POND CONSTRUCTION

Pond Installation

The most common materials with which to build your pond are flexible pond liners or solid preformed ponds. Whichever you select, we recommend you always follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation. However, this guide provides a brief description for installing a pre formed pond and a flexible pond liner.
Remember, ponds should be placed in a sunny location (with a minimum of six hours of sunlight a day) and away from trees and bushes, if possible. You may want to place the pond within easy view from your most used outdoor space. The pond should be accessible to a garden hose and electrical line. Consult your electrician for proper electrical requirements.

Calculating the Volume of Your Pond

It is important to know how many gallons of water that is in your pond. Knowing this can help you determine the number of fish the pond can hold, is important when calculating partial water changes and using pond water conditioners, medications and fish food. The easiest method to calculate the volume is to measure the amount of water used to initially fill your pond. Before filling the pond for the first time, note the time in seconds it takes to fill a five U.S. gallon (20 L) bucket with tap water at a constant flow rate from a garden hose. Then, fill the pond at this same constant flow rate, using the garden hose. Record the time (in seconds) that it takes to fill the pond. Then use the following formula to determine the volume of your pond.
Time in "seconds" to fill the pond X The Gallons / Liters of the Bucket ÷ Time required to fill the bucket in seconds = Gallons / Liters in the Pond
Example: Using a 5 Gallon bucket. Say it took 75 seconds to fill the bucket with the garden hose and it took 4 hours (14,400 seconds) to fill the pond with the garden hose.
The number of Gallons = 14,400 X 5 ÷ 75 The answer is 960 Gallons.
If the pond is already filled, the number of gallons can be approximately calculated
using one of the following formulas.
Square And Rectangle Ponds
Length x Width x Average Depth in Feet x 7.5 = Number of U.S. Gallons in your pond
Example: A pond with a length of 8 feet, width of 6 feet and a average depth of 2 feet has 720 U.S. Gallons. (8 x 6 = 48 Then take the 48 x 2 = 96 Then the 96 x 7.5= 720 gallons)
Round Ponds
Top Diameter x Bottom Diameter x Height (in feet or meters) x .785 = Volume of Pond
Example: [3' (.9144 m) TD x 3' (.9144 m) BD x 2' (.6 m) H] x .785 = A pond volume of 14.13 cubic feet (.39 cubic meters)
Converting Volume to Gallons/Liters
Cubic feet (ft-3) x 7.5 = Gallons
Cubic Meters (m-3) x 1000 = Liters
Multiply 108 ft-3 x 7.48 = 807 Gallons or 3 m-3 x 1000 = 300 Liters
*Note: 1 UK Imperial Gallon =1.2 US Gallons or 4.5 liters.
Use the above formulas to figure US gallons.
Then divide that answer by 1.2, which will give you the UK Imperial Gallons.
(___US Gal ÷ 1.2 =___UK Gal)
To convert US Gallons to liters, multiply the US gallons by 3.78.
(__ US Gal x 3.78 = ___Liters)

The Pond Filter

Biological, Mechanical, and Chemical
The filter is of key importance in keeping your pond water crystal-clear and free of chemical pollutants. Mechanical filtration refers to the physical removal of debris from the water by filtration materials, such as foam pads, that trap suspended particles. These pads are your first line of defense in removing debris from your pond.
Chemical filtration removes pesticides, colors, odors, organic waste, excess nutrients, and other harmful chemicals from your pond. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Filter Carbon, Activated Carbon Coated Pads, Phosphate Remover, and Ammo-Chips can be used in the filter for chemical filtration.
They increase the efficiency of your filter, providing better water quality and improving fish health.
The biological compartment of your pond filter provides a place for beneficial bacteria to grow on special media. Known as the "biological filter" these beneficial bacteria convert poisonous compounds (ammonia and nitrite) into less toxic nitrate. The end by-product, nitrate, is used as a food source by aquatic plants. This continuous process is called the nitrogen cycle. Ammo-Rocks, which is 100% all-natural zeolite, provides an excellent medium for growing bacteria, meanwhile removing ammonia from the water before it reaches harmful levels. Ammo-Rocks should be placed in your filter for peak performance.
New ponds have no active biological filtration. When fish are first added to a pond, they immediately begin releasing toxic ammonia as a waste product Uneaten fish foods and decaying plant materials lead to an increase in ammonia and build-up of organic waste. These conditions inhibit the development of the biological filter, thus prolonging stressful conditions in your pond.
BioFilter Booster™ speeds the development of the biological filter by removing these inhibitory substances. BioFilter Booster is a highly concentrated, very stable liquid solution of specifically selected bacteria, which will accelerate the development of the biological filter. Regular use of BioFilter Booster will reduce organic sludge and other pollutants, creating ideal conditions for the pond's beneficial bacteria.