Small decorative ponds are increasingly popular in summer cottages. They add variety to the landscape and become an important element of the recreation area. To build such a pond with your own hands, a small set of tools and improvised materials will be enough. Read more about how to do this - read the material.

Types of decorative ponds and reservoirs

Before proceeding with the construction of the pond in the country, it is important to determine its purpose and make the right choice of type of structure. They differ in design, can be different in size and degree of complexity of the device.

Important! You cannot keep fish in a pond with a volume of less than 2000 liters. Depth up to 80 cm is also insufficient — in winter, such a layer of water will completely freeze.

There are such types of artificial reservoirs:

Mini is a small design for a small garden. It can be represented by a portable pool or made from improvised materials. The mini design can be angular or be the center of the garden composition. The ecosystem in the wild pond is as close as possible to the natural one, including plants, frogs, dragonflies and lizards. There is no pump in the reservoir for wild freshwater animals, they do not install a filter in it and do not use chemical means for disinfection.

Ornamental fish pond often created in Japanese-style gardens. For example, koi is a very beautiful variety of carp that is grown to purify water and decorate the location. To ensure the health of the fish, such a pond is formed using a filtration system, like a regular round aquarium. For breeding fish in a suburban area, only a large body of water is suitable, the conditions in which make it most suitable for the type of living creature that will be grown.

He needs to pay great attention to ensure that the aquatic inhabitants remain healthy and breed. If you still have not decided on the type of pond, start by planning what size area you can allocate, and what area will be the likely reservoir. Pay special attention to its position in relation to any buildings and plantings, in particular, to the presence of shading, root growth and leaf fall. Also consider the optimal shape of the structure.

How to make a decorative pond with your own hands

Start by deciding which pond is most suitable for placement near your home. It will be a mini-construction or a large reservoir for breeding animals. Remember that a small pond limits the number of fish that can live in it. They can also eat part of the plants, so algae need to be updated regularly. If your region has cold winters, then immediately think about the organization of wintering for all living organisms. After that, determine the location of the reservoir.

Avoid too close proximity to trees. Falling leaves and other debris should be cleaned regularly. It is important for plants that the pond is exposed to the sun for at least 6 hours a day. In the absence of living things, water circulation is not needed, otherwise, you should determine the model of the filter and pump in advance. Their cost may affect the choice of pond sizes. A pump is needed to equip a fountain or waterfall. In addition, the sound of bubbling water greatly enhances the pleasure of contemplating the pond.

The next step is to determine the size and shape. The depth of the fish pond should not be less than 2 m. In cold regions, it can be more. Provide access to the mains and water supply, as you will need to connect the pump. And water is needed during the spring cleaning and renewal of the reservoir. Then proceed to sketch. Try to complete all three projections of the reservoir with the exact dimensions. This will help to flesh out existing ideas and make sure how they fit together.

Video: do-it-yourself decorative pond quickly and inexpensively

Suitable style and design

A variety of styles can be reduced to two main options for the reservoir:

• mimicking nature, irregular;
• regular.

A striking representative of the first group is a pond in the Chinese style in landscape design, and the second in the western style. Decorative Chinese parks arose as a resting place and hunt for the emperor and his entourage. These were natural territories on which animal holding areas were arranged, as inscribed as possible in the landscape. Another variety of eastern parks became artificial, in which the presence of a reservoir was interpreted by the philosophy of Feng Shui.

For example, it was believed that in order for water to give life-giving energy, it is necessary to create a pond with curved lines that repeat the natural bend of the river. The founder of the European style should be considered Greek. In his fashion, geometrically correct outlines, the dominance of marble, mosaic and stone. Such ponds are decorated with sculptures, colonnades, fountains. His follower is a French pond, representing a square or rectangle with not too high sides and a small amount of aquatic vegetation.

Did you know? It is believed that water has positive energy. That is why at different times the house near the pond was a symbol of prosperity, able to increase the wealth of the owner, make his life calmer and more measured.

The English reservoir can have smooth curved outlines and well-groomed, trimmed lawns around. A small pond is best designed in a regular style with stone or mosaic decoration. If you leave it as inscribed as possible in the landscape, it will look like an ordinary puddle. But a large pond is easier to make natural, saving on decoration. As for the design of the reservoir, it is necessary to consider the surrounding decorative elements. It can be benches, statues, lighting, as well as flowers in flowerpots.

Choosing a place for a reservoir in a summer cottage

First of all, you need to plan the territory of the site and designate. where exactly is the water supply, sewerage, electricity supply systems laid, Internet and other equipment. For a small pond, the level of groundwater occurrence is not important, but if you decide to build a reservoir for fish growing, you will need a full-fledged study of the geology of the site with determination of the size of the layers, their structure and density.

Also remember that from the premises you admire the site no less than walking along it. Therefore, choosing a place, also take into account the view from the window. If the house has children, then the pond is located away from the playground and provide a fence around it. Then you need to evaluate how the roots of trees and bushes lie. Old strong plants are likely to have a powerful root system, but young and developing in the future can damage the walls of structures.

Creating a pond consists of several stages:

1. The topsoil (about 20 cm) must be removed. This is a useful turf land that can be used on beds.
2. Then dig a pit in size. If you make a large structure, then you need to solve the problem of soil removal in advance.
3. As you dig, form terraces on which the plants will be planted. The inclination of the walls is 45 °, the width of the terraces is 50 cm.
4. Tamp the bottom of the pond, in large structures - use a vibrating plate.
5. Then lay a layer of rubble. To achieve maximum compaction, pour water over it.
6. Lay sand on the rubble, which is also compacted and watered.
7. Cover the surface with a hydrofoil (for example, a synthetic EPDM membrane). The edges can lie down arbitrarily, but the folds must be flattened.
8. Then fix the film at the bottom and lay the stones over the area of ​​the reservoir. For reliability, they can be sealed with sealant, and fill the gaps with small gravel.

What can a decorative pond be made of?

There are many options for what a decorative pond can be made of, from recycled tires to cast-iron basins. And although the independent manufacture of a reservoir is cheaper, if you wish, you can order the services of a designer and contact specialized services. You can turn any large plastic container, barrel, buckets into a pond and even make it from an old bath. Equip a fountain in it, overlay stones and the result will please you and your friends all summer.

By purchasing a polymer tank for a pond in a store, you can get a pond with a volume of 50 to 1500 liters of water. They come in different shapes, colors and sizes. Some even have a shelf for planting. If a suitable shape is not found - draw a sketch, lay it out on the site with a construction cord and dig a ditch along the intended boundaries.

Did you know? The tradition of organizing artificial ponds on the territory of houses came from the East. In Muslim countries, water has always been highly valued, so the man-made pool was considered a sign of a wealthy luxury estate.

Concrete the walls of the pit, decorate the surface with ceramic tiles and lay out large pebbles. Land near a cattail or iris - this will give the pond a natural and attractive look. If there is no desire to mess with concrete, then cover the pond with a waterproofing film, plant water hyacinths, lay out decorative stones or put a sculpted fountain bought. Such a structure will become the center of your garden and will attract attention.

Required Devices

In order for the water to remain transparent, any pond requires periodic purification.

Three types of purification filters are available on the market:

• biological;
• mechanical;
• sterilizing.

Biological bacteria are used to destroy the waste of a reservoir, turning them into less harmful compounds that can be used as fertilizers for aquatic plants. Mechanical filters trap and remove debris, sediment. Sterilizers pass water through a channel with ultraviolet radiation that kills pathogenic microorganisms. Combining all three types of filters will be most effective. But if there is no living creature in the pond, then the need for filtration disappears.

Important! Since the principle of the biological filter is based on the vital activity of bacteria and they need constant access of oxygen, the appliance must operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If he stops — bacteria will die.

Mechanical and biological devices are critical to the processing of organics. This includes fish waste, half-eaten food, leaves, and grass caught in the mowing of lawns. Also, the reservoir needs to be cleaned of fallen leaves. In a small pond, they are collected using a net, and in a large pond, a skimmer is needed. Its task is to remove garbage before it sinks to the bottom and begins to decompose. The device is usually installed so that it is not conspicuous. Boxed and floating skimmers are available on the market.When choosing a model, in addition to focusing on cost, you need to take into account the size of the unit itself, power and where you are going to place it. In hot weather, fill the pond with water from time to time to make up for the loss of evaporating moisture. If a fountain is installed, then you can run it at regular intervals to help aeration of the reservoir. Place a small floating ball in the pond so that part of the surface is clear of ice in frosty weather. This is necessary so that water can be saturated with oxygen.

And also do not break the ice by force, because you can stun and injure fish that are inactive at freezing temperatures. Plants need oxygenated water. The oxygenation index for the reservoir should be in the range from 8 to 12 mg / l. With its support, plants and fish live and develop without any problems. Fountains, water jets, streams are used to deliver oxygen to the pond. A pump or any filtration system can suck in water and displace it through a nozzle or through a special design (waterfall). Also do not forget that at -10 ° C pump systems should not work.

Pond decoration and decoration

Most often, stones, gravel, pebbles are used to decorate ponds. They draw up the sides of the pond, as well as bottom shelters for fish. The size of pebbles from 10 to 30 mm allows you to create a surface ideally suited for the reproduction of snails and other aquatic inhabitants, which keep the ecosystem in balance, eating organics that have fallen to the bottom, and the bacteria that inhabit it. Gravel is also needed for aquatic plants to better fix the roots at the bottom.The installation of LED lamps around the perimeter will make the entire area even more attractive. LEDs come in different shades and this makes them an excellent decorative element for highlighting the pond in the evening and at night. Many gardeners also like to decorate the pond with statues and figured compositions. There are many wonderful options for polymers in different styles - Greek, Chinese, fairy-tale, etc. Any solution will add charm to your garden and pond.

The choice of plants for the pond

Along with stones, plants are able to add a reservoir of visual naturalness. Among their countless numbers and a large selection of height, color and shape, you must first come from the depth of the pond. As a rule, when arranging a pond, three terraces are provided at a depth of 30, 50 and 80 cm from the surface of the water. The width of each of them is at least 50 cm.

Important! It is recommended to avoid planting invasive plants around the reservoir, as well as to remove all vegetation at a distance of 0.5 m from the water's edge, as the roots of garden plants will stretch to moisture.

Surface plants, such as cattail, are designed to make the walls of the pond more stable and eliminate the possibility of landslides. But in a concrete pond, this is not necessary, so the plants are installed in pots on the terraces.

In the coastal zone of a decorative pond grow:

Among plants floating on the surface may be:

Before buying, it is very important to study the information about the plant in order to know what to expect from it in terms of exposure, size and growth. Be sure to consider the level of growth of adult specimens and the depth at which they should be planted. Place high ones as far as possible, and lower ones in the immediate vicinity of the water's edge.

Video: plants for the pond

Optional accessories

In addition to the main equipment, you may also need additional equipment, which depends on the size of the reservoir. So, in mini-ponds without fish and plants, a net is enough to collect fallen leaves. There is no need to install a skimmer for this. For large ponds, they resort to the help of a sludge pump - it sucks in sludge, filters it from garbage and displays clean water back into the pond.

Important! Filters are not recommended for catching caviar. Firstly, they become clogged, and secondly, this method is unacceptable for maintaining the integrity of the aquatic ecosystem, because when sucked, the eggs die.

Birds and cats rarely cause trouble to the pond, but they use it as a source of drinking water, so if you wish, you can install a fence around the pond. Frogs and newts will independently find a way to your pond and make it their "home". In the absence of natural predators (cats), they can breed in large numbers.All amphibians usually lay eggs on the surface of the water, so it will be humane to buy a net for collecting it and transfer it in a bucket to the nearest natural reservoir.

How to care for a pond

The main enemies of the pond and its inhabitants are:

• seaweed;
• fallen leaves;
• ice.

To inhibit algae growth, remove anything that obscures the water. This is especially true for low-lying branches of trees and bushes. Also make sure that the plants planted nearby do not grow too much. Caring for an artificial reservoir also consists in its timely cleaning, which is carried out in early spring. To do the work you will need rubber boots. The weather should be warm (about + 12 ° C), and the day sunny. Begin by cleaning the surface with a net. Then, using a pump, most of the water is removed from the pool to the beds. In a separate container, water is collected from the pond and fish are caught in it.

Then stones are washed with a stream of water from a garden hose. Moving gradually, wash off the walls and bottom. After the procedure, the pit is filled with new water, the fish from the container are moved back to the pond and fresh algae are added as needed, decorated with floating plants. When you're done with this part of the job, add good bacteria, plant fertilizer and feed the fish. Check the acidity level of the water. It should be between 7.0 and 7.8 pH. At high rates it is recommended to add lime or copper. But any drugs should be used carefully observing the dosage indicated on the package.Caring for plants is also relatively simple. For them to develop well, you need to provide them with at least half a day of sunlight, the right soil for growth and depth. From time to time it is necessary to remove plants that for some reason look painful. If you have the opportunity to equip a decorative pond on a personal plot is not at all difficult. It is only important to remember that creating and maintaining an ecosystem is a systematic process and you can start it only when you are sure that you have enough time and resources.