Which Pond Type is Right for you?
Once you’ve made the decision that you want a garden pond, you have to determine what pond is right for you. There are many different types of ponds, and each one has its advantages and disadvantages. The challenge is to determine what type of pond speaks to you, before you decide to go ahead with your purchase.
Types of Ponds
- Fish Pond
- Pondless Waterfall
- Water Garden
- Water Feature
What is a Fish Pond?
A fish pond is exactly as it sounds – a body of water that houses fish. Fish ponds can be fairly easy to install, however, they require more maintenance and care than other types of ponds. Fish can often increase the amount of ammonia and other chemicals in the water. The level of these chemicals must be monitored, as if the levels become too high, they can be deadly to fish and plants. Generally, these ponds require more filtration overall, and the water flow has to be fairly strong.
Characteristics of a fish pond:
- Generally are at least 2 feet deep – to account for winter weather
- There are no more than 1 fish for every 2 gallons of water (example: a 60 gallon pond can hold MAXIMUM 30 fish)
- Requires filtration, and oxygenating plants
| Advantages of a Fish Pond | Disadvantages of a Fish Pond |
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What is a Pondless Waterfall?
A pondless waterfall is a waterfall that does not run into a pond. Rather than having a pond at the bottom of the waterfall, there is a liner filled basin, including a pump vault, which the water falls into. This is where your pump is kept. The pond pump then pushes the water back up to the top of the waterfall, and the process is repeated. This is a very low maintenance feature, and is very simple to run.
Characteristics of a Pondless Waterfall:
- The waterfall is lined, and the liner then covers a hole in the ground in which the pump vault is kept
- The pump vault has the pump placed inside it, and is then covered with rocks
- The water then runs into the holes in the pump vault, and is pushed back to the top of the waterfall
| Advantages of a Pondless Waterfall | Disadvantages of a Pondless Waterfall |
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What is a Water Garden?
A water garden is a pond that allows plants to grow. This is an attractive backyard feature, because it includes running water, and the bright colors and variety of plants. These gardens can be fairly easy to maintain, as long as they are in the right conditions. The hardest part of creating a water garden is finding the balance between too many plants, and not enough. If there are not enough plants, algae will begin to develop. If there are too many, the garden will not develop.
Characteristics of a Water Garden
- Water gardens can vary in size – and can hold many types of plants
- They rarely have issues with high chemical levels, however, should still have some monitoring occurring
- They can over develop and under develop – you need to keep an eye on the amount of (or lack of) growth within the pond
| Advantages of a Water Garden | Disadvantages of a Water Garden |
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What is a Water Feature?
A water feature, similar to a pondless waterfall, is a way to bring flowing water into your yard without the maintenance of a pond. The most common type of water feature is a fountain, however, it can include other types. Again, these types of ponds are fairly easy to maintain, but cannot contain wildlife.
Characteristics of a Water Feature
- Generally the focal point of the area, however, can be used as an addition
- Requires little maintenance – algae can become an issue
| Advantages of a Water Feature | Disadvantages of Water Features |
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When deciding what type of pond is right for you, consider all the water features list above. Different types of water features appeal to different people, your pond should be something that you love.