Has anyone built their own backyard (or wherever) goldfish pond?
Question:Please describe the whole process in detail if you actually designed ur own,
thanks!
Answers:
my pond in my backyard has been in the same location for 16 years. I first designed the project on paper then I went out and laid out the design. using kite string a garden hose whatever you have that will allow you to lay out your design. then I used my spade and went around the perimater with the spade making marks to show where I needed to dig . I then began digging up the soil and putting it on a tarp or in a wheel barrow so it could be removed to another location. as I got deeper I made a shelf on 3 sides as to where plants could be placed after I had the area dug out. I then measdured the size of my pond and took the measurements to either a store like Earl May or a garden shop that carried waterpond supplies. the tarp was cut to the approximate size I was needing. then before I put down my tarp I put a layer of insulation down. you can use newspaers as well for layering over the bare ground, by doing this you are being sure that there are no sharp objects that could puncture the liner after it fills up with water. then after the liner is in place I put heavy rocks at the corners and along the sides as to keep the shape and make sure that the liner doesn't move. while the pond is filling with water I began building my waterfall, it's easier to build when you are able to stand in the water and have the pump going to move the water. if you don't plan on using a waterfall thats okay too. placing your pumps in the pond to move the water and make the pond a pleasant relaxing enjoyable area. I have koi, shabonkins and goldfish in my pond as well as a few snails and algae eaters. my main pump runs through a U V light before entering the bio filter then letting the water back into my pond. my fish all started out the size of feeder goldfish and have grown to be about 2 feet long and still growing. I even have young fish in my pond not to mention the frogs that enjoy it as well. My pond measures 10x12x3 Have fun and good luck!!
I can give you a start. i rent a basement in a house and the owner has a nice one in the back yard. I ask them how they did it. They said...#1 dig a hole, put a tarp or plastic (don't know where you'd get that), and then a water filter and they put huge flat rocks around it for decoration. the water pump needs to to be cleaned out weekly during the summer. he even has plants and goldfish in it. That is the only bad part about it. so really think about it first if you are ready to dedicate time to cleaning it.
We dug a hole, (kidney shaped) and lined it with fine chicken wire, then covered that with concrete (specially treated for OK with fish) to nearly the top. Then as the land was a bit sloped, we started putting bricks (cemented together) on the top edge of the concrete and laying then until they were about a brick height more than the pond at the high end, and about two to two and a half bricks high at the lower end.
We then covered the bricks with the rest of the concrete, and finally painted the whole thing with pond paint in a darkish brown colour.
16 years later the pond is doing so well!,
Only one of the original fish is there, the rest have been taken by kookaburras, but they started breeding as soon as we first put fish in the pond, and there are always babies growing.
After the first 6 months, we stopped feeding the fish, as they were eating stuff off the plants, and bugs or whatever in the water, and we haven't fed them now for the rest of those 16 years.
We have never fully cleaned out out. Just every 6 months or year, we give it a bit of a rake out, to get rid of excess debris that has fallen into the pond.
There is no added air equipment, and it gets sun for about half of the day.
We keep it topped up with the hose, if the water level goes down through evaporation etc....
I forgot to tell you....the pond is about three foot deep.
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