Build a Backyard Fish Pond Without Going Belly Up
You can make an outdoor fish paradise for less than you might think. But you'll need this expert design wisdom
One of the most memorable times of my life was the week I spent in Hawaii for my brother’s wedding. The resort on the beach, the sunshine, the warm weather, the mai tais and Lava Flows, morning swims in the ocean, sitting next to a waterfall, watching the sunset as a grass-skirted man danced and sliced coconuts with a giant machete – it was all so serene and charming.
But perhaps what completed the tropical experience was the abundance of shimmering koi ponds almost everywhere I stepped. Glimmering white, orange and black fish the size of party subs were right at my fingertips. To that effect, for me anyway, I find that the most peaceful, tranquil, relaxing and inspiring home landscapes are those that incorporate a fish pond.
So I wondered: what does it take to put a fish pond in a backyard? US expert Harold Leidner was able to offer guidance, as was Australian David Kirkpatrick of Outdoor Creations. The US landscape designer has built dozens of fish ponds in every shape and size, all the way up to a lavish US$40,000 koi pond the size of a swimming pool. Meanwhile, the Australian designer has created installations of up to a couple of hundred thousand dollars, in Victoria’s Warrandyte area.
The takeaway is, like indoor aquariums, fish ponds are not for the faint of heart. They take a lot of time and effort, love and care. They can be time consuming, budget draining and, at times, heartbreaking (losing any pet is tough). But as with most difficult things in life, the payoff is worth it. And if you’ve got the time – even just one free weekend – you can build your own backyard fish pond for just a few hundred dollars.
Here’s what you’ll need to consider:
But perhaps what completed the tropical experience was the abundance of shimmering koi ponds almost everywhere I stepped. Glimmering white, orange and black fish the size of party subs were right at my fingertips. To that effect, for me anyway, I find that the most peaceful, tranquil, relaxing and inspiring home landscapes are those that incorporate a fish pond.
So I wondered: what does it take to put a fish pond in a backyard? US expert Harold Leidner was able to offer guidance, as was Australian David Kirkpatrick of Outdoor Creations. The US landscape designer has built dozens of fish ponds in every shape and size, all the way up to a lavish US$40,000 koi pond the size of a swimming pool. Meanwhile, the Australian designer has created installations of up to a couple of hundred thousand dollars, in Victoria’s Warrandyte area.
The takeaway is, like indoor aquariums, fish ponds are not for the faint of heart. They take a lot of time and effort, love and care. They can be time consuming, budget draining and, at times, heartbreaking (losing any pet is tough). But as with most difficult things in life, the payoff is worth it. And if you’ve got the time – even just one free weekend – you can build your own backyard fish pond for just a few hundred dollars.
Here’s what you’ll need to consider:
Advantages of shallower ponds: Less excavation means less work and fewer materials, so you’ll save money on construction costs and backaches.
At 30-45 centimetres, a shallow pond will allow you a better view of your fish.
Browse more backyard ponds
Browse more backyard ponds
Water plants like lily pads will thrive at this depth also. They can't grow in deep water.
Smaller ponds obviously take up less space and can lend themselves to small design flourishes that make a big statement.
However, Kirkpatrick recommends a depth of at least 40 centimetres. “If it is too shallow, pending the location, the water temperature fluctuates too much and this can impact the fish and plant life,” he says.
However, Kirkpatrick recommends a depth of at least 40 centimetres. “If it is too shallow, pending the location, the water temperature fluctuates too much and this can impact the fish and plant life,” he says.
Advantages of deeper ponds: Fish will grow only in relation to how big the space that they’re in is. In shallow water a koi, which can reach close to a metre in length, won’t reach its full potential, as it would in a 150-centimetre-deep pond.
Fish tend to get sicker in small ponds, because they’re swimming around in water with higher concentrations of their own waste. Deeper ponds mean more water volume and cleaner water. The fish are healthier, making it easier to maintain the right chemical balance.
Deeper ponds make fish harder targets for predators such as birds and cats, which can easily swipe, swoop and make dinner of fish in shallower ponds. Letting predators make dinner of your fish obviously wouldn’t be cool, especially if you drop thousands of dollars on one koi.
Fish tend to get sicker in small ponds, because they’re swimming around in water with higher concentrations of their own waste. Deeper ponds mean more water volume and cleaner water. The fish are healthier, making it easier to maintain the right chemical balance.
Deeper ponds make fish harder targets for predators such as birds and cats, which can easily swipe, swoop and make dinner of fish in shallower ponds. Letting predators make dinner of your fish obviously wouldn’t be cool, especially if you drop thousands of dollars on one koi.
2. Line the hole
Surprise: dirt holes don’t retain water very well. You’ll have to line your depression. The three most popular methods are concrete spray, rubber liners and plastic tubs.
Wonderful Ways to Use Water in the Garden
Surprise: dirt holes don’t retain water very well. You’ll have to line your depression. The three most popular methods are concrete spray, rubber liners and plastic tubs.
Wonderful Ways to Use Water in the Garden
Gunite is a spray concrete commonly used to line swimming pools. Leidner used it for this expansive fish pond, built for around US$25,000.
Pros: Gunite is long lasting and durable. Creative lighting and other nifty design elements are easy to include.
Pros: Gunite is long lasting and durable. Creative lighting and other nifty design elements are easy to include.
Cons: Cost. You’ll need a professional to install gunite. Leidner says a feasible budget for a professional installation of an average-size pond is US$5,000 (AU$6,336) minimum, which includes pump parts and labour but not fish.
Kirkpatrick says this method is more commonly used for swimming pools in Australia. “I much prefer to specify the build for the ponds to be with a concrete base and masonry walls, and then line with onsite installed fibreglass,” he says. “This is a lot cheaper than the gunite method. The other option, pending the design, is to have a pre-formed pond built and then taken to site.”
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Kirkpatrick says this method is more commonly used for swimming pools in Australia. “I much prefer to specify the build for the ponds to be with a concrete base and masonry walls, and then line with onsite installed fibreglass,” he says. “This is a lot cheaper than the gunite method. The other option, pending the design, is to have a pre-formed pond built and then taken to site.”
Find a landscape pro near you
Rubber liners are also common. Strips are rolled out, sealed together and used to line an excavated hole. Rocks and other design elements are added on top and then filled with water.
Pros: They are common and fairly inexpensive. You can purchase a prepackaged pond kit with rubber liners for a few hundred dollars to just over a thousand, depending on the size and other factors.
Pros: They are common and fairly inexpensive. You can purchase a prepackaged pond kit with rubber liners for a few hundred dollars to just over a thousand, depending on the size and other factors.
Cons: Rubber liners are fairly difficult to install; not all homeowners will understand how to glue and seam the liners together. A small mistake can result in a big drainage problem, and you’ll lose your water and fish. Burrowing rodents also can nibble through the liner. “You’d be surprised how quickly a koi pond will drain into the ground,” Leidner says.
Expert tip: If you do go with a rubber liner, Leidner recommends buying a few bags of concrete, poking holes in them and using the bags to line the hole. Then spray the bags with water and put the rubber liner on top. The bag will dissolve and the concrete will harden, creating a barrier that rodents can’t get through.
Pre-made ponds are a good alternative. They start at around $120, and go up to several hundred depending on a variety of factors, but do come in limited shapes and sizes.
Expert tip: If you do go with a rubber liner, Leidner recommends buying a few bags of concrete, poking holes in them and using the bags to line the hole. Then spray the bags with water and put the rubber liner on top. The bag will dissolve and the concrete will harden, creating a barrier that rodents can’t get through.
Pre-made ponds are a good alternative. They start at around $120, and go up to several hundred depending on a variety of factors, but do come in limited shapes and sizes.
3. Install the pump equipment
Pump equipment can be purchased at most local pool and pond supply companies, with complete installation instructions. You can hide it under rocks or plants, or purchase extensions to conceal it on the side of your house.
9 Reasons You Need a Fish Pond in Your Garden
Pump equipment can be purchased at most local pool and pond supply companies, with complete installation instructions. You can hide it under rocks or plants, or purchase extensions to conceal it on the side of your house.
9 Reasons You Need a Fish Pond in Your Garden
4. Add landscaping
Having a hole with water won’t do anything for your chi. Make sure you budget for rocks, plants or decking.
Kirkpatrick says that if he is doing a free-form pond, he tends to stick to more natural-style landscaping such as pebbles and rocks, or paving for a more formal style.
“Ideally you do not want large trees or shrubs close to the pond, as they obscure the vision and can impact the structure,” he says. “And you should always put mesh under the water for the plants to grow though, for two reasons. One, if a child falls in they are only falling into about 10-20 centimetres of water. And two, the mesh stops birds from doing a fish takeaway.”
He also recommends using water plants inside the pond, as they will supply oxygen to your fish if there is any problem with the pump, and will also provide shade for your fish, and add aesthetic value to the pond.
Once you’ve got everything looking pretty, add water. You’ll want to check the chemical balance and temperature before adding fish.
Having a hole with water won’t do anything for your chi. Make sure you budget for rocks, plants or decking.
Kirkpatrick says that if he is doing a free-form pond, he tends to stick to more natural-style landscaping such as pebbles and rocks, or paving for a more formal style.
“Ideally you do not want large trees or shrubs close to the pond, as they obscure the vision and can impact the structure,” he says. “And you should always put mesh under the water for the plants to grow though, for two reasons. One, if a child falls in they are only falling into about 10-20 centimetres of water. And two, the mesh stops birds from doing a fish takeaway.”
He also recommends using water plants inside the pond, as they will supply oxygen to your fish if there is any problem with the pump, and will also provide shade for your fish, and add aesthetic value to the pond.
Once you’ve got everything looking pretty, add water. You’ll want to check the chemical balance and temperature before adding fish.
5. Add fish
While koi are the most popular choice for fish ponds, Leidner also recommends fancy goldfish. In addition to having ornate patterns and colours almost identical to those of koi, they’re less aggressive and less expensive.
Kirkpatrick also recommends goldfish for backyard ponds, as they are hardy and low-maintenance. “The fish never really need to be fed,” he says, “as you want to keep them lean and keen. This way they will not over breed, and will eat anything that looks like a mosquito larvae.”
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While koi are the most popular choice for fish ponds, Leidner also recommends fancy goldfish. In addition to having ornate patterns and colours almost identical to those of koi, they’re less aggressive and less expensive.
Kirkpatrick also recommends goldfish for backyard ponds, as they are hardy and low-maintenance. “The fish never really need to be fed,” he says, “as you want to keep them lean and keen. This way they will not over breed, and will eat anything that looks like a mosquito larvae.”
Tell us
If you found this story helpful, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation.
More
Read more stories about outdoor living
You’re going to need a hole. A big one. It’s free if you do it yourself. If you need the dirt hauled away, you’ll have to pay. Prices typically range from a couple of hundred dollars to several hundred, depending on the amount and other factors.
Leidner prefers deeper holes, but it’s up to you what aesthetic you’re going for. Both shallow and deep ponds have their benefits and disadvantages.