Step-by-Step Information on Building a Backyard Pond

You can build your own backyard pond.

You can bring the beauty of nature and wildlife to your backyard by creating your own pond. It may be hard work, but it can provide you with many years of enjoyment. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, building a backyard pond can be an important way to teach your family about conservation. You'll need to plan your pond design, dig out the pond levels and add protective linings. You'll also have to choose which fish, plants and rocks to use for your pond.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Hose
• Paint spray
• Shovels
• Wheelbarrow
• Tape measure
• Pond underlayment
• Waterproof pond liner
• Rocks (large, round and flat)
• Gravel
• Filter cover (natural camouflage or decorative)
• Pond plants
• Marginal plants
• Fish native to your area

Instructions

1. 

   Draw the design for your backyard pond.

   Create a plan for your backyard pond using colored pencils and paper. Write down the plants, rocks and fish you will use, along with where the filter and lights will be placed.

2. 

   Create the shape of your pond with your water hose.

   Use the water hose to outline the shape of your pond on your grass or dirt. Spray paint the design around the outside of your hose. Remove the hose.

3. 

   Dig out the grass and pool levels with your shovel.

   Dig out the grass inside the painted outline with your shovel. Dig out levels in the pond using your tape measure to help align your measurements. Remove the dirt from the pond area using your shovels and a wheelbarrow.

4. 

   Use underlayment and liner for the bottom of your pond.

   Line the bottom of the pond with the underlayment by folding it and smoothing out any large wrinkles. Add the waterproof pond liner on top of the underlayment, fold it and smooth out any wrinkles so that it will fit it to the bottom of the pond.

5. 

   Add rocks and gravel to your pond.

   Place large rocks around the outside of the pond covering the liner on all the pond levels. Add gravel to fill in any holes around the outside of the pond and on all the pond levels. Add flat rocks beside the pool to sit on, placing smaller rocks and gravel under and around the flat rocks to make sure they are stable. Install the water filter following manufacturer's directions and add water to the pool.

6. 

   Add plants in and around your pond.

   Add potted plants to the pond, leaving them in their pots. Place them on different levels below the water line. Place water lily pots so that their leaves and flowers will float on top of the water. Anchor all the pots with gravel or rocks. Add floating plants by placing them on top of the water. Plant marginal plants around the perimeter of the pond.

7. 

   Let fish become acclimated to pond before setting them free.

   Add the plastic fish bag to your pond, letting it sit in the water for 20 minutes to acclimate the fish. Add pond water to the water in the bag (1 part to 2 parts), then tie the bag up again and leave for 20 more minutes. Open the bag and let the fish swim out on their own.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase potted plants with pots that can be used in the pond environment, such as those with smooth bottoms that won't tear the pond liner. Fill your plant containers with a mix of one-half garden loam, one-quarter compost and one-quarter course sand tamped down firmly, then cover with an inch of pea gravel.

• Plants like elodea are excellent oxygenators for your pond.

• Popular pond plants include cattails, water lilies, water lettuce and water hyacinth.

• Floating plants and broad-leaf plants like water lilies will block light coming into the pool and reduce algae.

• Popular marginal plants include water-plantain, sedge, bulrush and wool grass.

• When purchasing your fish, ask the expert if you will need scavengers for your size pond in your area. If so, ask what kind of snails or tadpoles and how many.

• Carefully removed grass can be reused in your yard, and the dirt removed for your pond can be used to create a raised garden.

• Check with your insurance company and city planning office for safety and permit requirements.

• A pool heater may be necessary for ponds in cooler climates.

References

• Natural Resources Conservation Service USDA: Backyard Pond
• Ron Hazelton's HouseCalls: How to Create a Backyard Fish Pond Video
• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary