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Archive for the ‘Design and Building’ Category

You can take advantage of the many different lighting solutions available today to beautifully “illuminate” your pond and the area surrounding it.

Tiki torches’ lining the pathway to your pond creates a tropical look and feel to it. These also serve the function of providing light so that you and your family can walk about this area without the fear of tripping over something at night. Pest control companies manufacture torches containing mosquito and bug repellent in them so they not only provide some light, you have the added bonus of protection from pesky insects.

Installing submerged lighting inside your pond can beautifully illuminate the plants you have in your pond and if you have fish in your pond you will be able to watch their activity even at night.

Water fountains can be equipped with lighting so that you can be delighted with a nighttime water display erupting from the center of your pond.

Consider flood lamps to highlight specific aspects of your pond that you want to show-off such as the unique design of your pond, or an intriguing item such as a garden bridge strategically placed in or near your pond among other things you may wish to showcase about your pond.

There are plenty of energy-wise solutions from which to choose from for providing lighting in and around your pond. Solar-powered lights are one such solution, and although they do cost more initially than other lighting, they pay for themselves rather quickly in the amount of money they save from appearing on your energy bills.

If you like the idea of energy-wise lighting but worry that solar-powered lights may run low at times: you can choose to put your lights on timers set to run dusk to dawn for example and save energy and costs that way.

Using a variety of lighting sources for your pond and the area around it will offer you the opportunity to view your pond in several different ways, from every angle of your wonderful pond. Lighting can “illuminate” your pond in such a manner that it seems to almost take on a new life from that which is seen during the day.

Different lighting for your pond not only seems to give it “new” life, it extends the hours in which you can enjoy your pond. And isn’t that worth a little effort in the choosing of different lighting for your pond?

If you have decided to purchase a pond kit, you may find that the kits available do not quite meet your needs.

There are a wide variety available; however, if you have special needs, you may need a personalized kit.

There are companies that can build you a pond kit that is better suited to your needs. By commissioning a personalized pond kit, you can be sure that you will get one to fit into your yard the best and meet the needs of the fish you plan to put into your pond.

Each variety of fish have different needs in a pond, and your yard space designated for your pond will have a great impact on the pond and type of fish you will put into it. By having a pond kit made especially for you, you can be sure to get all the materials you need to build a pond. Having all of the materials in the beginning of building of your pond will save time and money. A pond kit, even one that is personalized for you, will be much less expensive that purchasing the pieces for a pond individually.

By going to a company that specializes in pond kits, you can be sure that you will have all the materials you need to have a healthy pond with happy and healthy fish. Ensure that when you purchase a pond kit that you tell the business sales man exactly what type of pond you wish to have, where you plan on putting it in your yard and what type of fish you plan to keep in it. All of these things will be major factors in the type and style of pond you can build. Your location will also have a major impact on the type of pond and fish you can have—ensure that you tell the business all the aspects of your planned fish pond so they can put together a personalized pond kit that will best fit your needs.

Nearly every home improvement store or garden center sells a variety of do-it-yourself pond kits.

Each kit contains the basic elements you will need to create and install a small pond in your home garden.

Typically, you may find the following items in a basic pond kit: flexible liner or pre-formed pond shell; pump; filter; tubing; and possibly a fountain head or separate pre-formed ‘streamlet’ component. While these pond kit elements create a great start to a pond, you may find the whole effect a little bland once everything is put together. At this point, your imagination is the limit. You can turn your pond into a lush tropical oasis filled with exotic plants, or perhaps a more starkly beautiful riverbed-inspired pond. Maybe you want to fill your pond with Koi or make it a habitat suitable for the local frog population.

Here are a few suggestions that will help your pondscape sparkle:

1. In order to look natural, a pond must blend in with the surrounding landscape. Nothing looks quite as strange as a flat, unblemished lawn with a pond right in the center of it. To avoid this effect, consider building up the surrounding plantings with berms, rocks, shrubs and other plants so that the wider area around the pond is not vastly different from the area right at the pond. To accomplish this look without spending a lot of money, consider placing your pond off an existing garden, or incorporating it into a wider landscaping plan.
2. If you’ve ever sighed over the beauty of a natural stream, in all likelihood you were struck as much by the landscape and greenery around the stream as by the water itself. The same holds true for a garden pond. Once you have installed your pond kit, add some plants to the area around the pond, and perhaps in the pond as well. Many pond kits come with pre-formed liners that have plant shelves built in so you can incorporate plantings such as beautiful and fragrant water lilies, water iris, water hyacinths, lotus, cattails and bulrushes, which are all hardy plant choices to personalize your pond kit.
3. Accessorize! Adding decorative extras goes beyond a fancy purse to match an outfit or a throw pillow in the living room. Quaint sculptures, floating islands and even artificial flowers can add color and personality to your pond.

The only thing more relaxing that sitting beside a garden pond is sitting beside a garden pond filled with fish.

Watching them swim around is one of the most peaceful things you can enjoy. If you have an outdoor pond kit and are considering adding fish to the décor of your garden, you’ll want to first decide what type of fish you are looking for, as well as which ones are suited for your garden pond.

One of the most ornamental fish to have in your outdoor pond kit is the Koi. These are beautiful and can grow quite large in their lifespan of over forty-years. Each fish should have approximately 200 gallons of pond water and it must have proper filtration. While these fish sometimes require a little more care, sitting by your pond feeding them from your hand will make it all worthwhile.

The most popular fish for outdoor pond kits is the easily adapting Goldfish. This fish is great for a wide variety of pond conditions and, not only are they colorful and easily seen, they are hardy breeders. When looking at Goldfish, you’ll find a wide variety, however, the comet shaped are the best for outdoor garden ponds.

Another type of fish that not many people think of when it comes to outdoor pond kits are the Orfe. The downside to these fish is they need a large supply of oxygen and if you have a small pond, this is not the type of fish to get as they are known to jump out of them. If you get Orfe fish, you’ll want to make sure you have at least three fish, as they are very sociable, and you’ll want to make sure you have a 500 gallon or more sized pond for them.

These fish are all adaptable to a variety of conditions, however, if you live in a wintering state, you’ll want to make sure that your pond is properly winterized so it does not freeze completely. If you live in an area of high mosquitoes, you may want to consider Mosquito Fish. These creatures can easily eat up to 300 misquotes in a day and only grow to be about two-inches long. Regardless of what type of fish you purchase for your garden pond, you’ll find it adds to the atmosphere and creates a serene environment for you to enjoy.

Is it better to buy a pond kit, or to build your own?

Having your own pond in your yard for you to enjoy is really a great idea. You know your neighbor has one and you really like what they did with it. Now its your turn to make that nice little addition to your own yard. Now, let’s take a minute and see what your options might be as to whether you should buy a pond kit, or build one from scratch.

First, let me say that there are quite a few options out there. Because building ponds has become such a popular thing, it has driven various companies to increase their selections and options. There probably has never been a better time to buy. You can buy pond kits of different sizes, pond equipment in order to build your own, or even equipment to build just a waterfall – for those who may not want the whole pond.

Probably the very first thing that needs to be decided is how big of a pond you want. Many people, it seems, that after they have built their pond, wish that they had gotten a larger one to start with. So you might want to think large – depending on what you want.

The varieties are immense, and there are so many things you can do with pond kits. One thing is for sure – you need to do some homework before you build – in terms of both cost and things needed. For instance, if you intend to put Koi into your pond, then you need to make sure that it is deep enough so the fish can survive the winter. Other plants will be needed to keep down the algae. Certain size filters are needed for various volumes of water, etc.

For simplicity sake, it might be better, and faster, to buy a kit. But, you may be one of those who just likes to do it yourself, and you’d rather build your own – for uniqueness and personal pride – that’s O.K., too.