building a pond

[babesnpets]

:bu: my b/f has agreed to let me have a pond.
would like help on every aspect please from starting to finishing, ie building right the way through to the best fish to keep in there and any snails etc that can be kept in there with them, please and thank you,
love rach xx

[longrider]

We've got one of those preformed ponds. In retrospect, I wish I'd gone for pond liner and designed my own shape. That way I could have put shallower sides for wildlife.

I have fish; golden orfe and shubunkin. I suspect, but can't be entirely sure that they take all the tadpole as I've lost the lot two years running now. Next spring I'll remove the spawn and monitor it in tanks. When the tadpole are big enough to fend for themselves, I'll release them back into the pond.

I've got snails, toads, frogs and newts as well as the fish - not to mention insect life.

[KittyKat]

Hi rach

Fishwise:
Common goldfish... pond needs to be at least 2.5 ft deep, 5ft long and 3ft wide for 3 fish. Filtrateion is prefered, although id you dump a lot of plants in there like elodea and hornwort, you could manage without any water movement. Plants will get nibbled and any snails that can be found will get eaten.
Carp... at least 4ft deep (preferably at least 6-8ft deep), 9ft long (preferably 15ft) and at least 6ft wide. Very efficient filtration is a must. Plants won't survive and neither will snails.
Oval or quadrangle shaped ponds are best for fish.
Plecos... same as carp.
Most other fish get too large for the average garden pond.

1. mark the outline of the pond
2. dig the hole
3. pick out stones and pebbles.
4. put a layer of sand on the bottom
5. put old carpet over any corners
6. put the soft liner in
7. put the waterproof liner in
8. install pumps etc
9. fill with water
10. add plants
11. cycle filter (or wait one week if there is no filter)
12. add fish a few at a time if they are small or one at a time if they are large. add the fish only once a week.

a very rough guide, but should give you some idea of what to do.