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Ponds When thinking about creating a pond, you will need most, if not all of the following items. Call the shop or call in for advice. See also our extensive coldwater section here. We also provide an year round pond cleaning service, with friendly, professional advice. Call us for details on the number below or email.
Pre-moulded Liner or Liner with base mat My Pond By Mike Kemble.
When I first bought my house, the back garden was a bit of a mess to say the least. I decided early on that, as an aquarist, I would like a wild life pond in the back, particularly as my back garden leads onto a playing field. I started off by deciding where it was to go and began digging out the "pit". The area covers approximately 7 foot by 4 foot. I dug it down in three layers, shallow, slightly deeper and deep! Then prepared the surface of the hole by removing anything that could possibly interfere with the lining, stones, roots etc. I then laid down a relatively thick surface of newspapers and then laid some matting which all served to form a pliable sub surface on which to lay the pond liner. The pond was then filled about three quarters with water in order than the liner become "embedded" and then I removed some patio slabs on one side and laid the liner beneath, replacing the slabs to form a good solid wall. On the other side, which was then grassed, I removed the turf down about 3 inches and laid the liner out flat, recovering it with the turf. I had an Alsatian and a Labrador who ruined the small grassed area, so I took it all up and had patio slabs laid down and therefore the pond became a feature surrounded by a flat surface, easily reached on all sides. Originally intended to be a wild life pond, I placed a couple of purchased water iris plants (tall reeds) and some water mint. Pretty soon insects (including dragonflies) and the like where attracted, as were the birds. I had placed several rocks within the pond, some submerged, forming caves and tunnels. Other rocks were strategically placed so that any life visiting the pond could access, or leave, the water easily. In no time at all, I had my first lodgers - frogs. Where they came from and how they got there is anyone's guess - but they found the pond very quickly. They live there now, all the year round and every spring spawn away quite happily - and noisily! Water boatmen, skaters and other assorted insects soon turned up and, to my delight, dragonflies. The latter are few and far between but nevertheless welcome. Water snails abound but where they came from; I can only guess, at eggs on introduced plants? The Iris' had spread out within 2 years to cover the pond, so I have to keep them cut back. Other plants have been added and flowers abound in the spring and summer months. In the spring I added two large bunches of elodea, an excellent oxygenating plant. This soon completely covered the pond and has, as a by product, cut back on that damn nuisance, blanket weed! I introduced some fish to the pond a good time later and they are very well. Since then the elodea had provided a complete coverage and, along with the reeds, what fish I now have in there have plenty of places to hide themselves away. A water pump provides circulating water through a bio filter which is hidden away in the corner of the garden. I never have to touch or clean this out, as its name implies, a biological filter. A small fountain is in play, but this is purely for my wife's benefit, who likes the sound of running water. It was hard work at the beginning but well work it and its surprising how quickly a pond matures. It requires very little in the way of maintenance, except come October time when I have to cut back the dying reeds, trim down the spread of the Iris and generally clean a few leaves out of the water. If you want the benefits of a pond, but do not have the time, contact the shop. We can do it for you, and keep it maintained. All you have to do is simply sit back and enjoy it - and I promise you - you will. August 2003. April 2004. My liner finally gave up the ghost on my pond about 2 months ago and I enlisted the expertise of Neil Owen to get it sorted. A stone had worked through the base. I had to have the pond relined and, as I suffered from blanket weed, decided to bin all the plants and get some new stock from Erdington Aquatics. The frogs immediately took to their "new" home and its now full of tadpoles and new plants as well as a newt and the fish. Its maturing nicely. See image below. July 04: One of the plants I bought from Neil is the lotus, and what a beauty it has turned out to be!!! See right hand column. July 05: The lotus did not flower this year. Aug 05: Since writing this, the frogs have been in decline. Frogspawn has been noticeably less and, although it hatches into tadpoles, I rarely see any small frogs emerge, or inhabit the garden. There have also been the usual spring fatalities amongst females whereby the males have drowned them in their incessant embraces. January 06: Pond in urgent need of a clean up as I have been so busy working nights not had much chance. Dead leaves, pine needles are the main problem. June 2006: Noted that tadpoles had not "converted" to frogs. This was apparently due to iodine deficiency in the water. I have been adding, to a strict dosage, Tropic Marin Pro-coral Iodine. Hopefully, it will work but may be too late this year. Here is living proof that it really did work:
Pond liner in stock
Our winter's are quite mild and the pond fish more active than you would normally expect. If you think they want some food, feed them only on this - Wheat germ. Its may be early for their normal foodstuff. Temps below 10c - feed wheat germ.
A point about biological filters with ponds In the shop a while ago, a customer rang up and asked about the cleaning out of his biological filter. The person he spoke to put his hands up and admitted he knew only a little so asked me if I would have a go. I did. The general conversation went along the lines of how often did he strip it down and clean it out, as he had been doing it weekly! The answer I gave him is that he should never have to strip it down and clean it out. As it is a biological filter there should be no need, except to remove any debris off the topmost filter bed. My own bio filter has been working non stop, winter and summer, for over 5 years now without the lid coming off except to check it now and then and give the infeed tube a wipe. Since I originally wrote this paragraph, 3 or 4 years have gone by and I still have not cleaned out or touched my filter.
Books and Pond Necessities
Some sites associated with pond conservation issues: http://www.butterfly-conservation.org http://www.froglife.org which also has a page here - site
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All information on this site is provided by the webmaster and, should there be a pricing error, it is my fault and not the shop or its staff. Any prices marked on stock shown on these pages were correct at the time the image was taken. If you have a question regarding the site Click to email me Erdington Aquatics 97-99 Church Road Erdington Birmingham B24 9BE England Telephone: 0121 373 1100 |
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