Before we begin with the step-by-step instructions.

Have you decided on the location? An ideal location in your landscape for a pond/waterfall is near a patio, where you can enjoy its soothing sounds. However, almost any location is acceptable. Just make sure that your pond can be viewed and heard by you and your guests from sitting areas and other viewpoints.

Location and size are the two most important decisions you'll make about your water feature. By some estimates, 90 percent of the original water gardens sold are replaced later with larger ones. An enthusiastic pond hobbyist always finds new plants or interesting fish to add to his investment.

Trace your prospective pond out on the ground with a garden hose to help you visualize what the finished size will be. Look for an area that offers a slope as slopes are perfect for use as a backdrop and foundation in constructing your waterfall. Precaution: If you have even the slightest suspiscion that you will be digging near buried cables make sure to call your local utility companies to have the location of these cables marked before digging.

Have you decided what type of liner? Chances are, if you have come to this page you are inerested in using your own creative abilities to design and integrate a freestyle garden pond into your landscape and your choice of liner will be a flexible one. If you've decided to use a rigid preformed pond liner go here to see the many varieties available. Instructions for installing a prformed pond will come with your purchase.

 

Building Your Garden Pond

 

Tools you will need:

Round and flat point shovels

Carpenters level and a 2x4 lumber

Can of orange spray paint

Pruners to cut away roots

Maybe a wheelbarrow

Leather gloves

IMPORTANT! Before buying any materials, begin, if you haven't already done so, by drawing a simple sketch on paper of the general shape you would like to build your pond. As a general rule, a 180 square-foot or 11' x 16' pond is a good "standard" size water feature, however, you may build a pond whatever size you desire.

Step 1 - Outlining Your Pond

Use your sketch as a guideline to outline the shape (outside perimeter) of your pond on the ground using orange marker spray paint or a garden hose. We always use paint. Most pond excavations have flat ledges, called plant shelves, at different depths all around the perimeter. These plant shelves allow for the placement of different types of plantings of varying heights. Paint out these lines for shelves as well.

If you plan to have a waterfall mark with paint where you intend to locate it. Visit Building A Waterfall for detailed instructions on building a waterfall.

Step 2 - Excavation

Now that you have outlined your pond excavation may begin. Start by first digging out the deepest section of your pond. If you plan to have fish, make sure to dig one section of the pond at least 30" deep to provide a safety zone if predators come around.

If your area around the pond is flat use the excavated dirt to build a mound for where your waterfall will be located. (On flat ground we usually don't go more than about 18-24" high for the waterfall). Visit Building A Waterfall for detailed instructions on building a waterfall.

If you are building your pond on a sloped grade place excess dirt around the bottom half or so of the perimeter create a level rim around the top of the excavation. This will ensure that when you fill your pond, the liner on one side or the other in the interior of your pond, will not show.

After digging out the deepest area of the pond to 30" deep or so, start on the next deepest level (18" deep), and then the next (12" deep).

If you plan to use a submersible pump and would like to make sure that it is hidden from view excavate an area outside of the perimeter where the pump will go. This area should only be wide and deep enough to house your pump and the container or pot that you will enclose it in. Visit Building A Waterfall for detailed instructions on building a waterfall.

NOTE: As you excavate dirt and build berms keep a carpenter level handy. As you go, place a 2x4 stick of lumber across the top edge of the excavation to ensure that when excavation is completed the water level will be at a even height, just below the flat rocks that will hang over the edge of the water. Measure level from different angles as you go. Minor adjustments can always be made later.

After excavation is completed, remove any rocks, sticks, and other debris. Then line the bottom of the hole with an inch or two of sand and a 1/4 -inch layer of newspaper or carpet.

At this point you may want to consider tiering (stair-stepping) any berm that you have created around the perimeter of your pond so that when placing flat stones there later they will have a flat shelf to lie on.

Step 3 - Obtaining Supplies

After excavation is completed you are now ready to measure for a liner. Determining the size pump and tubing you will need will also be necessary. The reason to wait until this point to purchase supplies is that you never know how wide or deep you will actually go when it comes to the excavation process. What if you prepurchased a custom-cut liner that ended up to be too small? You want to wait until the excavation is completed to measure and then purchase the pond liner.

Measuring for the Liner - Liner size is calculated based on the width, length and depth of the excavation, the size and number of plant shelves, and the amount of edge overhang, so the sizing will be more accurate if done after the excavation is complete.

To measure, we use a sewing measuring tape. First, determine the width the liner will need to be by laying the measuring tape along the widest point in your pond. Press the tape flat across any shelves and drape over any berms around the perimeter. Add a foot or so to your final measurement to allow for any errors. Next, determine the length the liner will need to be by laying the tape along the longest point in your pond.

NOTE: If you will be constructing a waterfall, measurements for a liner to run beneath the water will also need to be taken and written down. Visit Building A Waterfall for details on liner requirements for a waterfall.

Choosing a Liner - A flexible pond liner is a heavy, black rubberized or synthetic material that is specially designed and manufactured for this purpose. Do not use plastic sheathing, swimming pool liners, or other materials for your pond liner, as they are easily damaged and can be susceptible to degradation by sunlight and freezing temperatures. We prefer using Permalon, an industrial 12 ply cross grain polyethylene laminate for maximum permanence with rugged strength and light weight for easy handling.

Choosing a Pump for a Waterfall - Pumps are available in both submersible and external (out-of-pond models). Reputable water garden suppliers have charts and other information available that can help you select the best model and connecting equipment for your purposes. For the smaller pond, a submersible pump is the most economical. Depending on the size of the pond, a filter and even a skimmer may also be incorporated.

Pumps come in a confusing array of models and sizes.You will need a pump if you are planning on moving water in your pond, whether by a waterfall, stream, fountain, or spouting ornament. Below is some information that will help you determine what size of pump you will need for your pond or water feature. It will not matter whether the pond has a liner, or if it is a preformed pond.

Pumps are sized by gallons per hour (GPH) output at one foot of lift or height. Larger capacity pumps are rated by horsepower (hp). Manufacturers offer charts that break down the power of each size pump according to incremental heights of one foot. Some companies label pumps by GPH while others assign letter or number designations that require cross-referencing to charts.

It is recommended that the water in a basic pond be turned between ½ to 1 times per hour. A 500-gallon pond should have at least a 500 Gallon Per Hour pump. When sizing a pump for a pond there are a few other considerations. How high will the pump have to lift water? Will there be a waterfall or fountain? Will there be filters? All of these variables reduce the amount of flow, which could affect water quality and clarity.

(Don't let any of this technical information about pumps scare you away! A few simple mesurements taken will provide your pond supply source or local pond consultant with the information needed to assist you in choosing the right pump. Just remember this: DO NOT skimp on the pump!)

Important Measurements to Write Down - To determine the pump required for your pond:

Submersible Pumps are placed directly in the pond. They are free of distracting noise and can be used to drain your pond when necessary. These pumps do have a disadvantage. The pump seal can rupture, sending oil coolant into the water. This can prevent surface gas exchanges, thereby endangering your fish. We would recommend the new magnetic-drive pump, which avoids the use of coolants. They are more expensive to buy but are far less expensive to operate.

Calculating Water Volume
Rectangle Ponds. Length in feet x width in feet x depth in feet =cubic feet. Example: 10' L x 6' W x 2' D = 120 cubic feet x 7.5 gallons = 900 gallons

Circular pond. 3.14 (1/2 diameter in feet x 1/2 diameter in feet) x depth in feet = cubic feet.

Free form shapes. Break the pond down into a series of rectangles and circles and figure the volume of each area separately, then add the volumes together.

NOTE: Each cubic foot contains 7.5 gallons of water, so always multiply the total number of cubic feet times 7.5 to determine the total number of gallons. Write down the total volume of water your pond contains.

Recommended Tubing Diameter For Pumps To Waterfalls:

1/2-inch diameter for flows up to 120gph
3/4-inch diameter for flows up to 350gph
1-inch diameter for flows up to 1000gph
1 1/4 inch for flows up to 1500 gph
1 1/2 inch for flows up to 3000 gph

Filtration - A well designed larger pond should include filitration. Ask your pond supplier about a filtration system that will work well with the pump you select.

Selecting Rock - Visit your local stone center to select the rock that will be used around the perimeter of your pond. Choose several different shaoes and sizes that all blend together well. Flat flagstone is a good choice to go around the perimeter. Pick out some nice boulders for an extra-added natural effect. Visit Building A Waterfall to find rock requirements and suggestions when constructing a waterfall.

Step 4 (Optional) - Building A Waterfall

You will need to build the foundation of your waterfall before installing the liner in your pond. For detailed instructions for building a waterfall visit Building a Waterfall.

Step 5 - Installing the Liner

With a couple of people helping, the liner is unfolded into the excavation. The liner is then smoothed into place from the center-bottom up, and is lapped over the top edge of the pond 6 to 12 inches. A small amount of water is typically added to the bottom of the pond to weigh the liner down and help with the smoothing process. Folds in the liner, which will be necessary to help it conform to the curves of the pond sides, are incorporated as the liner is smoothed out.

Once the liner is in place you may begin to add rocks or small boulders to the interior of the pond if desired.

Make sure to determine where a pump will be placed if you are building a waterfall. Also make sure to have your tubing in place before constructing the waterfall. Visit Building A Waterfall for detailed instructions on building a waterfall.

Step 6 - Add Water

Now you can begin to add water! It could take some time to fill your pond with water using a garden so in the mean time start placing rock around the perimeter. If you are building a waterfall start placing rocks here too. Make sure the pump and tubing are in place. When the pond is full of water all thats left to do is hook up the pump!

Visit Building A Waterfall for detailed instructions on pump installation and set up.

 

NOTE: Wait a week or so before adding plants or fish.

Pond Plants

 

• mechanical and biological filtration
• pump and plumbing
• Sturdy liner and underlayment
• rock work
• underwater lighting
• a berm
• waterfalls
• Electrical source*

*To operate any electrical equipment near a water garden, use an outdoor outlet. If your pump cord will not reach to an existing outlet have an outlet installed set at least 6 feet from the water and use only an outlet that is equipped with a ground fault interrupter (GFIC) for safety. These devices will cut off the power the moment water is detected in contact with the wiring. Your cable should be protected in a conduit, a plastic tube for electrical wires, so you won't dig into it accidentally. Extension cords with an integrated GFIC can be used for shorter distances. You can hide them under stones or mulch.

Pond Maintenance

 

If all of this seems to much for your budget of time, and you don't want to undertake the project yourself, many landscaping contractors also offer water garden construction services.