One of the most important considerations in any pond construction is in deciding exactly what it is that you wish to achieve from the pond. If built correctly then the hobby can be incredibly enjoyable and there is nothing more enjoyable than spending a summer evening observing the fish and other wildlife that gather around the pond.

The first thing to consider is whether you wish to create a Koi pond. This decision will have a great effect on all aspects of the pond construction. If you choose to have Koi carp you must bear in mind that the pond will need to be large and at least 4 feet deep in some areas. Also you are much less likely to have other wildlife in the pond since Koi will eat frog spawn, newt spawn, tadpoles, dragon fly larvae and almost anything else that will fit in their mouths. They will also eat lily roots making it much harder to grow water lilies.

If you choose not to have Koi then you can get away with a smaller pond and have a combination of goldfish, and hopefully eventually newts, frogs and toads as they slowly migrate towards your pond.

The final option which is becoming increasingly popular is the pure wildlife pond with no fish at all. A pond such as this will attract all sorts of wildlife including frogs, newts, toads, dragonflies, a variety of aquatic insects, as well as the occasional grass snake or water vole.

Once you have decided on the type of wildlife you would like to keep in your pond you must then focus on the style and the method of construction.

By far the most long-lasting pond is the concrete pond. In this instance a hole would be dug, filled with concrete and the concrete would be treated and painted with several coats of sealant. The advantages to this method are that you are very unlikely to get any problems with leaks and it will last literally for years.

The most popular option is to dig a hole and use either PVC or preferably some form of Butyl or Firestone rubber to line it. These liners will last for years but are obviously not as permanent as the concrete option.

The other increasingly popular option is the more formal square raised pond lined in brick or wood, or sunk into a patio.

The final consideration is filtration systems. In a totally natural pond without any fish you can get away without a filtration system but the water will never stay as clean and you can end up with algae problems due to the lack of a UV bulb in the filters.

For any large Koi pond a good quality large filtration system containing plenty of sponges and biomedia is absolutely essential in order to maintain water quality and must be included into your budget.

This has been a very brief guide to the possible options for pond construction, and some of the things to consider in your budget, there are obviously all sorts of other ideas that can be incorporated into these systems such as rockeries with waterfalls, streams, bridges, bog gardens and various planting schemes.

Nathanael Thomas www.broadleyaquatics.co.uk We are a team of qualified aquarists based in Surrey with over 14 years in the trade. Our services include pond design, pond construction, pond cleaning, pond maintenance and pond building, as well as offering general advice in any aspects of fish-keeping.

Nathanael Thomas http://www.broadleyaquatics.co.uk We are a team of aquarists based in Surrey with over 14 years in the trade. Our services include pond design, pond construction, pond cleaning, pond maintenance and pond building, as well as offering general advice in any aspects of fish-keeping.

Author Bio: Nathanael Thomas www.broadleyaquatics.co.uk We are a team of qualified aquarists based in Surrey with over 14 years in the trade. Our services include pond design, pond construction, pond cleaning, pond maintenance and pond building, as well as offering general advice in any aspects of fish-keeping.

Category: Gardening
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