A pond can be a beautiful addition to your house. Here are some basic steps you must follow to build a pond.

• Decide what you want to keep in your pond. If you want koi fish, the pond should be big. If you want goldfish and plants, the pond should be small.
• Decide location of your pond. The pond should be on high land. Be careful not to damage underground cables and pipes while digging the pond. The pond should be away from trees.
• Now you need to determine the size of your pond or water garden.
• The best way to do this is to use a rope or water hose and lay out the shape on the ground. Ponds built in colder areas may need more depth to keep the pond from freezing solid. Ponds built for koi should be three feet or deeper to allow them enough space. The biggest mistake that most people make is building the pond or water garden too small. A larger pond is more stable and easier to maintain.
• Dig the pond to the desired shape and dig a shelf around the perimeter of the pond about one foot deep.
• Position any external pond filters and/or pond skimmers and bury these at the proper level. A ditch should be dug for the plumbing from the pond to the external pond filter.
• Line the pond excavation with Pond Underlayment. Cut it with scissors or a utility knife. Tape any small pieces together to keep them from moving when the pond liner is placed.
• Place the rubber pond liner into the excavation and unfold. Position the liner evenly in the pond. Minimize folds and wrinkles but some will be inevitable. The folds should flatten out after water is added.
• Connect the pond liner to the skimmer, if one is being used, following the manufacturers directions. Place the pipe or tubing in place leaving a few inches extra to make your connections later.
• Place the stone or other coping around the edge of the pond. Put the copingstone around the edge of the pond and fold the pond liner up behind the stone to slightly above the water level. Back fill with soil to hold the pond liner against the stone. Fill the pond with water to within a few inches from the top and then make corrections if necessary to ensure that the pond is level. As the pond is filling remove wrinkles and make folds as necessary.
• Remove chlorine in the pond by adding dechlorinator.
• Place plants in the pond immediately. Add packaged bacteria to seed the pond. Fish must be added some at a time over several weeks.
• Add plants to your pond which prevent algae from growing.