Pond Pump and Fountain

Build a Pondless Waterfall

How To Build A Pond

Please never use roofers felt or the roofing liner, as it contains chemicals that will kill your fish and water plants.

Step 1: Lay out the pond	Step 2: Place BioFalls and skimmer	Step 3: Place the plumbing tubes	Step 4: Connect the BioFalls to the tubing
Step 5: Dig the pond	Step 6: Lay the underlayment and the liner	Step 7: Place the Skimmer and attach the liner	Step 8: Lay the rock in the pond and around the sides
Step 9: Place the pond lighting	Step 10: Wash the silt off the rocks and pump out the water	Step 11: Fill pond and place the pump	Step 12: Build the waterfall and stream
Step 13: Bring in the top soil	Step 14: Build the retaining wall	Step 15: Touch up the waterfall and stream	Step 16: Cut the liner
Step 17: Mulch berm	Step 18: Clean up	Step 19: Start up	Step 20: Enjoy

Building a pond with a waterfall, water garden or Koi pond using flexible 45 mil EPDM pond liner:

1. Determine the size and shape of your pond, (a rule of thumb is, "Bigger is better". No matter how big you make your pond, after a while you'll probably wish you had made it bigger. Also the more gallons the pond contains, the better the buffer for environmental changes. For example, the pond water will warm/cool slower, allowing the fish time to adapt), you can use a garden hose, rope, stakes or even marking paint to lay it out. Having the edges of your pond level is important, otherwise you will end up camouflaging the high sides of the liner. There are gadgets out there to help with this step. The pond should be deep enough so that the bottom is below the frost line in winter so that the fish will not freeze.

   • Determine the size of underlayment and liner needed using the following formula:

   Length = Length of pond plus 2 x depth plus 2 feet
   Width = Width of pond plus 2 x depth plus 2 feet

2. Mark where the Skimmer and BioFalls will go.

3. Lay out the Tubing to make sure you have enough for what you plan to do.

4. Connect the BioFalls To the tubing and giving it time to cure.

5. Excavate the pond area, taking care to slope the sides slightly for strength and to give animals a way out. Step the sides of the pond to make plant shelves and pits. The minimum depth of the pond should be 18 inches; two feet or more is preferable. Three feet is recommended if you have fish that need to winter over in the pond or if you live in a very hot part of the country. This depth will also give the fish protection from predators.

6. Place the Underlayment and liner. You want to use an Underlayment to protect you pond liner. It will aid in protecting the pond liner by adding a barrier between the liner and any unseen rocks or other abrasives that may puncher the liner if used alone.

   • Select a quality pond liner; the Firestone 45 mil EPDM PondGard liner is one of the most durable liners on the market and comes with a 20 year limited warranty. If you are looking at a pond kit, always check the pond liner offered inside the pond kits - make certain the liner offered is at least 45 mil EPDM pond liner or one of the newer material likes Tetra Xavan – other plastic liners just do not last.

7. Place the Skimmer and using the black silicone sealant attach the Skimmer to the liner.
8. Lay the largest stones around the pond perimeter on top of the liner to help hold the liner in place.
9. Place the pond and waterfall lighting if you have purchased such items.
10. Wash the sand and silt off the rocks you have just placed and pump out the water. This will help the pond clear faster once you fill it so that it will not be so murky.
11. Fill the pond, this will take some time so take a break and eat something.
12. Place the BioFalls and build the stream.
13. Bring in top soil for the perimeter planting.
14. Build a retaining wall
15. Check how the Waterfall and stream are flowing and make changes so that the water flows where it is supposed to. Treat the water to eliminate chlorine/chloramines and adjust the pH to acceptable levels before you add pond plants or fish. Add beneficial bacteria to jump-start the pond filter.
16. Cut or bury the liner edge. I like to bury it myself.
17. Mulch the berm around the pond to finish the landscaping. This helps to keep weeds out of the planted area and keep moisture in the topsoil.
18. Clean up and put the tools away.
19. Run the pond and let it settle.
20. Enjoy