4 Common Outdoor Pond Mistakes

Outdoor Ponds are a worthwhile investment for your property as they raise curb appeal and overall value of your house, and also create an atmosphere of relaxation and calm. Ponds also provide many health benefits as they soothe and calm the mind.

Lots of planning and consideration goes into the creation of a new pond, so it’s crucial to make sure details are right the first time. Below is a list of common pond building mistakes to look out for in your upcoming pond project!

The Wrong Location for Your Outdoor Pond

Putting a pond in an unused area or space where its not easy to view is a common mistake, but a grave one. Usually people want to see and enjoy the pond they’ve just spent money on, so making sure you put it in an area that’s easily visible is crucial to the planning stage of your project. If possible, a mix of shades from trees and light from the sun is the perfect concoction for a healthy and happy pond ecosystem.

Steep Edges

Ponds with steep edges make it harder to stack rocks around the inside edge, and there won’t be any ledges for aquatic plants to cling to. Steep edges also make it difficult for frogs, birds and other animals to get to the water. No shallow edges of a pond also makes it dangerous to access the pond for maintenance. Creating a structure with shelves, or different level edges makes a pond easier to get in and out of, and elevates the pond’s appeal.

Building the Pond Too Shallow

The more shallow a pond is, the quicker it will heat up in the sun – especially during summer months. Water of 90 degrees or higher means difficulty breathing and even death for fish in the pond. Hotter water means less oxygen for fish which can have detrimental outcomes for your little pond pets. Furthermore, shallow ponds need to be refilled more often. They’re also easily accessed hunting grounds for predators like raccoons and large birds. To avoid these problems, make sure your pond is built at least 24 inches deep and scale the depth to the general size of the pond.

Building the Outdoor Pond Too Small

Small ponds with aquatic plants take up more time, since you’ll be trimming the leaves back more often. If your pond is too small and you have fish, you’ll likely have to de-stock frequently to better manage their numbers. And if that wasn’t already enough to handle, environmental factors like leaf debris and storms impact smaller ponds quicker and more intensely than larger ones. Its recommended to go as big as space and budget allow.