How to Build a Pond
Pond is a significant accumulation of standing water that enhances the overall beauty of nature, your house, and business. Ponds are usually smaller than a lake and are naturally occurring most of the time. However, if you have a basic know how of construction, then you can easily build a backyard pond. An average pond size is an ideal one, measuring about 12 x 16 feet. You can build your pond in any shape that you like but it is better to build a small kidney-shaped pond in the first experience. Not only the pond enhances the overall beauty of the location, but is a perfect place for many dwelling invertebrates and the eye-catching insects like water boatman, pond skater, diving beetle, the water scorpion, and the whirligig beetle.
Instructions
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1
Choose a nice location in your backyard for building a pond.
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2
Once you finalize the location, select the shape and size of the pond and layout the measurement with a garden hose or a rope.
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3
Now, make an outline of your pond with a round limestone. You can make the outline in a kidney-shape as it is considered as ideal shape for pond.
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4
Start digging the pond with the help of a spade, which is 5 inches in a 2-foot-wide ring outside; is ideal measurement for a medium pond.
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5
Make sure to create a plant terrace during digging where you can put different green plant to enhance the overall look of your pond.
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6
Now, it is the time to level the edges of your pond under construction.
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7
After leveling the edges, carve out at least 8-inch wide and 3-inch deep channel on any one side of the excavated hole in order to redirect the overflow of the water.
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8
Do not forget to excavate a shallow trench near the electric outlet for a conduit in order to hold the pump cord of the pond.
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9
Prepare the base of the pond by distributing about 2-inch layer of screened mason's sand or any other sand. You can use your hand to smooth the entire surface of the base.
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10
Now, gently line your pond, make sure to cut the liner at least 5 feet wider and longer than your pond.
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11
Fill your pond with water, you can use a garden hose for this purpose and ask someone to help you in lining taut on each side of the hole, wait until the pond overflows.
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12
Install the water pump, threading the cord through a section of conduit, make sure to place the conduit in the trench of the pond and then back-fill the soil around the hole.
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13
Now, stack big stone around the hole to create an attractive rock border to give it a nice and natural shape.
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14
Place the hose in-between two stones in order to secure it in a fix position and make sure not to crush it.
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15
Plug the cord of the hose into an exterior ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI outlet) and check out the flow of the water.
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16
Your beautiful pond is almost ready; place some green plant around it to give it a more natural look.
