Selecting the best location and size for your pond

The thought of having a pond should be one of excitement. The first thing most people think about is how big it should be.

Interested in bringing your fish keeping to the outdoors? Here are some questions to consider when thinking about starting a pond.

• What is the best location in my yard?
  • Is this location an area where I would like to hang out at?
  • Does this location have easy access to electricity or a water source?
  • What kind of sun does this area get morning, noon and night?
  • What does this location look like in the spring/summer and fall/winter months?
  • How big of a pond do I want?
     
• What do you want to accomplish with this pond?
  • Is this for relaxation in your yard?
  • Do you want to have a water garden with plants?
  • Do you want a lot of fish or no fish at all?

Compiling details of what you want first before you start will help streamline and keep your project on track.

Making sure you have an accessible water source around the pond with a hose is key for maintenance. Once you have a design that meets your needs, you can then identify the size. Simply measure the longest point and widest point and record those two measurements for the surface. Determining the depth depends on the intent of the pond. In most areas 18” to 24” is the minimum to allow fish to survive through the winter. Ideally, going deeper to at least 36” is better, both for fish living under the ice in the winter and for summer cooling.

One thing people do not think about is the bigger the pond the more types of plants that can be accommodated and the more room for fish to grow and thrive. A bigger pond is easier to maintain than a smaller pond. Think of it as the more water volume the easier a pond is to keep stable. As fish grow, they consume more food and produce more waste. Plants also produce waste through decaying leaves and flowers. These factors provide greater build-up of organics and sediment. The larger the pond the more area for all this to take place. The larger the pond the easier it is to keep things in balance and maintain.

Determining the size and shape you want will help you determine if you should install a pre-form pond or a dig a larger hole to put a liner in. 

It will be important to know how many gallons of water will be in your pond once you determine the size. Knowing this can help you determine the number of fish the pond can hold, calculate partial water changes and dose with water conditioners as needed to make tap water safe and balance your pond water. 

Check out the API Pond Calculator for help finding the volume of water of your pond and the API Universal Dosing Calculator for all your dosing needs!