There's no figuring out how to piece together
miscellaneous fittings or plumbing.
And you don't
need to know which filter goes with what pump.
The
convenience makes a pond kit the simplest and least expensive way to
add a pond to your life.
And whether
you use a kit, or decide to assemble what you need from individual
parts, there's hardly any difference at all in
the installation process.
So the Guide
to Garden Pond Kits has the hardware-intensive scoop on all the
nuts and bolts you should expect in a garden pond kit.
Plus a quick
10-step overview of the entire pond building process from start to
finish. So you can decide if this will be a do-it-yourself
project or if you'll hire the neighbor's kid to help out with the
digging.
But first, a
quick word about design.
While
you're in the planning phase, why not consider how you can
make the pond visible from inside the house, from the patio, and
from the deck.
Streams and waterfalls
can be dammed up by falling leave. So carefully consider the
presence of trees close to your pond site.
Landscape
contractors recommend that a waterfall be no higher than one third
of the vertical distance from the base of the waterfall to the base
of the stream.
When comparing
garden pond kits, make sure yours features either a flexible
EPDM liner or preformed pond
liner.
It should also
include underlayment, a pump, a skimmer, a biological filter, a
check valve, and a precast reservoir box.
Here is a
materials list of what should be included in small garden pond kits with a flexible liner:
- EPDM liner and
underlayment
- Mechanical Filter
- Waterfall Filter Unit
- 2500 gph Pump
- Plumbing assembly
- 25' of 1.5", Kink-Free
Pipe
- Installation hardware
- Silicone Sealant
- Bacteria with
dechlorinator
- A complete 20-step
installation instruction manual
Step 1: Mark The
Layout
The
standard streambed is typically 2 to 4 feet wide and 6 to 12
inches deep.
Play around
with different shapes for your waterfall and stream bed.
Use a garden
hose or rope to outline the space.
Lay in a
fewcurves, some rapids and a smaller falls or two on the way to
the pond basin.
Once it's
perfect, mark the winning shape with a can of spray paint.
Step 2: Place the Reservoir Box
At the top of
the stream, decide on a spot for the garden pond kit's waterfalls
reservoir box.
Dig out this spot until the box is
at a height you like for the start of the waterfall.
Then dig
another 5 inches down and fill this void with crushed rock.
Now install
the water supply pipe connection and the pipe itself to the back of
the reservoir box according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Use a carpenter's level to make
sure the reservoir is level from side-to-side.
Then tilt it forward ever so slightly until
the level's bubble is just about a quarter off center.
When the
reservoir is in position, backfill the hole with the excavated
soil. Tamp it firmly, while keeping an eye on the level to make sure
the reservoir box isn't moved.
Step
3: Dig Out The Stream And Pond
Make
adjustments while you dig to the depth and width of the
streambed of your dreams.
If you
want the pond
waterfalls
to roar, dig out a pool of about 2 feet right underneath
the falls.
You can even
dig deeper holes in the middle and along the sides of the stream for
laying in larger rocks into these holes.
When your liner is in you'll lay
the rocks in these spaces.
And once
the water is going, it will swirl around and over these rocks.
Step
4: Install the Skimmer Box
Dig out a
space for the skimmer box at the edge of the pond.
Set the box on
crushed rock following the manufacturer instructions.
You'll want
the skimmer perfectly level at both sides and from front to back.
Then set the
pump in the skimmer box. Install the pond liner on the face of the
box using the manufacturers instructions. And fit the check
valve into the pump's discharge side.
Step
5: Build Up the Borders
Starting from the top, place different size rocks along
the stream. Outline the shapes and reinforce the banks.
To avoid water
from washing over the sides, add more soil to build up the lower
sides of stream and at the curves
You can also
make the streambed deeper at the curves to keep water from escaping
when it hits the curve.
Fill
up any gaps between large rocks with smaller rocks.
When you put
the liner in place later, you'll fit it over the built up
embankment and use large rocks to anchor the liner. This foundation
will be an integral part of the stream's edge that you'll spruce up
with pond landscaping.
Step
6: Run the Supply Pipe
Lay the
flexible vinyl supply pipe that comes with garden
pond kits between the waterfall reservoir and the pump in
the skimmer box.
You can bury
the supply pipe about 6 inches deep to protect it from damage.
Step
7: Add the Underlayment and the Liner
Start at the top and pull the underlayment across the
stream and the pond.
Fit the
underlayment into the contours of the stream as you work your way
down the slope.
Then use the
same technique to lay in the EPDM liner.
You can't
avoid folds and wrinkles, so just lay both the underlayment and
the liner in as smoothly as possible.
Step
8: Hid the reservoir Box
Pull the
stream liner up to the front of the reservoir box and attach it
using the manufacturer instructions.
Now you can
start installing rocks for a natural appearance.
Place the
largest rocks on each side of the reservoir then build up the center
section.
You can glue
the rocks in place and to each other with silicon caulk or
pond foam. Use the foam between the gaps.
Step
9: Fine Tune the Falls
Some
garden pond kits have a plastic lip at the edge of the reservior
box that forms the pond waterfall.
To boost the
appearance, fit a wide, flat rock to the waterfall lip and lock it
into place with lots of silicon caulk. The further out you extend it
the more dramatic your waterfalls.
For a real
plunge extend the lip over the pool. Or shorten the length to make
the water splash over the rocks that support the waterfall.
Step
10: Landscape the pond
The
very best part of any water garden pond kit is garden pond kits landscaping.
You have
lots of choices, but choose wisely by letting the climate in your
area be your guide.
Easy
Outdoor Decor 
