Choosing the right fish for your pond

You have an ornamental pond and dream of putting fish in it. Questions then arise about the choice of species, their number and of course their possible agreement.

Fish in my pond

Subtle shimmering or brightly colored, fish complete the pond with their pleasant presence. The species chosen should be based on several criteria:

Cold resistance

In an outdoor pond, temperatures can sometimes drop to very low levels, so it is important to choose fish that are adapted to this situation. Avoid the original varieties of goldfish, such as the "Comêtes" with their beautiful sail-like fins, the black "Black Moor" with bulging eyes, or the "Tête de Lion". Choose hardy species such as the classic goldfish (Carassius auratus), Koi carp or sturgeon which are very resistant to cold.

The depth of the pond

If it freezes, the fish must be able to find refuge in the depths of a pond to avoid being caught in the ice. In cold regions the pond should be at least 80 cm deep to accommodate fish. Some species need depth throughout the year, such as the ide melanote or the sturgeon.

The agreement

Be careful, you should always ask before introducing a new species in a pond already inhabited. Some fish are very combative, others will have no qualms about eating other fish. So beware!

The volume of the pond

It is important to keep in mind that fish need space to live in harmony. For a small pond, prefer the classic goldfish which will be satisfied with 0.1 m³ per fish. This hardy fish has the ability to adapt its size to the space available. Koi carp will need much more space as three of them will need a volume of 5 m³. The ide melanote which is gregarious and needs other individuals of its species to survive as well as the sturgeon will only be introduced in very large ponds offering a surface of at least 20m² and a good depth.

Availability

The majority of the fishes require only limited care. Clean water and a well-maintained pond with a good ecological balance should be sufficient for their needs. Nevertheless, even if the fish feed on larvae, plants or algae, it will be necessary to distribute some food regularly. In winter, feeding will be much less restrictive or even non-existent except for sturgeon which must be fed all year long with special pellets. It is thus one of the most constraining fish.

Vegetating a pond

Whether it was created from scratch or is natural, a pond sometimes needs some small adjustments to accommodate both useful and ornamental plants.

What does revegetation consist of?

Revegetation is a term that designates the action of introducing non spontaneous plants into a specific environment. In the specific case of the pond, the plants used will be mainly aquatic. They will be chosen according to depth criteria, but also for their filtration and water purification properties in order to create a perfectly balanced biotope that will hardly need any maintenance. Let's not forget the ornamental side which should not be neglected to combine the useful with the pleasant!

A little help for nature

It is quite possible to let nature take over, but the result on an artificial pond is likely to be disappointing and very long to obtain.

A tarpaulin-covered soil does not allow for the immediate establishment of natural plants due to the lack of substrate. It will be necessary to integrate it beforehand to obtain a beautiful result quickly. Another parameter: the balance. It is much easier to balance the water by introducing cleaning, purifying and oxygenating plants. Some are spectacular or original and will add a touch of charm to the pond.

When and how to plant a pond?

The best time to plant is between March and June, depending on the hardiness of the species chosen. The plants then begin their growth period, and the temperature will soon allow for optimal development.

Always prefer to buy plants in containers rather than bare root plants which will have more difficulty to grow.

The ideal substrate should be composed of gravel, sand and good fertile soil. In the case of an artificial pond, it is preferable to prepare it before the water is put in to cover the walls. Don't forget to create "tiers" so that each plant can benefit from optimal growing conditions. Wait a couple of weeks before setting up the plants.

Start by installing the submerged plants, if necessary by emptying the pond a little. Plant according to the required depth directly in the substrate or in baskets weighted with stones. The baskets allow you to take out the most fragile plants during the bad season in order to protect them from freezing.

Then install border plants to create an attractive decor and maintain the banks. Wildlife will find it a peaceful refuge.

Then place floating plants on the surface of the pond, they will grow quickly.

What plants should be placed in a pond?

There is a wide choice, but we will only mention certain plants for their exceptional cleaning or ornamental qualities.

For the natural treatment of water, think of cattails, scirpus, phragmites or Phalaris but also Elodea and bladderworts.

For their outstanding ornamental qualities, pseudocarpus irises, water lilies, nelumbos and water hyacinths will have no equal.

Also consider decorating the banks with water marigolds (Caltha palustris), purple loosestrife, astilbe or even exuberant gunnere. The decor will be just as you expect!

A pond for what purpose?

A pond in a garden is much more than a simple ornamental piece. If you are lucky enough to have a place to build it, don't hesitate! It will contribute to the ecological balance of your garden.

Creating a pond

Formerly present only in the parks of castles, the pond becomes nowadays accessible to all. Garden centers, Internet sites and specialized stores offer a wide range of products allowing everyone to build a pond at home. Technically it is not very complicated, financially, a small pond is accessible to all. The interests are so numerous that it would be a shame not to be tempted!

A bewitching power

A pond in a garden is a window to the dream. The water reflects the sky and moves with the slightest breeze. With the gentle splashing of water jets or waterfalls, the soothing sounds and the serene vision of the ballet of fish, the pond is undoubtedly a place for contemplation. All that remains is to install a chaise-longue or a bench nearby to fully enjoy this soothing spectacle.

A piece of Nature

A pond makes it possible to recreate a part of nature in the closed space that constitutes the garden. Water is an essential element for life and a small pond will attract a number of animals that will settle in your home full time. Some of them are auxiliaries necessary to the good balance of the garden, others will constitute a source of food for them, others still will come to pollinate the surrounding plants.

Pond plants, in addition to their undeniable ornamental aspect, will serve as filters and natural purifiers for the pond water. If the pond is large enough, you can add fish that will be happy to eliminate mosquito larvae.

The pond will soon be full of life, ensuring the balance of the garden.

Fun and educational

Children are always amazed by the presence of a pond; what a pleasure to observe frogs basking in the sun on a water lily leaf, to contemplate the iridescent reflections of dragonflies, to be astonished by the slides of water spiders. A whole world opens up to them, provoking curiosity and questions. If the adults take the time to be interested in the life of the pond with them, it is then a joy to share and live together moments that will remain engraved in the head of the children for many years.

A pond with barrels

Why not use half barrels of recovery to realize an original set of ponds with a circulation between them by a system of overflow? It will be of the most beautiful effect near your terrace.

Preparation of the barrels

Take oak barrels cut in half in perfect condition (dimensions for the example of 70cm diameter by 45cm height, it is possible to find some in garden centers).

If the barrels have contained wine, it is necessary to proceed to a complete cleaning and rinsing stage. Then, to ensure a good watertightness of the interior, you can either place a pond liner cut to the right size and fixed around the perimeter or coat the interior with several layers of flexible resin. If there is aquatic life present, it is best to choose a food grade resin or a pond liner.

Installation of the barrels

Choose a shady spot in the garden during the hottest part of the summer. Sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon is preferable, it will limit evaporation and the development of green algae. Know that water lilies need a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight per day to bloom.

To create a water feature between the half barrels, place them with a height difference of about 10 cm. Then position the barrels with a spirit level.

The highest barrel has a hole in it to allow for drainage to the lower barrel. The hole corresponds to the outside diameter of a piece of bamboo for water circulation. The hole with the bamboo can be sealed with colorless putty.

To allow water to circulate, use a small pump submerged in the lower pond that returns the water to the upper barrel.

Placement of aquatic plants

Place the plants in 11 cm square plastic baskets with some heavy garden soil and then place pebbles or felt to prevent the soil from mixing with the water. This will also prevent the fish from digging into the contents.

Plants are arranged according to their height. For a graphic effect, the highest ones are towards the bottom.

Example of arrangement for the lower half of the barrel: Myosotis palustris, Iris versicolor, Myriophyllum Brasiliensis, Equisetum Japonicum, Nymphaea 'rose Nymphe'

Example of layout for the upper half of the barrel: Mentha aquatica, Lobelia Cardinalis, Acorus Gramineus 'Ogon', Nymphaea 'conqueror'

Installation of the aquatic fauna

Be careful with the stocking because depending on the exposure and your region, the barrels may freeze to their full depth. If you wish to put fish in them, it is necessary in this case to bring them in during the winter. When feeding them, limit their food so as not to pollute the tanks. The food must be eaten within 5 minutes.

Without fish, flying insects will most certainly come and reproduce there like dragonflies or mosquitoes. If you have an aquarium, they can be used as live food in summer.

Starting up

During the start-up period, green algae will develop while a general equilibrium is established. During this period of about one month, do not put any fish in the tank.

Maintenance of the pond

In the spring, clean your barrels of various plant debris that may have accumulated and control the growth of certain aquatic plants such as milfoil, which can become very invasive. Reassemble the filter. It should be cleaned regularly.

As winter approaches, turn off the filter, clean it completely and put it back in. Leave a few empty water bottles weighted down with pebbles floating on the surface to limit the pressure of ice on the walls. Protect the sides and top if necessary.

Making a garden pond in polyester resin

Building a pond is not something to be taken lightly. Indeed, there are all types of ponds with different techniques: clay, concrete, concreteity, preformed ponds or simply covered with a tarpaulin ... but the pond that holds our attention is made of polyester resin.

Why choose a polyester pond?

Creating a polyester pond is undoubtedly the best way to create a durable and solid piece of water. In addition to offering a long life to your pond, polyester requires little maintenance and offers great flexibility in the realization of shapes, only your imagination will be limited. It is also easy to repair and refurbish, and colorfast, all for a relatively low price.

Can I make a polyester pond myself?

Creating a polyester pond is not an easy task. Sometimes it's better to call in a professional than to go into a project head first. However, with a minimum of manual skills, it is possible to create your own water feature.

What are the different possibilities to create a pond?

First, you need to determine the shape of your pond and calculate its dimensions. The ideal is to have a deeper area at 1m20 so that in winter, your fish are safe.

There are 4 methods for preparing the soil:

1. The bitumen paper method: for walls with an angle of more than 45°.

• Less expensive and suitable for covering large areas.
• Place the paper at 20 - 30 cm on the edge and hold it with grass or stone clods.
• Glue the joints with insulating tape and apply the polyester coating starting with the sides and then the floor. Once the substrate is ready, start the polyester and glass mat coating.
• Place the glass mat strip over the resin layer and apply a new polyester layer.
• Remove air from the glass mat with an air roller. It is important to fray the edges of the glass mat to prevent the seams from showing when covering the 1st strip of glass mat with the 2nd layer of glass mat.
• Trim any protruding edges and sandpaper.
• Apply a layer of pre-coat. (10% polyester dye and 2% MEC hardener).
• Let dry for 3 to 7 days before filling the pond with water.

2. The concrete method: for round polyester ponds

• A layer of 2 - 3 cm is sufficient for the floor. Due to the alkaline nature of the cement, it should be allowed to dry for 8 days before applying the polyester liner.
• Apply a coat of PU primer, wait 1 to 4 hours maximum. Then apply the polyester coating.

3. The concrete block method for a polyester and fiberglass pond with vertical walls

• First pour a screed on the floor and mason the walls. For small areas: 5 cm screed and 12 cm walls. For large areas: 10 cm screed and 24 cm block walls.
• Cap the walls and round the corners to a radius of 2 cm. Due to the alkaline content of the concrete, a minimum of 28 days is required before applying the polyester coating.
• After 28 days, apply a coat of PU primer by brush or roller and wait a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 4 hours. Then apply the polyester coating.

4. The chipboard method: for walls with an angle of inclination of more than 45

This inexpensive method also allows for very large surface areas to be covered. Because of the counter pressure of the floor, the walls will have an angle of inclination of about 15°.

You will then have to nail boards to the joints.

• Round the corners with putty or with corner battens.
• Apply 2 coats of pu primer. Wait 1 hour minimum and 4 hours. Then apply the polyester coating.

What should I pay particular attention to?

• The application must be done at temperatures between 10 and 33°C. The higher the temperature, the shorter the application time. You can adjust the application time by adding more or less MEC hardener (1.5%).
• Please read the hazard warnings on the labels carefully.
• The hardener is a peroxide that can cause allergies.
• Check your local regulations for disposal of chemical waste.
• After curing, these products are neutral and therefore respect the fauna and flora.
• Cobalt is used to accelerate the resins, it should never be mixed directly with the MEC hardener: this causes a chemical reaction!

Your garden pond is now finished, all you have to do is place your selection of fauna and flora in it, and relax when the time comes!

Creation of a pond

It is important not to go too fast and to consider all the following points before starting the work...

Location

Its location must be carefully defined. The ideal situation should be half-shaded, while avoiding being under a tree because of the risk of its roots spreading out and damaging the walls and because of the leaves that will not fail to land in the water.

Remember to leave a strip of land around the pond of about 1 meter wide which will be used for access, installation of stones or plants.

Shape and size of the pond

If the pond is too small, it will suffer from too much thermal variation if you intend to put fish in it.

Concerning the depth, everything depends on the surface of the ground, knowing that it is desirable to have not too steep dimensions, and a slope in step with a step every 20-30 cm and a width of 10-20 cm. A bottom of 60 to 80 cm will allow your fish to spend a comfortable winter and the summer to avoid that the water is too hot. 60 cm will be enough if you have a pump ensuring a water circulation in winter.

The steps of different depths will allow you to place pots of plants or flowers according to their size.

Let's identify the different zones:

The border zone between 10 and 20 cm, allows the development of small plants whose roots appreciate the mud and water. It is also the place where insects develop between the roots of the plants and where the fry come to take refuge, thus sheltered from the parents often inclined to devour their offspring.

The shallow zone between 20 and 40 cm; in this zone, many plants for plants like reeds, water iris, ... We can also plant submerged plants.

The deep zone, refuge of the fishes the winter, it is also in this zone that one will deposit the feet of water lilies.

Filtration

Have you thought about filtration? If you intend to put fish in your pond, it is preferable to install a filter. It allows to keep all its clarity to the water, otherwise it will have a tendency to green very quickly. It also ensures a circulation of water and thus an oxygenation of water by these movements on the surface and the winter, it prevents the ice from forming.

You can install it in a special tank outside the pond with lava stones to ensure a biological filtration.

If you are not interested in a filter, you may want to consider a pump to circulate the water from one side to the other and perhaps feed a fountain, waterfall, etc. ... This will energize the pond and delight you with its chirping, but beware of the neighbors, a torrent may not be to their taste!

Lining the pond

First, you will have stabilized the walls with a layer of gravel, then a layer of sand and finally a little cement to harden the whole. Thus stiffened, the walls will resist better over time, to the attacks of the roots and to the settlement of the ground.

The walls must then be sealed, and different materials are possible:

The preformed pond, in this case, forget what was said before.

The concrete; several layers of cement more and more fine will be necessary to ensure a perfect sealing.

The PVC liner is certainly the least expensive and most durable, so... To calculate the size of the liner, add 2 meters in width and 2 meters in length for a 60 cm deep pond with 30 cm edges.

The rubber cover, more expensive than the PVC cover, will last longer because it is more flexible.

Whatever cover you use, put a garden felt underneath.

Check filling

A check fill for water tightness and levels is necessary to ensure that everything is in order. It is still possible to make some adjustments to the edges of the pond.

This is also an opportunity to test your filtration system.

Let it run for a few weeks.