Anyone who has decided on an elevated pond will find numerous tips below to ensure that it works with clean water, great planting and impressive fish keeping.
Material and border
One of the most important criteria for self-construction is the selection of the material or the border. (Whiskey) barrels or other wooden materials are often used. However, it should be noted that wood is not weather-resistant and can stretch / deform. Without special impregnation and regular care, wood as a high pond material does not retain its shape over the long term. If you want to save a lot of work in the long term, choose galvanized aluminum.
size
Many first build the pond and then think about which fish and plants you should definitely put in it. This can have fatal consequences, because the size of the high pond has to be adapted so that it works with the oxygen content in the water and neither a fish death nor a mud bath occurs. Therefore, always adjust the pond size based on the desired planting and fish population. Of course, the available space at the site also plays a role. If this does not provide more than for setting up a small raised pond, fewer fish and plants are possible.
Stable ecosystem
As a rule, raised ponds are not to be regarded as a natural biotope with high ecological value. Still, it can become one and remain stable if there is enough water in it. A stable ecosystem can be achieved from 100 liters.
High pond depth
If fish are used in a pond, whether as a finished product, in the ground or as a set-up specimen above ground, the depth should be at least 80 centimeters. The depth means the water height. Only then is it guaranteed that there is sufficient oxygen and freedom of movement for the fish. However, it depends on the respective fish species.
Pond pump
In the case of a mini high pond, there is usually no pump
Required if the water depth does not exceed one meter and the water volume does not exceed 300 liters. However, it is always useful if the following factors apply:- Lots of small fish, which accordingly cause a lot of dirt and adversely affect the water quality
- To reduce algae formation when high ponds get a lot of sun
- For wintering to avoid complete freezing, especially when raised ponds are in a northerly direction and / or in the shade
- High ponds with a water volume of 500 liters or more and fish always need a circulation pump for oxygen enrichment
Location
The best and fanciest raised pond will not bring much joy in the long term if it is set up in a suboptimal location. The following ideal location tips will intelligently help you avoid problems:
- Light: five / six hours of sunlight are ideal to prevent algae formation and the spread of pathogens
- Away from deciduous trees, because leaf waste acts like fertilizer on the water
- Secure location so that neither your own children nor the children of the neighbors can access it unnoticed
- Easily accessible power source, if applicable, if electrical devices for cleaning, filtering or circulation need to be connected
Underground
In order to achieve a balanced, even water pressure in the installation pond, it is essential to ensure that the surface is level. As soon as this has only minimal bumps, the waterline changes. This leads to a higher water pressure at one point or another. As a result, the weight shifts, which in the worst case makes it possible to tip over. Slight unevenness can be smoothed out with play or building sand.
Tightness
When building and setting up a high pond yourself, the following tips can be used to achieve long-term water resistance:
- Use pond liner especially with wood material, as wood "works" and can warp and become leaky as a result
- Before setting up the floor, it is essential to remove stones and root residues
- Fleece on the subsoil prevents displacement by weeds and / or roots deep in the ground
- If necessary, work a close-meshed grid in the earth to prevent earth animals from eating through (e.g. voles)
Pond liner
Pond liners are offered in a wide variety of strengths and qualities. If you go for cheap here, you often pay for it with multiple purchases and more work due to the need for swift exchanges. A pond liner is exposed to constant stresses due to the water pressure, the plants, the fish and the temperatures. In order to maximize the longevity of a pond liner, the following properties should be taken into account when purchasing:
- Weather and UV resistance as well as frost resistance
- Thickness of at least 0.5 millimeters
- Material: pollutant-free polyethylene
- High quality workmanship and quality
planting
Without plants, a pond not only looks half-finished and boring, the water quality also suffers as a result. If you want to build your own high pond and plant it with plants, you should therefore take the following tips to heart:
Create floors
In order to prevent the plants from slipping and to have a higher water purification power through plants, it is important to create floors. The floors are set at certain heights like steps:
- First floor: Swamp zone up to a maximum of 20 centimeters of water height
- Second floor: Shallow water zone between 20 and 50 centimeters water height
- Third floor: the bottom as a deep water zone from 60 centimeters
- In the case of shallower high ponds, the shallow water zone is the bottom - the third floor is not required
- A fourth floor is not required for high ponds with more than 120 water depth
Water quality
Simply hang in the water hose and fill the high pond - this is the most common procedure for filling ponds with water. Later, however, many people wonder why plants don't start, develop poorly or even die. This can be due to the tap water if it is calcareous. Many plants do not tolerate lime. Therefore: better use rainwater for filling. This also saves the effort of subsequent descaling.
Let the water rest
When building raised ponds, there should be a kind of rest phase for the pond water after completion - especially if planting with oxygen plants is planned. The "fresh" water still has few microorganisms and the CO2 content is correspondingly low. As a result, the new aquatic plants have difficulty tackling and / or growing. A rest period of four weeks is ideal. If immediate planting is desired, the water should be prepared with so-called CO2 tabs. These are available on the Internet, in well-stocked versions
Hardware stores and garden centers.Choice of plants
The choice of plants should be made carefully and well planned if you are creating yourself. There are numerous aquatic plants, but not all of them enjoy standing in low or high water to the same extent. Some also need more sun than others. In addition, it should be noted whether the specimens are hardy or sensitive to the cold. The following are a few examples of aquatic plants with different requirements and properties:
Water salad(Pistia stratiodes)
- Growth: rosette-like, free-swimming
- Spread: 20 to 30 centimeters
- Height: ten to 15 centimeters
- Flowers: white, from June to July
- Location: sun
- Hardy: no
- Suitable for small and large raised ponds, swamp zone
Water lily 'Hermione'(Nymphaea x cultorum 'Hermine')
- Growth: rhizome-forming, vigorous
- Spread: 100 to 150 centimeters
- Height: five to 15 centimeters
- Flowers: white, from May to July
- Location: sun
- Winter hardy: up to 23.4 degrees Celsius (winter hardiness zone 6)
- For medium-sized to large raised ponds in deep water zones
Dwarf cattail(Typha minima)
- Growth: stiffly upright, forming runners
- Spread: 30 to 40 centimeters
- Height: 40 to 60 centimeters
- Flowers: simple, brown, from June to July
- Location: sun
- Winter hardy: up to 23.4 degrees Celsius (winter hardiness zone 6)
- Ideal for small and large raised ponds, location in 20 centimeters water depth (swamp zone)
Plants that filter water
Below are some examples of planting with specimens that are among those with the best water-filtering oxygen plants:
- Water buttercup (Ranunculus aquatilis) - highest filter power in spring and winter
- Horn leaf (Ceratophyllum demersum) - highest filter power in summer and autumn
- Pondweed (Potamogeton natans) - highest filtering power from spring to late summer
- Waterweed (Elodea) - highest filter power from summer to late autumn
- Fir fronds (Hippuris vulgaris) - highest filtering power from spring to late summer
TIP: Since not every "filter plant" releases oxygen all year round and therefore does not act against algae formation, it is advisable to look for variety and different variations in the aquatic plant species respect, think highly of.
Stones for earth's surface
Unnecessary soiling must be prevented by placing stones on the surface of the plant baskets after planting. These keep the earth pressed so that it does not wash out and fish stir it up. It is important that the stones are rounded without sharp segments so that they do not damage the foil if they should fall out.
