Water Gardening |
Installing a water garden in your yard can be one of the most relaxing and
visually pleasing additions you can make to your outdoor landscape. Unfortunately a lot of people think they are difficult to maintain or install. There is initial cost of supplies, but the only question you really have to ask yourself is, do I want to dig a hole or not and how big?
A water garden can be any size really and in the case of the half whiskey
barrel with liner, you don't even have to dig a hole. However an inground feature
is quite impressive even at the small 100 gallon size.
My 100 gallon night and day pictures.
What types of liners are available? Well, if cost is not an issue then you
can have a concrete one built for you. There is also a fiberglass option which
is still sort of pricey as they are more or less an outdoor jacuzzi or pool.
I would actually prefer the fiberglass option, but other than cost to consider,
I live in an area that can get quite cold and ice expansion can do some
expensive damage if it isn't made for extreme low temperatures. Be sure
to consider this if you pursue this option.
Most commonly used liners are HDPE -high density polyethylene-
prefabricated shaped liners or EPDM flexible liners, both have their
ups and downs. In the case of the EPDM liners, know that this is pretty
much the same as rubber roofing liner however...with roofing liner,
unless you know the brand and type, it may have been treated with a
fungicide of some type and you will pay for it further down the road
with the death of things you put in it, be aware, free scrap from
someone may cost you in this area.
Both of these liners are installed pretty much the same way with the
exception that one you can shape, and one is predetermined. Flexible liners are
installed into the hole and take the shape of the hole you dug out. This is very
convenient if you have an odd shaped area you wish to fill with water, or want
to make it deeper than a prefab. But if you are running against roots
from nearby trees or other strong rooted plants, you may be signing a
timed contract for repair so keep this in mind when placing a flexible
liner.
Prefabricated pond liners are very popular. They offer alot tougher root
protection, and the cost is far less. The only real down side to these is their
predetermined depth at 18 inches for most models. This isn't really a big issue
until you get into extreme temperatures so you just need to take a few precautions.
For whichever type of pond you choose, keep these tips in mind.
In the summer months during really hot days, keep an eye on the amount of
water evaporating and top it off with the hose. If you have to add more
than a few gallons, be sure to add some de-chlorinator. Ideal depth of a
water garden should really be 3ft or more. This is where flexible liners benefit more. This gives fish a deeper
cooler place to go if the water gets too warm. There is less dissolved
oxygen in warmer water than there is in cold water.
In the winter months, be sure to disconnect your pumps and filters, and put
in a high wattage de-icer. I use the 1250watt. Reasons for the de-icer go beyond just keeping your fish from freezing into a solid block of ice. It also keeps at least a small ice free hole in extreme cold. The reason this needs to happen is because of the decomposition of organics in the water create toxic gas that can build to levels high enough to suffocate your fish. If you don't keep fish, then it will help keep and lilys and other winter tolerable plants from freezing out.