Everything you should know abouts Ponds:
**Here we will discuss many things associated with building and maintaining a pond and/or water garden. This will include Frequently Asked Questions and Basic Rules of Thumb:
Pond Liners, Stream Liners, and Underlayment for Decorative Ponds and Water Gardens
Welcome! Here’s a simple guide on pond liners, stream liners, and underlayment, which are important for building durable and beautiful ponds or water gardens. These materials ensure your pond holds water and stays in great condition for years to come.
What Are Pond Liners?
Pond liners act as barriers to stop water from leaking into the ground. We offer fish-safe liners that hold water effectively and keep your pond’s environment safe for fish and plants. Whether you're building a small garden pond or a large water garden, our liners are reliable and durable.
Types of Pond Liners
There are different pond liner options, each with its benefits. Your choice will depend on your pond’s size, shape, and budget.
45mil EPDM Rubber Liners
These are flexible, long-lasting, and UV-resistant. EPDM liners can handle extreme weather, are resistant to punctures, and are safe for fish, making them perfect for koi ponds. For the strongest protection, choose 45mil thickness.
Why Use Pond Liners?
- Water Retention: Liners keep water from leaking, maintaining the pond's water level, which is crucial for fish and plants.
- Durability: They’re built to withstand weather changes, UV rays, and physical wear, so you don’t have to worry about frequent repairs.
- Fish-Safe: Our liners are chemical-free, ensuring a safe and healthy home for fish and aquatic life.
What Are Stream Liners?
Stream liners are used to create flowing water features like streams and waterfalls. They have similar qualities to pond liners but are designed specifically for water movement.
- Flexible: They can be shaped to fit irregular contours.
- Durable: They resist tears, punctures, and UV rays.
- Easy to Install: Perfect for DIY projects or professional installations.
Underlayment: The Extra Protection
Underlayment goes between the ground and the pond liner, adding extra protection. It helps prevent sharp objects from puncturing the liner and extends its life by providing support and cushioning.
Benefits of Underlayment:
- Protection from Sharp Objects: Prevents damage from rocks, roots, or debris.
- Cushioning: Helps distribute the weight of water and any decorative features.
- Extended Liner Life: Adds durability, reducing the need for repairs.
How to Install Pond Liners and Underlayment
- Prepare the Site: Clear any sharp objects and smooth the pond’s surface.
- Install the Underlayment: Lay it across the entire pond area, smoothing out wrinkles.
- Install the Pond Liner: Place it over the underlayment, adjusting it to fit the pond’s shape, then fill the pond with water.
- Finishing Touches: Trim the liner and add rocks, plants, or waterfalls to enhance the pond's beauty.
By using the right liners and underlayment, you'll ensure that your pond is durable, long-lasting, and beautiful!
Filtration: To enjoy a beautiful pond, it's important to keep it clean and easy to take care of. A good filter helps keep the water clear and only needs a few cleanings each year. If the filter is too small, the water won't be as clean. Bigger filters work better because they have more space to trap dirt. A good filter catches small debris, stops the water from getting cloudy, and helps create a healthy pond where everything can live happily.
Filter Size: The size of the filter you need depends on things like water temperature, sunlight, how many fish you have, how often you feed them, how much waste they make, and the quality of the water. For a pond that's easy to take care of, a good tip is to have a filter that can hold about 3-7% of the total amount of water in the pond. This helps keep the water clean with less work.
A combination of filters is the best way to keep the water clear all the time: Using just biological and mechanical filters might not be enough to keep your pond clean. Adding a skimmer, hidden along the pond’s edge, can make a big difference. It pulls in the top layer of water, catching leaves and debris before they sink to the bottom, reducing waste by up to 85%. You can also add a UV clarifier, which uses ultraviolet light to kill algae and keep the water clear. This helps prevent the water from turning green and keeps your pond looking clean and clear.
Adding a VALVE: Make sure to avoid getting a pump that's too weak for your pond. It's a good idea to choose a pump that's a size bigger than what you think you’ll need. Add a ball valve to the pump’s outlet so you can control the water flow. You can also use a diverter valve to split the water flow into two places and control how much water goes to each one. This gives you better control over your pond's water system.
Choosing the right filter...Which is right for me:
This is a common question we get a lot. With so many types of filters available - biological, mechanical, pressurized, upflow, bead filters - it can be confusing! Let me break it down for you.
Bio Filters
These filters, like the Tetra Clear Choice and FishMate Biological Filters, sit on the outside edge of the pond. While they are visible, you can hide them with landscaping or under a deck. Water is pumped from the pond up to the filter, and then it flows back down into the pond by gravity. These are called bio filters, mechanical filters, or gravity-fed filters. They use foam pads or other materials, like bio media balls or lava rock, to filter the water. Some models even have a UV clarifier built in to help kill algae.
Pressurized Filters
Pressurized filters, like the FishMate and Tetra Pressurized Filters, are popular because you can bury them about 2/3 into the ground, making them easy to hide. They use foam pads and bio media, and some also have a UV clarifier. What makes these special is that they can push water up to a waterfall or stream since they are sealed and build pressure inside. Just be careful not to lift water more than 3-4 feet from the filter. Some models have a backwash feature, making it easy to clean the filter by turning a dial to discharge waste.
Upflow Filters
Upflow filters are typically used in more professional setups. These are large boxes that filter water efficiently using polyester pads and bio media that you usually need to add yourself. They also act as waterfall boxes, meaning the water flows over a lip, creating a waterfall effect. Some models discharge water through a pipe instead of a waterfall. You can use these filters with either a submersible or external pump, and they are often paired with a skimmer to reduce maintenance.
Bead Filters
Bead filters, like the Aqua Ultima II, are high-end filters commonly used in koi ponds or when you need powerful filtration. These barrel-shaped filters are filled with plastic media beads that provide lots of surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow. The Aqua Ultima II can be backwashed easily by flipping a lever, which makes cleaning simple. Bead filters are sealed and can handle up to 50 PSI, allowing them to push water up many feet. These filters typically use an external pump, but high-pressure submersible pumps can also work.
In summary, each type of filter has its strengths, and the right choice depends on your pond's needs and how much maintenance you want to do.
Selecting a Pump:
To keep your pond healthy, the pump needs to be strong enough to move all the water through the filter once every one or two hours. The pump should be able to handle at least 500 gallons per hour (gph). When picking a pump, there are several important things to think aboutHead pressure:
Pumps face resistance as they move water from the pond to the filter, waterfall, or other features. The farther and higher the pump pushes the water, the less water it can move. Gravity adds pressure, which also lowers the pump's output. Pumps are rated by how much water they can move without any resistance. For example, a 1000 gph pump can move 1000 gallons per hour, but that's without any pipes connected. Check the pump's flow chart for more details on how much water it can actually move when in use.To figure out the right pipe size, you should focus on the pump's gallons per hour (GPH), not the size of the pump's discharge opening. Many people use pipes that are too small, which reduces the pump's flow. The correct pipe size depends on the pump’s maximum GPH capacity.
Waterfall:
Some people choose to use two pumps for their waterfall setup. Here's a simple rule to follow: for every foot of waterfall width, you need about 1200 gallons per hour (gph) of pump capacity. This can vary based on certain factors (check the Waterfall Width chart below for more details).
You also need to think about the right flow for your filtration system, which is where the second pump comes in. For example, if you have a 3-foot-wide waterfall and a pond with 1000 gallons of water, you'd need about 3600 gph for the waterfall and only 500 to 1000 gph for filtration. In this case, you would use a smaller pump for filtration and a larger one for the waterfall.
Having two pumps is also a good backup plan in case one stops working. Remember, this flow recommendation is just a starting point; you can always adjust based on your preferences. Personally, I like to go with 2400 gph per foot of waterfall width for a fuller waterfall effect
Above or below the water level:
Almost all the pumps we sell need to be placed below the water level of the pond. This setup is called "Flooded Suction." With this design, gravity helps pull water into the pump, making it easier to start. However, we do have some external pumps that can either self-prime or need a priming pot or leaf trap to work when they’re above the water level.