How to Build Your Own Perch Pond

A backyard perch pond can be larger like the one pictured here, or smaller depending on the size of your yard.

If you want to accent a backyard with something that's both beautiful and functional, perhaps you should consider building a perch pond. The ideal perch for the small pond is the yellow perch. Adults can grow between 5 inches and 10 inches long. They thrive in ponds with a sand or gravel bottom and enjoy the protection of freshwater weeds and grasses. Perch ponds work best in a region that is temperate, and they are quite easy to build, stock, and maintain if you follow the right steps.

Things You'll Need

• Mason's sand
• Garden rake
• Geotextile fabric
• Rubber landscaping pond lining
• Landscaping stones
• Plastic waterfall weir
• Gravel

Instructions

1. Determine the size and choose a location for your pond. The average pond is about 11 feet x 16 feet and is about 18 inches to 36 inches deep. After you determine the size and location, mark the outline of the pond so you'll have a frame of reference while you're digging. You can dig as deep as you like. Remember to leave a 10-inch pit in the center of the pond for the pump.

2. Line the bottom of the pond with mason's sand and rake it smooth with a garden rake. Line the sand at the bottom of the pond with geotextile fabric. The fabric should be a piece large enough to cover the walls of the pond, the bottom and the pit for the pump.

3. Place the rubber pond lining in the hole. Use your hands and bare feet to smooth the liner and fit the form of the hole for the pond. The lining should cover the bottom of the hole, the sides and should overlap the ground around the rim of the hole.

4. Lay stones on the pond floor, but don't cover the pump pit. Line stones around the sides of the pond and build them up to the surface. Place stones along the outside rim of the pond on top of the overlapping lining. Place a flat rock at the bottom of the pump pit and place the pump on top of the rock. Carefully place some rocks over the pump hose and the electric cord to cover and protect them. Cover the bottom of the pond with a layer of gravel, as perch prefer a gravel bottom. Sand is also preferable.

5. Place the plastic waterfall weir on the outside edge of the pond and connect the pump house to the weir. Carefully cover the hose and the weir and build the waterfall. Construct the waterfall so water will flow from the weir, over the rocks and back into the pond. Take a water hose and squirt all the rocks and the liner to clean them. Remove all the dirty water from the pit. Fill the pond and plug in the pump to turn it on. Ensure that water begins to flow from the weir for the waterfall.

6. 

   Yellow perch are typically a small fish that only grow to about 4 to 10 inches long.

   Accent the pond with plant life. Yellow perch enjoy the protection of lily pads, freshwater weeds and grasses. Keep the pond temperature between 69 degrees and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Stabilize the pH ideally at 7 or 8, but pH ranging from 4 to 9 is tolerable. Stock the pond with the yellow perch after the pH levels and temperatures stabilize. Keep a thermometer in the pond and monitor the temperature frequently. Also monitor the pH periodically using a pH tester kit.

Tips & Warnings

• Check the pH levels before stocking the pond, and continue to check your pH levels periodically in order to keep your fish healthy.

• Do not overstock your pond. For smaller ponds (8 feet x 8 feet), four to eight perch will be sufficient. Overstocking the pond can be unhealthy for the fish.

• If your pond gets too hot, it will kill the perch. Pond temperatures must stay under 80 degrees.

References

• Popular Mechanics: Build Your Own Pond; Joseph Truini; May 9, 2006