St. Louis Water Garden Society Hosts PondMarket

Constructing a Low Maintenance Pond

The program explained the key elements of low maintenance pond construction. Aaron shared these four key points, so your pond will be a basically maintenance free and enjoyable water feature:

First—Proper excavation:
Make sure that the finished pond is slightly higher than the surrounding
area to avoid water runoff going into the pond. The pond should be deep enough (2-3 feet) for plants, fish and other aquatic animals to have adequate water. When building koi ponds, the ideal depth is 4-6 feet. Keep in mind safe approaches and pond cleaning.

Second—Proper waterfall installation.
Poorly constructed waterfalls can be the demise of the nicest of ponds due to poor excavation, improper liner installation, and poor placement of stones. If a separate piece of the liner is used for the waterfall/stream, seam the streamliner to the pond’s liner to avoid water wicking and leaks.

Third—Skimmer systems.
Today’s skimmer systems require less daily attention. Skimmer systems are comprised of the main pond skimmer, a satellite skimmer, and a bottom drain, all of which rely on one pump. Skimmer systems triple the number of areas that pumps can draw from, enhancing filtration system performance, reducing skimmer maintenance, and eliminating pump failure due to lack of water.

Fourth—Filtration systems.
Low maintenance filter systems consist of a high-quality pressurized filter, a
UV sterilizer, an ionizer, and a skimmer system. Pond water stays crystal clear and there is minimal manual labor involved in maintenance. Upkeep
costs with this type of system are minimal too. Aaron’s presentation was enjoyable and informative. I look forward to implementing his suggestions in our water feature.