Below you can find advice on where to locate your pond, how to build it and how to efficiently maintain it. People often overlook the need for ongoing maintenance to a pond, however this is vital if you want to keep your water feature free from problems such as blanket weed and algae.
Location
A sunny position id best in order to attract wildlife to your pond. However, this should be balanced with allowing for a bit of shade to reduce the chances of the formation of blanket weed.
Do not build the pond directly underneath a tree. This will lead to unwanted debris such as leaves and twigs falling into your pond, and this will need cleaning up regularly.
Position your pond within long grass in order to create a nice sheltered environment at the edge for small wildlife dwellers
Construction
Ensure that the whole you dig for your pond slopes down gradually from the edge so that animals can easily get in and out. Shelved sections are also useful, in order to cater for many varying forms of plant and wildlife.
Create a deeper section (about 60cm) in the centre of the pond. This will ensure that the pond should never fully freeze over in the winter.
Line the hole using butyl or polythene, this is a much quicker method than the traditional one of using clay
If at all possible, fill you pond with rain water. If you have to use tap water then leave this to stand for a few days before introducing fish to the pond. This will leave time for any additives to evaporate.
Remember that not all types of wildlife with co-habit well. Goldfish often eat tadpoles and water snails, so keep them apart! It is best to do research before you populate your pond.
Do not introduce wildlife to your pond yourself; let the wildlife find the pond naturally! This will reduce the risk of invasive or diseased species setting up home.
Maintenance
Clear vegetation from the water regularly. The best time to do this is in the autumn to minimize the effect on the wildlife.
Clear out fallen leaves regularly to ensure they don’t rot on the bottom of the pond.
Prevent your pond from totally freezing over in the winter by allowing a tennis ball to float on the surface. Once the ice has formed, remove the ball to leave a small breathing hole
If you pond becomes covered in blanket weed you must act quickly to remove this algae