Installing A Pond Liner
The
start of a successful pond is in the planning. The first
physical part of building it is in digging the hole, 16 to 18
inches deep, and making very sure that the top edge is level. We
recommend the use of a length of clear tubing filled with
colored water to assure a perfectly level edge - bringing the
lower areas up to a level with the higher areas. It is critical
that it is absolutely level.
The
hole should have steep sides, with no shelf, and a flat bottom.
It also has to be constructed out of materials that will not
hurt the liner. Clay soil is ideal for pond construction,
smoothing it while wet will produce a pottery bowl. Merely chop
any roots well back and cover with wet clay. If the soil
contains sharp rocks, cover it with either two inches of clay,
sifted dirt, or other suitable base material (non-biodegradable
and thick and tough enough to blunt sharp rocks even after many
years.) (Newspapers and most carpeting is
not suitable!) A cost effective method for very large ponds is
sifted clay or dirt (no sharp rocks in it) on the bottom, and a
good base material on the sides. Note: do not use sand; it does
not pack into a hard unyielding surface.
Once
the hole is properly prepared, the liner is carefully positioned
and is filled with water. It is an excellent idea to measure the
water and make permanent notes as to how many gallons fills it
how high. You can either check the water meter or determine the
gallons per minute you are using and then watch the clock. If
you note the depth and the number of gallons at frequent
intervals, you can later determine how many gallons are in the
pond at any level (for medication purposes, etc.) As the pond
fills, carefully fold the liner on the sides for a neat
appearance. You can also tape down the dry and clean folds with
the 5 inch wide liner tape to make perfect and almost invisible
folds. This also provides an extra safety factor since the fish
cannot get trapped behind the folds.
To
decorate the edge, it is recommended that you use very clean
fieldstones. The first layer should overhang the pond by
a inch or two, and the second layer
covers the spaces between the first layer's stones. Be sure to
line up the back edges of the two layers. Then lift the liner's
edge up and create a structural dam behind it - against, and
about 2/3rds the height of, the two layers of rocks. This dam is
to keep out surface water runoff, and should be made of a hard
and durable material - such as concrete (or clay mud and gravel,
which will dry into adobe brick.) The liner is then flipped over
the dam, and the area outside of the pond is covered with porous
groundcover such as pine bark, pine straw, or river stones. The
groundcover starts at the top of the fieldstones and gently
slopes off away from the pond.
The
result of this design is that you,
will have a pond to be proud of... The pond will appear to be
flush with the ground, not like a pile of rocks above ground,
and the water is just below the
top of the rocks. The water is actually well above ground level
and looks so much better than the installations, like those
using hard shell ponds, that look like a circle of rocks around
a well, with the water "way down there..." If the water level
drops even a couple of inches, this design will still look
beautiful - and the overhang
will hide the liner.
Liner:
it is recommended 12 ply Permalon for most pond applications
because it is a permanent membrane (unlike vinyl), is absolutely
fish-safe (unlike almost all vinyls and epdm's,) and is
structurally strong, puncture resistant, and tear resistant
(unlike vinyl, epdm, and butyl.) It is available in any size up
to over an acre.
Base Material: a
250 mil thick non-biodegradable matted material that will very
effectively prevent sharp rocks from attacking the liner.
Thin materials cannot, and any material that degrades
(newspaper, most carpeting, etc.,) Will not.
De-toxifiers: most water is treated by man with chemicals
such as chlorine and ammonia to destroy bacteria, etc. They also
can combine to form chloramine - a toxic chemical that does not
dissipate. They need to be neutralized and removed with a
chemical additive. There are several products that are excellent
at neutralizing just chlorine, or all three toxic chemicals.
·
Rule # 1: the pond edge
must be level.
·
Rule
#2: never, ever, walk on the liner.
·
Rule
#3: if you have to walk on the liner, do so only in bare
feet! (shoes don't feel the sharp
rock that you're stepping on....
·
Rule
#4: remember that you can't fight mother nature (and
win.)
A good
pond is one that is properly balanced, is low maintenance, and
is one to enjoy - not to have to
hassle with.
back to Pond Building
Basics
next page,
Selecting A Pump
|
