I recommend the flexible liners over the preformed ponds for several reasons. First, the deepest preformed ponds are only 18" deep...not deep enough to over winter fish or plants in the north. Second, they are hard to install. The hole has to be the exact shape of the preformed liner or it will twist and won't be level all the way around. With a liner pond, you can dig the hole whatever shape and size you want. And finally, they are expensive. You can probably get a bigger flexible liner for the same as it would cost to get a smaller preformed pond.
Inhabitants
The pond is heavily planted with various hardy and tropical plants. Here is a list of the plants. There are about 6 goldfish and 2 larger koi in it at this time. Every spring we also have tadpoles...both frogs and toads, and baby fish. The fish are hand fed with floating pellets. They come to the surface where I feed them everyday begging for food...just like a puppy! They stay in the pond all winter along with the hardy plants. The pump is left running, and we put a stock tank heater in it.
Maintenance
Water gardens are very low maintenance. We drain and clean the whole pond in the spring as soon as it is warm enough to get a little wet. We usually repot and divide crowded plants in the spring and remove dead leaves when ever they are noticed. All plants, except the submerged plants (anacharis), get fertilized every two weeks from about mid May to the end of August. This is probably more than what most people (and the directions) recommend, but as you can see from the pictures the lilies are beautiful and we usually have at least 8-10 flowers open at any one time. We give the lotus about twice as many tabblets as the lilies...they are heavy feeders. That's all there is to it!!
The key to a successfull water garden, which to most people means clear water, is plants, plants, plants!! We don't use any filters and the water is crystal clear. We also have a low fish load. The only time we have green water is first thing in the spring before the plants start growing well, but it only lasts a few weeks. We do not recommend chemicals to clear the water. They are expensive, only a temporary solution, stressfull to the fish, and often completely uneffective. Try to cover at least 70% of the water's surface with plants. Our pond is usually up to 90% covered by plants. Water lilies, water hyacinths, and water lettuce are good at this. Also use lots of plants that get nutrients directly from the water like submerged plants (anacharis), water lettuce, water hyacinths, and frog bit.
Here is a tour of my water garden as well as the rest of the garden. Some of the pictures may load slowly, so be patient! Enjoy :)
Water Plants in My Pond
- Hardy water lilies (3 different pinks, red, yellow, white, and Florida Sunset...apricot...WOW!!)
- Floating heart
- Parrot's feather
- Water hyacinth
- Water lettuce
- Iris 'Black Gamecock'
- Iris 'Purple Fan'
- Variegated yellow water iris
- Cattails
- Flowering rush (?)
- Marsh marigold
- Anacharis (submerged)
- Arrow Head
- Tulip Lotus
- Mosiac Plant
- Lizzard's Tail
- Dwarf Variegated Umbrella Palm
- Chamelion Plant
- Dwarf Cattails
- Variegated Taro
