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Intro: |
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| To calculate how many stones and plants you'll need, have the water surface area (and that of the shoreline and tiers you're covering with stone) handy when you talk to the seller. He or she can estimate an amount for you. If you live in a cold climate where temperatures can reach freezing or below, ask the plant seller what winter care he or she recommends for each plant. Avoid buying small, young plant starters. Fish will eat them. |
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Time to make this plastic-lined hole in your yard actually look like a pond: Add the stone. Smooth, rounded stone (called river rock) works best. Avoid using rocks with sharp and jagged edges under water, as these can tear the lining. For a formal pond, you'll probably want same-sized flagstones--flat, rectangular stone (see Step 6 for more details). For a natural pond, try a mix of sizes. Lay some stone along the tiers and floor in between the plants (you may have to get in the water), in whatever pattern suits you, then move on to the shoreline. Add the plants. You can find freshwater oxygenating plants in outdoor aquatic supply stores and at some garden stores. Describe your project so the seller can make recommendations. You'll want to buy both submergent plants (which sit entirely underwater) and emergent plants (which are partially above water--water lilies, water hyacinth, and duckweed, for example). The plants are either free floating or come with their own submersible containers. Set them under water, mainly on the tiers, but put a few submergents on the bottom as well. Note: The stalks and leaves of emergent plants need to cover at least 60 percent of the water's surface. Without them, the water can become overheated, stagnant, and completely inhospitable to fish. Also, it can take some time for the plants to balance out the water's chemistry (the water may turn a little soupy with algae at first). But don't worry, if you have enough plants, they'll eventually be able to clear up the water. The time it takes can range from a few weeks to a few months.
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Add the stone and plants
