| A pond, logically, the first question you should ask | | | | township require fences or any other kind of |
| is WHERE? Do you have a huge yard with a lot | | | | safeguards around ponds? If there are no local |
| of trees and shrubs and flowerbeds? In other | | | | ordinances in this regard, then how about your |
| words what is the present landscape like? Would | | | | own personal feelings about keeping such an area |
| you prefer your pond in a sunny spot or in the | | | | safe for small children, who all seem to love |
| shade? That may not seem too important, but if | | | | water and gravitate to it like bees to honey? |
| you should decide to surround your pond with | | | | Where is the one really good spot in your yard |
| flowers, it becomes very important. It seems (to | | | | where you love to sit and commune with nature? |
| me at least) that there are many more varieties | | | | If you have a spot like that, then that is probably |
| of flowers that are sun lovers rather than ones | | | | the perfect place for your pond. Just sitting and |
| that prefer shade. Another consideration also is | | | | watching a waterfall or fountain is very relaxing, |
| that if you place your pond too near to trees, | | | | and if you've decided to liven up your private little |
| then falling leaves become a cleanup problem. | | | | lake, then choose fish like Koi, Comets, and |
| Once you've decided on a location, then the next | | | | Shabunkins which seem to be quite hardy |
| question is HOW BIG? Do you want a small pond | | | | specimens. They winter well, even here in |
| that will only need a few hundred gallons to fill, or | | | | northern Ohio. We haven't lost one fish to the |
| something more like what you see in the pictures | | | | weather in the eight years we've had our pond. |
| that accompany this text that holds around three | | | | Now, as to the basic "hardware" needs. Set your |
| thousand gallons? Do you have a water spigot | | | | mind to having a strong liner, even if it's more |
| close enough to your pond location so that you | | | | expensive. This is the key to a trouble free pond. |
| don't need three hundred feet of hose to fill it? | | | | Firestone makes a liner material called EPDM |
| If you are going to have a pond with a pump and | | | | PondGuard that is tough and very puncture |
| filter to re-circulate the water, then you will need | | | | resistant. (Holes in the liner are a real pain in the |
| an electrical source nearby. Are you thinking of | | | | neck!). Besides the liner, you'll need a submersible |
| having a water fall or fountain? Do you think that | | | | water pump, a pond filter, a UV light (sometimes |
| you are going to want fish or other aquatic life in | | | | called a UV filter), and a few pond plants. |
| your pond? | | | | Just some things to think about before you build |
| Will you need a fence? Does your city or | | | | your pond. |