Avoid placing the pond in areas where water runs off after a heavy rain. Runoff can get between the pond wall and the liner and cause your liner to float up. This is especially true with liners that were not properly installed in the first place. The liner must be anchored down around entire pond edge when first installed, or you will need to remove all the water, plants, gravel, and rocks in the pond to repair it. You also run the risk of runoff that contains traces of your neighbors weed killer getting into the pond and killing your fish. You will need to drain water out of the pond safely and efficiently away from other structures. Many things can cause the pond to overfill, including heavy rainfall, improper pumping, or a hose running too long. Furthermore, you will need to make sure it can drain properly for cleaning and winterization.

Any pond more than 1 foot (0. 30 m) deep should have steps all the way around so that small animals, children and adults can easily get out if they fall in. It only takes six inches of water to drown an adult.

You will need to maintain your pond so that it does not become overgrown. Plants and fish multiply quickly. Overgrown ponds are not easily maintained, and they will become unsightly within a few years.

Before you begin any digging project in the US, you are legally required to call Digline at 811. [3] X Research source They will tell you if there are any utility lines, cables, pipes, or other obstacles at your site. This service is completely free. If you have rocky soil, this is going to be pretty hard to do on your own. If you have a soft, sandy loam, this is something you can reasonably do yourself. [4] X Expert Source Scott JohnsonLandscape & Design Consultant Expert Interview. 8 April 2020.

You will need to hire a professional State Licensed electrical contractor to install safe electrical connections for the pump. These will need proper maintenance as well. An improperly installed, wired and/or grounded pump can kill anything that touches the water.

The drain must fit well. It should be permanently sealed through the pond liner and underlayment to guarantee that there are no leaks. If this fails, the entire pond will fail.

To get the correct measurement for your liner– Drop a piece of string 18” from the edge of the pond where the water will crest. Drop the string along the hole at the widest part, allowing it to follow the curves of the hole then mark the string 18” from the opposite edge. Now measure your string. Do this also for the length of your pond. Use underlayment under your pond liner. Every pond liner will settle and sink down into the pond as it is filled with gravel, rocks, plants, silt, and other materials. It is important to purchase at least 1 foot (0. 30 m) extra if not 18–24 inches (46–61 cm) in overall length and width for the liner. If the liner pulls under the water’s edge, this pond will need to be drained and the liner, reinstalled.

The eduction jets create underwater currents and push the water to avoid areas of stagnation. The skimmer is a fish safe bucket that allows the system to automatically rake fallen leaves and debris off the surface of the water. Check the filter and filtration system at least two to three times a week, or damage to pumping\filter system can quickly occur. This will help keep it clean at all times.

The bead filter traps sand and debris while housing the good bacteria which is so important for the health of your pond and fish. The UV Clarifier is to get rid of the algae blooms and it enables you to have clear water. Another way to reduce algae and keep the water clean is to use gravel and rocks in the pond.

If there is an electrical outage, the pond level will have to hold the extra water running through the waterfall, stream, or filtration system. This will raise the level of the water considerably.