From planning to implementation

What to look for when planning

Before you too spade and grab the pond liner, first of all, the future Stream to plan carefully. Maybe you already have one performance on how the brook should look like: length, width, course and planting of the brook bed significantly determine the natural or rather non-natural overall impression. For example, when planning the course of the stream, these aspects must be taken into account:

• A meandering, curvy stream looks more natural.
• A dead straight stream is more suitable for well-planned, "artificial" gardens
• Ideally, the stream is 30 to 60 centimeters wide and 20 to 30 centimeters deep.
• A length between six and ten meters is optimal.
• The stream can be an (artificial) Source stone arise and flow into the garden pond.
• If the garden has a steep slope, it should Barrages to be built in.

To save water, you should position the course of the stream in partial or light shade if possible, as a lot of water evaporates in full sun. A completely shady location is also a disadvantage, as the selection of suitable plants for bank planting is very limited here.

Excavate the stream and secure the subsurface

It is best to first draw a plan of your stream on a piece of paper and measure the specific dimensions. Finally, transfer the sketch to the garden with the help of a piece of string - this shows the desired position and the course of the stream. Now you can start digging the stream:

• Use a string / rope to indicate the position and course of the stream.
• Use the spade to dig out the creek bed.
• Make sure that the depth and width are even.
• If the creek bed is deeper on one side than on the other, the water accumulates here.
• Add another five to ten centimeters for the subsurface to the desired depth.

Of the Underground The stream bed must be sealed watertight so that the precious water does not simply seep into the earth. You have three options for this:

• Lining the stream bed with pond liner: very flexible solution, but the liner has to be covered with stones or similar. ä. be complained
• Lining the stream bed with plastic shells: practical, but inflexible and often looks artificial
• Pouring out the creek bed with concrete: long-lasting, reliable, but difficult to dismantle or correct

If you decide to use pond liner, plan for 25 centimeters more liner on both sides than actually needed for the stream: The material is used as leakage protection, and the film is not allowed into the stream slip into.

How to build a stream

Once the planning is done, you can now make the desired stream yourself:

• Seal the stream bed, either with foil, plastic trays or a concrete foundation.
• Pond liner must be laid out without creases and is weighted down with blunt stones.
• You shouldn't forget the capillary lock either.
• If using foil, place the ends over the edge.
• You can later make them disappear under gravel, stones and plants.

Why the pump is so important

Elementary for the construction of the stream is also the pumpwithout which the water will not flow. Position the pump in the garden pond - depending on the slope with a capacity of at least 40 liters per minute. However, do not place it directly on the bottom, otherwise sludge will be sucked in and the pump will clog. However, a depth of around 80 centimeters or more makes sense so that the device does not freeze in winter. Alternatively, you can of course expand them in the cold season. In a swimming or fish pond, you can install an integrated pump with a pond filter to keep the water clean. The necessary water hoses run either above or below ground along the bank of the stream. Underground hoses are easy to hide, but have to be dug up again and again in the event of repairs.

Note the gradient

The gradient of the stream is ideally two and five percent. If it is lower, the water in the stream cannot flow; if it is higher, the water becomes too fast and can, especially after heavy rain, both stones and stones Carrying over the plants In the case of a naturally steep slope - for example because the garden is directly on a slope, built-in barrages help to reduce the water speed throttle. You also have the advantage that the pump can be switched off temporarily due to the accumulated water, thus saving you electricity.