Habitat - Outdoor :: this summer i want to build a pond outside.

[ashleygamergirl]

anyone know any sites that give you step by step on how to build some nice looking outdoor ponds?

[N4784N R4613]

Here are a few I found after a quick search, so I don't know what kind of site it is, or if the info. on them is reliable ...

http://watergarden.com/pages/build_wg.html

http://www.pondrushes.net/

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_jo ... 70526.html

http://www.pondlady.com/pondbuild.html

http://www.exit109.com/~gosta/pond.sht

http://www.cadsmith.com/petes_pond/pond ... ction.html

http://pondlady.blogspot.com/2006/08/ho ... inale.html

[GunnerMan]

Also go to your local pond supplyer, they will have many books on ponds, and ideas. The will probably also try to sell you their services so make sure to make it clear you want to DIY. Most pond stores are very helpful to DIYers and will provide you with good advice.

I have build about 6 ponds and i can tell you a few things, the first is that most people wish their pond was bigger after they built it so make sure it is as large as you can handle/afford. Remember you dont need lots of space for a large pond, you can make a 5 x 5 x 5 pond you have about 940 gallons. I recomend a minimum of 1500 gallons for a pond. Im assuming you want a pond specificly for your trutles so you probably want an area that is fairly shallow where they can go and get on a rock or a plate of sand or what have you. You also want a deeper area where they can escape from predators and get out of the sun if needed.
The rule of thumb is you want your pond 70% covered with plants, so do research on what kind of plants you want and what works in your climate. Usually a few healthy hardy lillies, some cattail, bull rush, anacharis do very well and provide good shade and hiding.
Good water flow and filtration is a must, although trtles are adapted to live in mucky ponds the ponds have a natural balance that your home pond will have to but will need a bit more help. A good filtration system is the best investment you can buy.

So what you need to do is figure out what is the maximum acceptable size of my pond, how much am I willing to spend, what kind of life might I want in it, what plants do I want and what plants work in my climate.

I am a novice computer imagery artist and I would love to make you an image of your pond ideas and then you can visualise them better. Send some drawings you might like that fit in your pond etc. Here is an example of what i can make pretty easily, it is a natural mountain pond but you will get the idea= http://www.caedes.net/Zephir.cgi?lib=Ca ... 071495.jpg

[steve]

Almost thought that the pic was real! Nice job

[ashleygamergirl]

thanks guys

[ashleygamergirl]

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product. ... id=5481913

how do i know how many gallons that is?

i might go with this

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 24x0000001

[TheComputerGremlin]

My dad created his own pond maybe 10 years ago and ever since day one, everyone was like, that's amazing, you must have spent a fortune. My aunt had a landscaper do hers. My dad's seriously cost like nothing. My aunt prolly spent $2K or more. Now, my dad's doesn't have a turtle in it, but he got the pond liner from like Home Depot or Sam's Club or something, dug the hole himself, bought all of the rocks to go around it at a local landscaping place where they sell by the pound, he's got a couple waterfalls and plants around it too. I remember it was really easy to set up and only took maybe a weekend of work.

This looks like a good website: http://www.fishpondinfo.com/turtles/turpond.htm

[GunnerMan]

Ashley I recoment you find a local pond store(if you have one) and go there. The first kits looks appetizing but all that for 250 bucks will probably work but not to well. The second kit is probably even worse at 129 the pump etc is probably very low quality and probably includes no filtration.

Take my word from it(we learened the hard way) don't take the cheap way out. Im not telling you to go spend a fortune but don't skimp out either you will enjoy your pond a lot more with high quality parts.

That sears 8 x 10 liner means you could have a pond that is 3 feet deep 4 feet long and 2 feet wide.(assuming your make it a perfect rectangle. Like I said send us a pic and some dimensions of your yard or a top down sketch of it and I can help you decide on a good size and shape. Give us a budget you want to spend etc.

Im not saying a pond kit wont work but my opinion is stay away from them if you can, usually they include sub par pumps, filters, etc to keep the costs low and enticing. Don't get scared about the price etc a pond can be built pretty cheap but don't try building a 2000 gallon pond and using some pump and filter you picked up at wallyworld to get the job done.