Tips for backyard water features

 Backyard Pond  No Responses »
May 232010
 

With the growing trend of taking vacations at home to save money there is also a growing trend in adding a water garden, water fountain or koi pond to the backyard to add a more relaxed feel your private oasis.

Rock Creek Cemetery Goldfish
Creative Commons License photo credit: Mr. T in DC

The thought of adding a water feature may be a little daunting but with the right information and guidance, it is really pretty easy. A properly set up pond is easier to maintain than a lawn. It also uses far less water and adds a beauty that influences the entire backyard, garden areas and the home.

Here are a few points to consider before taking the final steps in choosing the location and starting the project.

Children and pets. Are their young children that will need supervision around the water features? If so place near the home and in eyes view from all locations. You may want to consider child safety features near a pond.

Some people are concerned about mosquitoes. However, ponds can be the best defense against mosquitoes because the fish in the pond will eat mosquito larvae. A properly set up pond will not breed mosquitoes.

Neither a concrete pond nor a pond liner is a wrong choice. The advantage of pond liners is that it eliminates cracking problems that can happen with concrete. Most concrete will last a long time without cracking but a tree root can grow 40 feet and end up under a concrete pond, which will crack the pond.

Filters and pumps play an important part in pond maintenance and the choices in filters and pumps can be confusing. Do you need expensive equipment, or can you just use plants to clean your pond?

Just keep in mind that the key to a successful pond is balance. If you use a bigger filter that means you do not need as many plants, and you can have more koi or other fish. And if you add more plants that means you do not need a large filter.

You can also go with an “all natural pond,” with only plants, which will work well too. But go easy on the fish in an all-natural pond. This is particularly important if you are raising koi. Too many koi fish can lead to the spread of disease.

Most important when adding any water feature, no matter how big or small is to match it to your families needs to make it a wanted and valuable feature in your backyard oasis.

Posted by Denise at 10:02 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Two safety concerns for your backyard pond

 Backyard Pond  No Responses »
Oct 252009
 

As I walked around my property today and took in the large amount of storm damage caused but this summers excess rain I realized I should redo one pond. And I need to add two more ponds as quickly as possible to prevent more property damage.

wr-new ponds 003
Creative Commons License photo credit: pondelegance

One pond needs to be cleaned out from silt caused from flooding and two new ponds will help me to control excess runoff from heavy rains. One new pond is more of a runoff pond and I think the other could be used as a wildlife pond.

All ponds have a use, its just deciding what is and how to accomplish adding a pond successfully.

But when you are planning a pond there are many considerations to take into account. Here are two that you should consider before even planning a pond.

Local Building Codes for ponds

Contacted your municipal building authority to ensure that your plans abide by the local building codes.  Will you need to build a fence around your water pond?  Ponds built with a certain depth require fences for safety). You also need to how large of an area your water pond can be, and other legal considerations? Also check with the utility companies to make sure there are no buried pipes or right of way restrictions.

Pond Safety

Safety is something that normally doesn’t immediately pop into your mind when building a water garden pond. But it today’s society it should be your number one concern.  It’s impossible to ensure that your pond will be completely safe, however, will that be any consequences for your lack of planning if something were to happen? Plan ahead and make sure your water garden is easily accessible for the purpose it was made for. Friends and family should be able to enjoy the pond but it should be safe for children and anyone who wanders onto you property.

Pond Boy
Creative Commons License photo credit: CJ Sorg

Even a small decorative water pond in your backyard garden or patio area can be a hazard with a small toddler!

Ponds add beauty and relaxation to any backyard and home. But they need to be planned to fit the families need and provide safely and beauty to the property.

Posted by Denise at 9:51 pm  Tagged with: , , , , ,

Pond Building – The Wildlife Option

 Backyard Pond  No Responses »
Oct 232009
 

The most popular type of outdoor pond is without a doubt a fish pond, with clean waters and filters. The much less common option, requesting a more adventurous spirit, is to build a wildlife outdoor pond.

Gooderstone Water Gardens
Creative Commons License photo credit: Martin Pettitt

First let’s define what is a wildlife pond. A wildlife pond is a natural environment hosting a self-sustaining ecosystem. A spot in your property backyard where nature has regained full control and you are merely an observer.

What are the steps to create wildlife backyard ponds?

1. Your pond must be located where wildlife has a free and undisturbed access. Best spots are the very edge of your property and close to nature.

2. Follow the building tips described below.

3. Borrow water from an existing wildlife pond, naturally occurring ones are best.

4. Let nature take control.

5. Eventually the environment will take care of the rest.

What can you expect? Well, if you take care of the details, you will have an autonomous ecosystem filled with a variety of living creatures and with little need for maintenance at all.

Building a wildlife pond.

A wild life pond is built using any informal outdoor pond plans, but your equipment list will be smaller as there is no need for filtration or aeration, nature will take care of this tasks. An important point to add is that fish will destroy your insect population, the basic food for other wildlife animals, so this kind of pond won’t host any kind of fish in it.

The best place to locate your wildlife pond is at an edge of your backyard, as close as possible to nature. But avoid problems, far from your house and neighbors property as the pond will attract insects, toads and other animals.

To create natural hiding places for the wildlife you want to attract, keep the vegetation around your pond as high and untidy as possible, but allow human access to enjoy and take care of it.

A secret ingredient that will make the difference. Find a naturally occurring wildlife pond, take some water from it and introduce it into your pond. The organisms you got from the natural pond will populate your newly created wildlife pond.

What kind of animals can you expect? The water borrowed from the natural pond will start an insect population. Your first visitors will probably be pond skaters and eventually dragonflies. With insects in place yo will start attracting their predators, toads and birds. If your site won’t let easy access to animals you can by some toads and introduce them to your backyard. But if your pond start growing mosquitoes or other undesirable insects you can add snails to keep the water clean.

Pond building have a large number of options, and wildlife ponds are not always the most popular, but if well planned and executed it can be a wonderful part of your backyard.

Looking for some ideas and inspiration for your outdoor pond, then visit pond-building-mastery.com to find essential tutorials, know-how and tips about pond building.

Posted by Michael Wezsky at 6:09 am  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

Outdoor Pond – Tips For Successful Backyard Ponds

 Backyard Pond, guest writer  No Responses »
Oct 222009
 

An outdoor pond is a wonderful improvement to your garden or backyard, a place for relaxing and resting while observing your small part of nature. It’s no surprise that its popularity is becoming bigger and bigger.

waterfall2
Creative Commons License photo credit: annrkiszt

Below you will find 7 essential tips to make sure your outdoor pond project is successful.

1. Inspiration from books, magazines and the Internet. You can find inspiring pond photo books in your local library or bookstore; also websites like flickr.com and youtube.com can be researched for images, tutorials and tips.

2. Inspiration is all over the place. Once you start looking you will find ponds and water features everywhere; parks and public buildings just to name a few. Take pictures of things you like and dislike, so later on, when designing, you can easily refer to.

3. Choose your pond location. Remember that a pond is not a mobile feature in your garden. Think of how close you want it to your house or neighbors property. Keep it away from sources of debris like a tree that looses many leaves. Place it in a spot where you can enjoy it from a window or at a relaxing corner of your garden.

4. Choose your outdoor pond style. If you would like to match the architecture of your house then a formal pond is probably your choice. Formal pond examples can be found in palaces and monuments both old and new. If you are looking for something more natural that will blend with the environment and your garden, then informal ponds are your choice. Informal ponds will imitate nature’s rivers and lakes with sand shores and lots of vegetation. The most important issue here is to keep your pond in harmony with your backyard design.

5. Additional design tips. Waterfalls and other features can be added to your pond but take its style into consideration. What kind of fish will you introduce and what are their needs? Does your ground allow easy digging for a below the ground pond or maybe you need to build it above the ground with a nice brick or stone wall?

6. Keep a close eye on your budget. Make sure you have the skills and resources to complete you pond building project. Sum up the materials, construction and maintenance expenses, including professional help if needed. If you need to cut building costs or reduce your efforts take a look at pre-made pond kits in the web or local stores.

7. Keep your pond Safe. Safety is your number one priority when it comes to children and pets playing around your garden. Also keep the stable surfaces around the pond and your electric installations water proof. A good quality liner is a must to avoid holes in your ponds due to rocks and ground movement. Clean and uncontaminated ponds are not only a maintenance issue but a safety one, both for your family and your fish.

Pond building is a complex hobby that can become very enjoyable if you take your time to plan and maintain it. Get your family involved in it from the very beginning making it a project enjoyed by everyone in your household.

Want to find out more about Pond Building, then visit Michael W.’s site on how to build the best outdoor pond for your needs and dreams.

Posted by Michael Wezsky at 9:53 am  Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,

Choosing Plants For Your Koi Water Garden

 Backyard Pond  No Responses »
Mar 162009
 

Your Koi water garden is finished and now the fun begins as you select garden features and water plants. Water plants help to create a relaxing feel and look to your water garden and turn it into a beautiful backyard oasis. Koi
Creative Commons License photo credit: shoe the Linux Librarian

Water plants add a final decorative touch to your water garden but they also help maintain the biological balance your garden needs to thrive and stay healthy. Plants help to control the balance of the water and keep the water cleaner.

Your water plant selection will be based on your likes and dislikes and also on the climate conditions you live in. When choosing your plants your local pet store, garden center or Koi dealer should be able to answer your questions about water plants. The internet and library will also have available information to help you.

Lotus Plants

Lotus plants are beautiful plants that give a tropical look to areas where they grow. For this reason they are very popular in Koi water gardens. Lotus plants have beautiful blooms, an artistic to the way they grown and move in the wind and a fragrance that adds another dimension the backyard oasis. For those of you who live in areas that have temperatures lower than 65 degrees will have to make arrangements to over winter the lotus if you decide the grow the plant.  Lotus life
Creative Commons License photo credit: tanakawho

I move my lotus plants into the house in the winter. I group them with my other tropical plants and get to enjoy their beauty in my zone 5 climate all year long. You may want to consider moving them to a greenhouse if you don’t have room in your house.

The lotus plants do require soil but grow semi submerged in water. They will also require a large amount of sunlight so may not be a good selection for a shady water garden.

Water Hyacinths

Water hyacinths have become very popular in the last few years because of their simplicity and ease to maintain. They do not require any type of soil or planting. After you bring them home you just place them in the water and lightly anchor them so that they do not float all over the pond. Water Hyacinths are extremely pretty and help to control both algae and blanket weeds.

Water Hyacinths are very invasive and will take over your pond and possible your yard if you allow them. They have been known to cross over fences and take over the neighbors yard, so proper control and care must be taken with these plants.

There are also plants that you add to your water pond by sitting just under the water but leave in pots. This gives you more control over adding and removing the plants and they usually are focal plants that add beauty to you garden oasis area. Your Koi dealer or garden center will be able to help you select these water plants.  Morning Glory
Creative Commons License photo credit: sherrattsam

Underwater Plants

Underwater plants live below the water line and often go unnoticed. They help battle algae, put oxygen back into the water, feed your fish for you and offer a place for you fish to hide and relax during the hot summer days.

These plants can be found in bundles at your Koi dealer or local pet store. Most underwater plants will not need additional support during the winter. Once placed in the water garden you may not think twice about them again. But check the growing needs of the plants when purchasing them

Although these water plants are rarely seen the benefits they add to your water garden and for the fish make them well worth purchasing.

Water plants will add that final tropical feeling to your backyard oasis paradise and your Koi fish will enjoy them. Just remember to let you plants adjust to their new home for two to three weeks before adding your Koi.

Posted by Denise at 9:34 pm  Tagged with: , , ,
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