Table of Contents
Introduction xiii
1 Understanding a Balanced Ecosystem 1
Oxygen Cycle 2
Nutrients 6
pH 9
Algae 9
Animals 10
Trees and Shrubs 12
Plants 12
Microbes 13
Maintaining Balance in the Ecosystem 15
2 Environmental Benefits 17
Pond Ecosystem 17
Breeding Site for Amphibians 18
Dragonflies and Mosquitoes 19
Birds and Mammals 19
Water Conservation 20
Environmental Awareness 21
Less Lawn 21
Permaculture Food Sources 21
3 Natural Looking Designs 23
Native Ponds 24
Man-made Ponds 28
How Natural Can You Get? 34
The Borrowed View 35
Enjoy the Pond 35
Stones, Stones, and More Stones 36
Plants Are Key 36
Your Final Design 38
4 Planning and Design 39
Location 39
Legal Issues 41
Access to Electrical Power 41
Size 42
Depth 44
Water Source 45
Bogs and Rain Gardens 45
Trees 46
Pond Liners 46
Human Access 47
Rocks 50
Shape of the Pond and Planting Shelves 50
Plants 52
Excavated Soil 52
5 Building 55
Site Evaluation 55
Soil Type 58
Installing a Preformed Pond 58
Flexible Pond Liners 61
Digging the Hole for a Flexible Liner 63
Preparing the Hole 67
Installing the Pond Liner 69
Footings for a Dock or Bridge 70
Adding Water 72
Protecting Planting Shelves 73
Stones for the Planting Shelf 74
Leveling the Pond Edge 76
Adding the Spillway 77
Allowing for Inflow 78
Edging the Pond 78
Adding the Finishing Touches 80
6 Fish 83
Fish Care 83
Hobby Fish 85
Game Fish 87
7 Plants 91
Planting 92
Fertilizing 93
Starting Small 93
Too Many Plants 94
Plant Pests and Diseases 94
Undesirable Pond Plants 94
Selection of Water Plants 96
Workhorse Water Plants 97
8 Maintenance and Troubleshooting 109
Don't Do These Things 109
Adding Water 112
Removing Organics 113
Winter Care 114
Pond Leaks 115
9 Large-scale Ponds 119
Special Pond Types 119
Regulations and Permits 123
Water Sources 125
Liner Options 126
General Construction Considerations 127
Aerators and Fountains 128
Constructing Dams 129
Designing the Inflow 131
Designing the Outflow 132
Plants 134
Eutrophication 135
10 Pools, Bogs, and Rain Gardens 137
Natural Swimming Pools 137
Bogs 142
Rain Gardens 146
References 149
Index 151
About the Author 157
A Note About the Publisher 160