including fish, has formed in the pond. The process of decomposition of organic matter and the formation of mineral substances begins. And this entails the appearance of unwanted algae. It's time to install the filtration system. For this I need a pump, filter, hoses and a system for draining water into the pond. In my case, this is a small cascade. I dug a mold for him last week and then covered it with plastic. I used sandstone to fix and mask the film. Working with natural stone, although difficult, is a pleasure.

6th week. June. Selection and purchase of plants for the pond and coastal zone

Be sure to decide on the number of purchased plants and the scheme of their planting. First of all, I decided on the water lilies. I chose the "Attraction" variety. For the shallow water zone, the Pontederia cordata "Pink Pons" and the Pontederia cordata (Juncus ensifolius) were purchased. The rest of the plants were intended for the coastal zone and the rock garden. I will not list. Mostly conifers and barberries …

You can learn how to plant the plants of the coastal zone and how to plant pond water lilies correctly on the Zhivaya Voda portal in a series of articles by the author Oleg Labutov. In the online store "Living Water" you can purchase all the necessary equipment for the construction of a pond, as well as water lilies and koi carps at attractive prices!

O. Labutov, photo by the author

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