How to Dig Out a Preformed Pond

Save money by installing your own pond.

Homeowners install preformed ponds in yards and gardens to house fish, aquatic plants or both. Ponds offer a source of relaxation while adding a visually pleasing fixture in the yard. Manufacturers make preformed ponds from non-toxic, damage-resistant plastics and resins in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit various needs, wants and property size limitations. Digging out the soil properly for a preformed pond is crucial to the pond's success.

Things You'll Need

• Spray paint or chalk
• Shovel
• Level

Instructions

1. Call local utility companies prior to digging to mark the ground for gas, electric and water lines. Follow all local codes and ordinances in regards to placement. Some municipalities require a permit before installing a pond and an inspection after.

2. Place the pond upside down in your chosen location. Choose a location away from large trees to avoid tree root encroachment. Avoid the base of a slope; water, dirt, pesticides and herbicides can flow down the slope into the pond.

3. Spray the ground around the pond with spray paint or dust a chalk line around the pond 10 to 12 inches larger than the pond to mark the outline.

4. Move the pond and set it to the side. Dig the ground out with a shovel, beginning in the center of the guidelines and working your way out. Dig the ground out to the same depth as the pond height, less the measurement of the lip of the pond.

5. Remove rocks, stones, roots and other debris from the base and sidewalls of the hole. Fill in holes created by rock and root removal with dirt.

6. Place a level at the base of the hole. If the level's bubble is off-center, add or remove dirt until the bubble centers.

Tips & Warnings

• Locate a preformed pond near electrical outlets if you are not using solar power for pumps and filters.

• Avoid digging a pond when the ground is wet; excessive amounts of mud will cause the sidewalls to cave in.

• Do not backfill around the pond until after filling it with water.

References

• "The Complete Book of Outdoor Projects"; Time Life Editors; 1998
• "Reader's Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual"; Family Handyman Magazine Editors; 2005