Planning the Pond

The first stage is to choose the location, size and design. Next stage is to plan for those things that you want in a water garden such as aquatic plants, fountains, waterfalls, bridge, stone lanterns, pavilion and pond fish. Time spent during this stage will help reduce future problems and increase your enjoyment.

Formal or Informal?

For a formal appearance, use bricks or flat paving stones around the perimeter. Common shapes are circles or rectangles. For an informal appearance, design the pond with irregular shapes and use stones of various sizes and plants of different shapes.

Where should I put my pond?

• Place your pond in a place that will maximize your enjoyment...... in a place where you can easily view it from where you spend a lot of your time. Ponds and waterfalls make wonderful additions to the outdoor areas where you relax and entertain such as decks and patios.
• Some sunlight is good - too much can cause problems. About 1/2 day of direct sun is usually sufficient to ensure healthy plant & fish growth. It is also less susceptible to fluctuations in temperature and guarantees better koi health. Excess sunlight can cause green algae growth.
• Ponds should not be put under trees.You may encounter trouble working around tree roots and have problems with flower blossoms and leaves falling into the pond.

Designing your pond

The design of your pond largely depends on your personal preferences. It will also be influenced by the fish you wish to keep & the size of your garden. Ponds for Koi are usually deeper than normal water gardens and should have large external filters. A wildlife pond will be much shallower and will probably have many plants.

• Make your pond at least 6 square meters with a depth of at least 1 meter. Ponds of this size are easier to care for and are more likely to attain a balance between the fish and plants resulting in clear water. An ecologically balanced system that would not require high maintenance can also be achieved.
• A rectangular pond with its corners round off is considered to be the most manageable shape. This shape prevents the water from being stagnant at the corners and promote smooth running.
• The shape and layout of the pond can be varied to suit you. If marginal plants are to be added, a shelf could be included. The sides of your pond can be very steep or even 90 degrees from the bottom.
• Safety is very important since water has a magical attraction for children.You may build a raised pond or build a small fence around it. You can also do it by placing large stones, boulders with tall marginal plants around it, to create a natural barrier.

We can help you to design or design & construct a koi pond. Please click here to view the list of services provided by us or click the Recently completed projects to see the photos of the ponds built by us.