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Articles/FAQ
POND CONSTRUCTION:
Before Pond Construction begins a little forethought and planning needs to take place.
BEFORE POND CONSTRUCTION
Calculating your liner size is easy. Work out the overall maximum length and overall maximum width of your pond. Measure the depth of your pond. Add twice the depth to both the length and width dimensions. That is the size liner you require.
If for instance your excavation is 3m x 2.4m x .6m deep (10ft x 8ft x 2ft deep) you would add 1.2m (4ft) to both the length and width.
e.g.
m = (3+1.2) x (2.4+1.2) = 4.2m x 3.6m liner required
ft = (10+4) x (8+4) = 14' x 12 liner required
POND CONSTRUCTION: Step 1
Decide on a general shape and depth to your pond. A garden hose is ideal for this purpose. Simply lay the hose to the shape desired, mark your layout with sand and then remove the turf.
When deciding the shape avoid sharp angles and narrow sections which can create 'dead' areas of water in your pond.
POND CONSTRUCTION Step Two
Excavate the pool to desired shape, incorporating a marginal shelf at a depth of 20cm for plants that enjoy shallow water. Ensure the walls are at a slight angle of 10 or 20 degrees. Continue digging until you have the desired depth, normally between 20 - 24 inches (50 -60cm). Check that the hole is level using a plank and a spirit level.
POND CONSTRUCTION Step 3
Lay strips of underlay to provide cushioning for the liner. Drape the liner loosely into the hole so that it just touches the bottom of the hole in the middle, making sure that there is an overhang all around of at least 8" (25 cm). Anchor the edges of the liner with stones.
Pond Construction Step 4
Start to fill the pond - the weight of the water will form the liner into the excavated shape.
As the pool fills, begin to fold excess liner and allow the water to mold it to the sides.
Keep moving the anchor stones to allow the liner to feed into the hole.
It is a good idea as you begin to fill the pond to establish an accurate measure of the pond's volume. The easiest way to achieve this is to time how long it takes to fill, say, a two gallon watering can. Then time how long it takes to fill your pond. If, for example, it takes one minute to fill the watering can and one hour thirty minutes to fill the pond, then your pond volume will be 2x90+180 gallons.
POND CONSTRUCTION: Step 5
When the pond is full, add the appropriate quantity of Chloramine Buster to remove chlorine and flouride. The hard work is now comoplete, it's time to create your own individual water gardern.
Finish the pond with edging of your choice. There are three typical ways to finish your pond edges.
1. Slab edging (as shown in diagram)This method requires you to trim excess liner and cement selected paving slabs into place, making sure there is a slight overhang to protect your liner from harmfull sunlight.
2. Loose Rocks - these can be placed around the ponds edge to create a more natural affect.
3. Create a Marsh Area - This can be achieved by leaving the excess liner in place and digging a shallow trench 4-5 inches underneath it. Fill the lined trench with loam and plant with suitable marsh plants.
You can, of course, use a combination of any of the above.
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