Build a pond with your own hands. How to make a small pond at the dacha with your own hands. what materials to use

A pond should begin with choosing a suitable location and determining the size of the future pond. It is best to place the site at the lowest point, but make sure that it is well lit by the sun throughout the day. It is important that it is not near widely developed crowns. Otherwise, they will constantly fall into the water, and large roots can seriously disrupt the waterproofing of the reservoir.

The size of the pond depends on the scale of the entire site and the intentions of its owner. A pond with a diameter of about 3.5 m and a depth of about 100-120 cm is considered classic. But if the area is small, you can make a pond about a meter in size and no more than 50 cm deep. It is important to remember that if you plan to breed some aquatic plants, the depth should be a little larger - about 100 cm.

The next step in pond construction is preparing the pit. In essence, it is just a hole of a certain depth with a relatively flat bottom and walls. The shape of the pit can be made almost any way. If it is subsequently intended to use a ready-made purchased form for waterproofing, then the foundation pit must follow its lines. If there is no rigid shape, you can give the future pond the contours of a circle, oval, figure eight, etc. The walls of the finished pit are cleared of protruding roots and sharp stones, and the bottom is covered with a thick layer of sand, which is well compacted.

Creating good waterproofing is very important stage in the arrangement of the pond. If the choice is made on a purchased rigid form, it is important to ensure that it is made from quality material. Cheap plastic will quickly crack and crumble when exposed to sunlight and temperature changes. Homemade waterproofing is usually made either from concrete, pouring it into the bottom and walls of pits, or from film laid in several layers. For flexible waterproofing, you should choose PVC film or, if your budget allows, butyl rubber. Such material can last from 15 to 30 years. The bottom and walls of the pit are lined with film, leaving small allowances at the edges for fixation.

The finished pond is decorated around the edges with natural materials: large cobblestones, plants, and lined with turf. To replenish fresh water, it is good to draw an artificial stream to the pond, the edges of which can also be lined with natural stone. The bottom can be decorated with a variety of stones (necessarily with blunt edges) and aquatic plants planted in baskets or small permeable containers. Most matching colors are water lilies (nymphs), beautifully covering the surface of the water.

You can create an unusual landscape design in different ways. One of them is to build an artificial pond on the site with your own hands. The water zone will allow you to bring harmony and comfort into the surrounding space. In order for this part of the territory to become a harmonious addition to your possessions, and not a place that requires tireless care, you need to become more familiar with the technology of work.

You should start by choosing a site for laying. You will also need to choose the style of the pond. After all, it must match the exterior. The bowl of the reservoir can be supplemented with a waterfall or decorative stream, and the shoreline is decorated with a blind area.

The design of the reservoir can be made discreet, while the boulders different sizes and conifers will be present in small quantities, as well as multi-colored forbs. Today it is fashionable to make ponds in geometric configurations; they can be rectangular or square. An artificial pond looks great next to the house and emphasizes the horizontal and vertical lines of buildings. Such a pond will be combined with a patio or patio, which is especially true if there are flower beds and linear paths nearby.

Selecting a location

Before laying a pond on the site with your own hands, you need to choose the right location. The pond should be in the shade for a certain period of the day. This will eliminate seasonal algae blooms. But you should not plan to place the reservoir completely in the shadow zone, otherwise there will be a delay in the development of plants. In this case, you need to select golden mean.

The pond should be illuminated during the day for about 5 hours and be open from the southwest. It is not advisable to place a pond under shady trees, because over time the water will be contaminated by falling leaves. If you decide that you will make a pond on your site with your own hands, then it is important to decide on its size.

The pond should not occupy more than 3% of the garden area. If under garden crops 6 acres are occupied, then 18 m2 should not be allocated for a pond. The smaller the dimensions of the reservoir, the easier its construction will be, and the costs (material and labor) will not be so significant.

Once you have decided on the length and width of the reservoir, you need to take it into account visual perception. The water feature must be combined with other elements of the landscape. In terms of depth, the space is divided into three stages, the first of which is an area for plants that will be located in close proximity to the shore; the shallow water zone will be intended for water lilies, and the deeper zone will be for wintering fish if you plan to breed them.

You shouldn’t go too deep; it will be enough to prepare a hole of 180 cm. This will allow you to reach and overcome the freezing line of the soil. When you have decided on the location and size of the pond, you can think about what materials will be used in the construction of the pond. In this case, you need to be guided by the fact that the work can be carried out faster and easier.

Expensive and capital option- This concrete base, which is erected using formwork and additionally strengthened with reinforcement. A less expensive way would be to use a plastic container. You can also make a pond on your site on a budget with your own hands; for this purpose it is usually used moisture resistant film, which you can use to line the bowl. This method is taken as the basis for a detailed description.

If you decide to create a pond on garden plot with your own hands, you will need to select materials for it. This should include waterproofing. For example, ready-made molds of various configurations are made from fiberglass. Small ponds with an area of up to 4 m2 are constructed from them. Ordinary plastic should not be used, because it is not ready to last long. But forms made of fiberglass are durable and reliable, but have one drawback, expressed in high cost.

Before starting work, experts advise considering the technology step by step. You can create a pond with your own hands on the site, photos of which are presented in the article. However, it is necessary to select materials wisely. For example, a film made of butyl rubber or PVC will be an excellent covering for the bottom of a free-form pond. The material is characterized by elasticity, durability, strength, resistance to aggressive substances and low temperatures.

Having chosen a film, you can expect that it will last about 15 years, and butyl rubber - even half a century. You can change the shape of the bottom in the future if you choose a film. It can be repaired, but does not have a sufficient level of strength.

If you carefully familiarize yourself with the technology of constructing an artificial pond, you can easily make a step-by-step pond with your own hands on the site. Photos of several options for its execution are given in the article. You can use reinforced concrete to create the bottom. This material is reliable, and its main advantage is strength. Such a bottom is quite difficult to damage, but there is still one drawback - it is difficult to work with when pouring, because special skills are required from the master. To create a high-quality bottom using reinforced concrete, technology must be followed. Concrete must be of a certain grade. Strengthening the structure with reinforcement is mandatory. This is especially true for bridges and sculptures that you will create yourself.

Preparatory work

At the first stage, it is necessary to draw up a plan for an artificial pond, determining the width and depth. Using a water hose or sand, you can outline the intended contour. The shores of the future lake should be at the same level. It must be measured periodically during the formation of the pit.

Next, you can begin excavation work. The pit is dug to the depth of the coastal tier. You can then create a digging line at the deepest part. The digging process is quite difficult, so it is better to use the services of earth-moving equipment. If you still decide to do this part of the work yourself, then you should prepare for the fact that water may accumulate at the bottom. You can remove it using a pump.

As soon as the pit for the pond on the site is prepared with your own hands, you need to use a cord to determine its dimensions, taking into account the depth. In the process of digging a pit for a future pond, the question will certainly arise: where to put the land? An excellent option would be to raise the level of the site. To do this, the excavated soil is evenly distributed throughout the garden. You can also use the soil to embank a stream or as a foundation for an alpine hill.

Forming the bottom of the bowl

On next stage you can lay a durable film. In order to protect it from damage by plant roots and stones, geotextiles are placed under the layer. To do this, it is recommended to use roofing felt or old linoleum. Some resort to a method that involves filling the bottom with sand and compacting this layer.

It is recommended to choose a sunny day to carry out work on lining the film on the bottom of the pond. Then the material heats up, becomes more elastic and stretches better. This approach will allow you to go around all the ledges of the pit. To form an edge around the perimeter, you need to dig an auxiliary trench to tuck and secure the film. Its edges are laid in a trench and covered with crushed stone.

You can strengthen the edge plastic pipes or stone blocks. The first of them should be nailed to the pegs. This will prevent soil from falling into the bowl. The edge is laid out with natural stone; you can decorate it with a group of boulders or a large figured block. Prepared plants are placed in plastic containers and placed on slopes. It is recommended to line the bottom of the pond with crushed stones and stones.

Final works

Having arranged a pond on your site with your own hands, at the next stage you can already fill it with water. In order to select pumping equipment and calculate the volume of hydrochemicals for caring for the reservoir, you should take water meter readings before and after filling. To prevent the liquid from stagnating, you can arrange a pond with a stream. It will ensure constant circulation of water. To do this, the source is raised above the level of the artificial lake, and water is supplied to it from a bowl using a submersible pump installed at the bottom of the pond. It is important to think about decorating the mouth.

For this, plantings, stones, glass containers or clay bowls are usually used. Pipes should be stretched to the source of the stream and connected to the filter. It is better if it is pressure, as it is more efficient than flow-through equipment.

How to avoid mistakes?

If you are trying to create something with your own hands, you may encounter some problems. For example, in the case of artificial reservoirs There are standard mistakes that gardeners make. You should not decorate the banks with pellets of the same diameter, because then the pond will take on a boring appearance. It is better to combine large stones with small ones, but you should not overwhelm the coastal area with them.

The pond should not be made deep, because it has steep walls and will resemble a stone bag. As practice shows, earth-moving companies are advised to develop just such (deep) reservoirs for the reason that they are paid for the number of cubic meters of excavated soil. If you plan to breed fish, you should pay attention to the depth of the bowl. It shouldn't be too big.

You should not get carried away with container gardening, because it can interfere with normal development plants available on the site. Although container planting allows you to quickly change the external design by rearranging or rearranging the plantings. You may also be scared by the prospect of a dirty looking pond after filling it with soil. However, there is nothing to fear here. After all, soil for aquatic plants is a heavy mixture with a high clay content. It is not washed away by water, but is compacted over time by the root system. If you are thinking about creating a pond with your own hands on your site, the photos in the article will help you confirm the correctness of your decision, as they fully convey all the beauty of a garden with an artificial pond. Experts advise setting up a small pond first to practice and understand what mistakes can be made.

Creating a pond from a container

The good thing about the containers is that they can be installed fairly quickly. You can do this yourself in a day or two. If you want to use a plastic bowl, you can choose one whose edges are shaped like a natural stone. In this case, the process will go even faster, because to give the banks natural look you won't have to.

Before you create a pond with your own hands on an area without a film, you need to install a finished container in the designated area. It should be laid on bricks and positioned as level as possible. It is necessary to outline the edges of the bowl with lime or light sand so that the pit matches the topography of the container. This will allow you to mark zones of different heights.

Next, a pit is dug; you must act carefully, expanding and deepening by 10 cm. Using a level, make sure that the bowl is installed horizontally. If necessary, you can adjust the position of the container by deepening the pit. When creating a pond on a personal plot with your own hands, the container must be filled one third with water, after which you can begin to fill the cracks with sand, stirring it with water. The further plan is to decorate appearance artificial reservoir.

A budget way to create a mini-reservoir

If you don’t want to create a large pond, then you may prefer its mini version. A too primitive approach would be to use basins, buckets and bathtubs. However, you can use a tire instead. The larger its diameter, the more impressive the size of the pond will be. The reservoir will have decent dimensions if you borrow a tire from KamAZ, BelAZ or the Belarus tractor.

Further work will look the same as in the cases described above. First you need to dig a hole, the diameter of which will be slightly larger than the tire. The workpiece is installed there. You shouldn’t go too deep, otherwise the space will fill with rainwater.

When building a pond on your summer cottage with your own hands, you can use film, laying it in two layers on the bottom and sides of the tire. The edges of the film should be folded under the sides. Then the pond is filled with water, and its banks are decorated with plants and stones different shapes and sizes.

Design of the coastal zone

If you are an amateur natural style, then you will probably give preference to a large body of water. Its banks are usually decorated with lush vegetation, which refers to the local flora. It could be:

swamp iris;
coin loosestrife;

But sometimes in garden plots you can find plants such as reeds or darmera. As mentioned above, you can choose a pond in strict symmetry. In this case, the plants are planted near it in a certain order. Large slabs are laid around the pond rectangular shape. Wooden flooring looks quite attractive.

Creating a pond on the site country house with your own hands, you can make it a romantic place by adding decorative bridges. Among the tall plants suitable for such conditions are:

marsh iris;
gunner;
Hosta Rogers;
astilbe;
bergenia.

Tenacious plants, forget-me-nots and sedums should be planted between the stones.

How to maintain order?

Like any other structure on the site, the pond will require some maintenance during operation. This is not so difficult if you choose the right plants and ensure normal biological balance. Such a system will regulate itself, and the owner will only have to help it a little.

Having created a pond for ducks on your site with your own hands, in the summer you will need to remove weeds near it and algae from the water. To do this, you can use a rake and a net. Recommended to purchase chemicals, but only if you do not intend to keep poultry and fish. With the help of these substances you can clean the pond and saturate the water with oxygen.

If the pond dries out, water must be added periodically. IN autumn period You will have to remove the leaves, otherwise they will sink to the bottom. A special mesh is stretched over the surface to protect the pond from debris. All equipment is also removed for the winter. With the onset of spring, dried stems should be cut off. The bottom and walls must be cleared of silt; special equipment is usually used for this.

Finally

You can create a swimming pond with your own hands on your site. To do this, the pit is dug in several stages to create a slope with steps. In this case, the bottom is usually made of concrete, because using a plastic film bottom is dangerous. However, as one of good decisions is the installation of a finished container. When thinking about how to improve a pond on your property with your own hands, you can add a ladder to it if you plan to use it for water procedures.

Before starting work, it is important to decide whether you are ready to take care of the artificial pond yourself. Although such a system regulates itself independently, it still requires human participation. You will need to equip yourself with the appropriate equipment to catch debris in the form of leaves. Some summer residents and owners of houses within the city find such structures a burden. Over time, they abandon them. Therefore, some part of the territory becomes dysfunctional and unattractive.

Water has always attracted people. That’s why many people think about how to make a mini-pond at the dacha with their own hands, because then the landscape design will have its own zest. Being near water is natural for humans. You can relax on the shore, put fish in the water, make a fountain or waterfall.

The tradition of decorating areas near the house with bodies of water came to us from the East. But let's not consider simple stone bowls in the yard. After all, we are interested in integrating the pond into the design of the site. So, East. There are 2 design options: Chinese and Japanese. In China, a mini-pond was a body of water richly decorated with lush plants. It resembled a corner of the wild. In Japan, ponds were designed differently - in the style of minimalism. Having adopted this tradition, European designers began to make ponds in their own way. Often they were correct geometric shape. Which style to choose is a matter of taste for each owner.

There are no fundamental differences in the construction of reservoirs, so this material will be useful no matter what style you choose for your construction. It could be a traditional Chinese or Japanese mini-pond or a high-tech creation. Creating a pond is fun and you can get everyone in your family involved. This is especially true for design. Well, if you introduce fish, the children will be happy to feed them. The only thing that is not recommended to do in the pond is swimming. This is what the pool is for.

Construction of a pond

Just like in any other construction, you need to choose the right location. You should not build a pond where the water will be exposed to the sun all day. Plants will wither from excess sunlight, and algae in the water will multiply vigorously, and the pond will become overgrown. At the same time, if you make a pond on the shady side of the site, this will adversely affect the growth of plants. The best option- this is when the sun's rays illuminate the pond for at least 5 hours a day. The mini-pond should not be located near trees. When making a pond in the garden with your own hands, keep in mind that in the fall all the fallen leaves will end up in the water and rot. In addition, overgrown tree roots can damage the bowl, even if you make it from concrete. Such a garden pond should be located at some distance from the trees. As a last resort, choose a place where old trees grow, cut them down, remove the stumps and use this place for a pond in the garden.

You should be able to admire your creation. What good will a reservoir be if it is located deep in the site and cannot be seen? It’s good to have a pond nearby garden gazebo or the terrace of a house. Or set up a comfortable bench on the shore so you can sit and enjoy the beauty.

You also need to choose the size of the reservoir. There are also recommendations here, according to which the pond occupies 3% of the site. This is the best option. However, not all people who want to decorate their site in this way follow it. Often mini-reservoirs are made from old bathtubs or even basins. They are also constructing a pond from tires. Well, lovers of large reservoirs spend a lot of effort to dig the appropriate pit. Or they make two ponds and a small river channel connecting the two reservoirs. This is a personal matter for everyone. In any case, whatever pond you are planning to make, look through different variants How you can make a pond at your dacha with your own hands, photos will help you with this.

Having chosen a place, start digging a pit. Marking can be done using regular rope. If the volume of work is large, it will be more rational to use the labor of hired workers or an excavator. Well, you can dig a small pond yourself. But before you remove the soil, you need to decide how you will make the pond. There are different options. You can install formwork and fill the walls and bottom of the pit with concrete with the addition of liquid glass for waterproofing. Or buy an annual plastic container for a pond and dig a hole for it. And you can use the most a budget option – PVC film, which will cover the bottom and walls of the pit.

The pit is dug in ledges (usually 2-3). Plants are then planted on them. It is not recommended to make the deepest part of the pit deeper than 1.5-1.8 m. The pond should not be made too shallow, as in this case the water will be strongly heated by the sun. Some owners drain it for the winter, while others do not. Usually water is left out if fish are introduced into the pond. If the depth of the hole is normal, then they overwinter in the deepest place. Well, if the bowl is too shallow, then the water freezes in winter and the fish die.

So, a pit has been dug for a small pond. What's next? It is necessary to seal the walls and bottom. Let's consider the option with PVC film as the most budget-friendly one.

It is recommended to work with film in the warm season, when it is most elastic. A thick layer of sand is poured onto the bottom of the pit and onto the terraces and compacted. The film is placed on it. Sand is needed to prevent accidental damage to the material by sharp stones or roots of plants in the ground. The film will serve as excellent waterproofing, preventing water from escaping into the soil. On the surface of the earth, around the pit, the film is bent and pressed down by large stones. When decorating this garden pond, you will arrange the stones more beautifully, but for now you need to finish with the bowl. When the film is laid, it is recommended to pour a layer of sand on it. If plants on terraces will be planted in the ground, then you need to add soil, but it is much easier to plant plants in pots.

Another point that must be taken into account when building a mini-pond is that the water must be running. So you will have to spend a lot less effort to clean the bowl and replace the water. Making the water circulate is quite easy. Needs to be installed in a pond submersible pump. The water supplied through the hose will pass through the filter and drain back into the bowl. When making a pond in your dacha, you can choose any design for the drain. It could be a stream flowing from a nearby alpine slide(this is where you can put the earth from the hole), or you can make a fountain, which is also easy to construct. You just need to beautifully design the pipe connected to the pump and rising above the surface of the water. Having built such a pond at your dacha with your own hands, spend enough time decorating it. Can be used natural stones, paving slabs, decking boards and other materials. Your imagination is not limited by anything. You can also provide multi-colored lighting that will light up when evening time. Different design options for ponds in your dacha will help you choose.

When making a pond with your own hands, you must strictly follow safety measures if you plan to illuminate it, since water and electricity are a dangerous combination. Use only factory sealed fixtures that are specifically designed for underwater installation. If you do everything correctly, then such a garden pond with a fountain and lighting will become a real pearl of yours. summer cottage.

DIY mini pond (video)

Mini ponds

As already mentioned, in addition to a large bowl, you can also make a pond from a tire. It will be very small, but beautiful in its own way. It is much easier to make than a large pond. You need to pick up an old large tire from a KamAZ or tractor and dig it into the ground. The inside of the tire pond is also lined with PVC film. There is 1 small terrace for planting plants. Small tires are not recommended. After all, the pond will turn out to be tiny. But tires from passenger cars can be used when you want to make a cascade of small ponds in which water will flow from one to another. Such a structure also looks great, especially if it is well decorated. Basins or old bathtubs can also be used for this purpose. Tires can also be used to build flower beds around big pond. In this case, they can be painted with bright colors.

Conclusion

As you can see, making a pond with your own hands is quite simple. You just need to fulfill the following requirements:

choose the right place;
do good waterproofing;
provide water circulation;
beautifully decorate the space around the pond.

And then, having created a pond with your own hands, you can rightfully be proud of it. Creating a beautiful artificial pond is creativity, where you can fully use all your imagination. Please note that it should be in good harmony with other elements landscape design. Although options for construction on a summer cottage were considered here, a pond can also be built in the courtyard of a private house in the city. Beautifully designed small ponds can decorate any yard.

Mini pond on the balcony (video)

An artificial pond is an effective component of landscape design, designed to give peace and tranquility. What could be more pleasant than sitting in a gazebo entwined with roses and admiring the mirror surface reflecting snow-white clouds and flowering shrubs? Have you been dreaming of a small pond for a long time, but don’t have enough money to equip it? No problem. You can do it yourself without the help of specialists. All you need to do is read this article carefully and apply the acquired knowledge in practice! So how to do artificial pond: instructions for making it yourself.

Artificial pond on site

Choosing the right place for the pond

Choosing the right place for a pond is a guarantee that it will really please the eye. clean water, and not scare away others with the stormy summer “blooming”. An artificial pond should be illuminated by the sun 6-7 hours a day. It is important to find a middle ground, because... an excess of sun will lead to intensive reproduction of algae, and a lack of it will lead to the complete extinction of “ornamental inhabitants”.

The pond should be located on an open surface, at a relative distance from trees. Otherwise, you doom yourself to constantly fishing out branches and fallen leaves from it. In addition, as plant roots grow, they can damage the base or tear the film. Do not forget that your home lake needs to be cleaned and the water in it changed from time to time. It’s good if a source of clean water is nearby - this will solve the filling problem.

Design of a recreation area with a small pond

Dimensions and design

As for the sizes, everything, of course, is individual and depends on the area of your property. It is believed that the reservoir should occupy approximately 3% of the area land plot. But that's up to you to decide. Do not make the pond too deep - it will be difficult to care for. Provide three degrees of depth. The first one will belong coastal plants, the second - for water lilies, the third - for fish.

If we talk about the design of the future reservoir, then you should start from your preferences and the style of the existing landscape. Do you want to emphasize the rigor and geometric nature of your home? Square or rectangular pond - The best decision. Those who want to fill their space with oriental motifs should take a closer look at small tanks irregular shape, bordered by smooth boulders and low trees with bright foliage.

Original artificial pond

Round ponds on a green lawn, surrounded by original lanterns, are very popular. You can build a bridge across a pond from decking boards, create flower beds nearby, form stone paths, thus creating the ideal atmosphere for a good rest.

A perfectly round pond

Materials for artificial pond

You can make your own pond from different materials. The most commonly used films are film, butyl rubber, or ready-made containers. Which option to choose is up to you. But first, let's look at their advantages and disadvantages.

PVC film. An excellent material for homemade ponds. You can easily build a structure of the desired shape. If dismantling is necessary, this will not be difficult. Affordable price film provides everyone with the opportunity to become the owner of a beautiful pond without significant financial costs. Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting the fragility of the material, i.e. After some time, you will have to worry about building a new reservoir.

The process of laying PVC film in a pit

Butyl rubber. Like PVC film, it allows you to create ponds of any shape, but has a lot of additional advantages. Rubber can withstand high loads and maintain excellent strength characteristics for a long time. Of course, these advantages directly affect the cost - in this case it will be an order of magnitude higher.

Butyl rubber for pond construction

Ready-made plastic tanks. Most quick way acquire an attractive lake. Plastic containers are durable and resistant to adverse weather conditions, but have a limited range of sizes and shapes.

A small pond from a finished tank

Some craftsmen build ponds from what they find in the garage - from old bath, barrels, a basin of suitable size, a trough and even tractor tires. Well, that’s possible. Original and well worthy of attention.

Sequence of work

Creating a pond using PVC film is considered the most common, so we will consider it.

We make a plan. Before you start working directly, sketch out rough plan indicating the width and depth of the future pond. It is advisable to think about decoration in advance. This approach will allow you to avoid rework and, as a result, get what you wanted;
We outline the contours of the pond. This can be done using an ordinary hose or simply by scattering sand along the expected boundaries of the reservoir. Think again whether everything suits you - at this stage you can change something;
Digging a pit. We begin excavation work. We form the first two tiers of the reservoir. Approximate depth - 30 cm, width - 20 cm. Then we dig out the main bowl. Please note that the total depth must be greater than 80 cm. Otherwise, your pond will be too hot in summer and too cold in winter. In such conditions, it is unlikely that anyone or anything will live there;
We measure the dimensions. The pit is ready, now we measure its size and depth. It adds 50 cm around the edges, and with the obtained figures we can safely go to a specialized store to purchase required quantity films;
Line the bottom and walls with film. To extend the life of polyvinyl chloride, geotextiles, linoleum, roofing felt are laid under it, or at least sand is poured. If you do this on a hot sunny day, you can achieve maximum elasticity from the material and easily give it the desired shape;
Fix the edge. To do this, we dig a trench, place the wrapped ends of the film in it and fill it with crushed stone for greater reliability. Plastic pipes nailed to pegs will help prevent the edges of the reservoir from crumbling;
We decorate the pond. Decorate the edges of the pond with stones, install a backlit fountain, and place containers with plants in the bowl. Marigold and marsh iris can be planted in the coastal zone. In shallow water there are reeds and calamus. Deep water will become great place for water lilies, water hyacinth, elodea, aponogeton;
Fill with water. After graduation preparatory work, you can pour water into the pond. A stream that will ensure continuous circulation will help prevent stagnation. The source of the stream is raised above the level of the reservoir, and water is supplied using a pump resting at the bottom. Don't forget to install a cleaning filter.

Video: instructions for constructing a pond in a small area

The pond is ready. All that remains is to launch the fish. It is better to keep unpretentious crucian carp, koi carp and veiltails. The design of the surrounding area is a purely individual matter. Some will want to build a gazebo, others will want to lay out flower beds, and others will want to install a barbecue.

Koi carp in an artificial pond

How to properly care

Caring for an artificial pond does not require much effort or time. If the pond is dry, add water to it. In summer, remove string algae and weeds from around your home pond. In autumn, clear the pond of falling leaves. You can make your task easier and stretch a net over the water surface. With the onset of cold weather, the plants are transplanted into other containers and sent for the winter. The equipment is also removed. In the spring, the walls of the pond are scraped out of silt, and everything returns to normal.

As you can see, arranging a pond with your own hands is not such a difficult task. All you need is desire, a little bit free time and a little imagination. Go for it!

A pond is a decorative structure that significantly increases the design level of your dacha. The process of construction and operation is quite simple, so you can do without the help of special construction crews. Perhaps the organization construction work may seem complicated to you, but after understanding in detail the instructions on how to make a pond in your country house with your own hands, and step by step description process, you will no longer have any possible questions. The work of constructing a pond consists of several steps described below.

Before starting any construction work, it is necessary to specifically determine the location of the building. To properly place a decorative artificial pond in your dacha, you need to take into account several factors, namely:

There should be no plantings near the pond. This is due to the fact that when they are deformed, deformation of the reservoir itself may occur. Also, the water in the source will become clogged with falling leaves, branches and the like.
The pond should be located under open air and have sufficient sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. Compliance with this point will allow you to have a beautiful pond with a lot of algae.
When calculating the amount of space allocated for a pond, it is necessary to take a certain reserve for its possible future expansion.
The size of the reservoir should be no more than 3% of the total perimeter of the site.

Decorative pond

Regarding the depth of the pond, it can be divided into 3 levels:

Depth intended for coastal plants;
Shallow depth for special plantings, such as winter-hardy water lilies;
Recesses for wintering fish (if available).

Don't chase the depth of the reservoir. A normal and sufficient depth is a distance of one and a half to two meters. Such deepening is associated with the need to lower the level of the reservoir below the level to which the soil freezes. The depth of the reservoir should not be more than 1/5 of its pond volume.

Material of manufacture (container)

To choose the base of a pond, there are several options. The most commonly used pond containers are the following:

Since building a pond using a plastic mold does not cause any particular installation difficulties, below we will look at how to make a pond in the country using film.

Necessary building materials and tools

Polyvinyl chloride film - for organizing the base of the pond;
Ruberoid - to prevent damage to the film;
Round stones are for decoration and strengthen the structure so that the film does not move off. Placed on the edge.
Rope;
Stone slabs;
Shovel;
Sand;
Bricks;
Fine gravel.

Having prepared all the above materials, you can consider how to dig a hole for a pond in the country.

Installation decorative pond using film

Digging a hole

By first preparing a sketch that is the same scale as the future pond, indicating all dimensions, including the width of the curtains (shelves designed to place plants on the highest step of the pond), you will protect yourself from difficulties that may arise during future construction and planting. You can also think about the highlight of the composition - it could be an ordinary stone of a unique shape, some kind of building, sculpture or planting.
Using a rope or simply pouring sand, we determine the contours of the pond. When marking, it is necessary to take into account that each of the edges of the shore must be at the same level. After marking, a small hole is made around the perimeter of the reservoir.
After completing the previous steps, we begin work with the ground. We dig a hole to a level of 30-40 cm, after which it is necessary to leave a mark in the form of a line around the perimeter - this will help with the transition to the second level. The second depth level is approximately 90 cm. The very last level can reach a depth of up to 2 meters if the pond at the dacha is used for breeding fish.

Special protrusions are sometimes made for decoration and plantings.

Make sure that the height of each step is the same throughout the entire perimeter. Each step point at its level should not have different heights. If you apply the “Level” tool to both opposite ends of the step, then the tool mark should be in the center, which will be proof of the uniformity of the layer. If there is no level of the required length, then the tool is attached to a board of the required length, which is used in subsequent measurements.

To dig a pond at your dacha, we recommend that you use the services of special construction teams, since this process is very complex and will require considerable effort from you and possible work in the mud. If you decide to dig yourself, you will need a special pump to help pump out the released water and solid particles. In the immediate vicinity you will need another pit to dump the pumped water into.

We clean the bottom from mechanical pollutants (branches, stones and others). We check the levels of the banks and, if they do not correspond, we make the necessary adjustments.
Along the entire perimeter of the future pond we make a small groove 20 cm in size, necessary for securing the film in it. The rope will help you take the measurements needed to determine the dimensions of the film, and even after preliminary measurements, add 50 cm of margin on each side.

Decorative pond using film

The measuring technology is simple - lay a rope along the pond so that it fits snugly to all levels of the pit and goes out. Make marks and measure the length of the rope. This will be the required film length. We do the same with width. If the pond is round, then all sides will be the same - this is logical.

When we dug our pond at the dacha with our own hands, a certain volume of earth was obtained - it can be used to adjust the general level of the dacha plot or to build an alpine slide from it.

Laying the film

We fill the bottom of the hole with sand to about 15 cm and compact it well.
We place roofing felt under the bottom of the film to protect it from mechanical damage. It is necessary to apply roofing felt according to the principle of 1 by 1 overlap.
We cover the future reservoir with film, leaving the necessary reserve at the base of the banks, and secure the ends of the film with bricks.

At the stage of laying the film, it is necessary to carry it out in good weather, since under the influence of sunlight the film will be more elastic and fill all the contours of the reservoir.

We fill the reservoir with liquid and leave it for a day, and only after this time has passed can we cut off the excess film, the edges of which are folded up and inserted into a previously prepared trench, which is then filled with crushed stone.

If the width of the film is not enough for your pond, then it can be increased by soldering with an additional piece of film.

Pond arrangement

To prevent the layers of earth from coming off, we strengthen the edge, which is done using:
- stone blocks;
- plastic pipes secured with pegs.
Organizing the bottom of the pond. It is laid out using stones or crushed stone. Afterwards, we place the plants, located in pre-prepared plastic containers, along the edges of the banks. It is advisable to use plants that produce greater oxygen production (water lily, swamp grass). At this stage, the pond at the dacha is filled with water.
To ensure constant circulation of water, you can organize a stream. Carrying out this process will save you from the consequences of stagnant water. To do this, a pump is placed at the bottom of the reservoir, which supplies water from the pond to the source located above the reservoir itself - necessary for the natural flow of water into the pond. Thus, the pump pumps water out of the reservoir and supplies it to the beginning of the stream, thereby ensuring an endless cycle of water circulation.
A pump is mounted at the bottom of the pond. Pipes are stretched from it to the beginning of the reservoir, which are connected to a special filter for water purification. The filter should have reverse cleaning, which will help achieve greater purity water.

The selection of pumping equipment and hydrochemical substances is carried out in accordance with the volume of the pond, which is measured before or after the procedure for filling it. A water meter is used for this.

You can decorate the end of a stream using stones, glass items, clay, and plantings.

After completing the above operations, you get a finished pond. It is necessary to monitor the pond in order to always maintain it in an aesthetic condition. To do this, it is cleaned of excess mule algae and the like. IN winter period plantings are removed during the time of planting.

Arrangement tips:

Observe correct landing plants in different zones of the reservoir.
Insert table
You can plant a pond using plants placed in containers. This is very practical and convenient, as it prevents the growth of unnecessary plants.
Don't be afraid to cover the pond with soil (if you are concerned about the possibility of water contamination), since the soil for aquatic plants is mostly clay. But, if you don't want to take risks, then use the above option with container plantings.
Do not decorate the coastal area with stones of the same size, as this eliminates the uniqueness and features of your pond. Experts advise making compositions from a combination of small and large stones. But in everything you need to know when to stop. If you go too far with their quantity, you will also not achieve a positive result.
A pond of great depth is not aesthetically pleasing. Especially if you decide to use the services construction companies, this will result in a round sum. Great depth is completely unnecessary, provided that you are not breeding fish.
You should not immediately take on the construction of a large reservoir. Lack of experience may not give the desired result, so experiment with smaller structures. First make a small pond at your dacha with your own hands, decorate it, and after that move on to building a large-scale project.

Pond from a plastic container

A plastic pond for a summer residence is good option organization of the reservoir. Such containers are already sold in finished form, you just need to dig a hole and place it there plastic mold, which is resistant to weather influences (temperature changes and the influence of sunlight).

The disadvantages include the inability to repair the mold if it is mechanically damaged. If a crack has formed, it cannot be repaired and the container cannot be used. But, when in good condition mold, if it is not damaged during transportation or during installation, its service life can last up to 10 years.

The process of creating a pond from a plastic container is several times simpler than using film.

First, we dig a pit of the required depth to fit the dimensions of the mold. The dimensions of the pit are determined by applying the forms to the plot of land. Then they retreat 10-20 cm from the edges of the mold and insert pegs around the entire perimeter, which are then tied with rope. This will be ours required size for the pit. We can dig, having first removed the plastic form from the digging site. The depth of the hole should be 20-30 cm higher than the form itself.
Next, we make a sand cushion at the bottom of the pit - this is the foundation, and place the plastic container itself. Be sure to ensure that the horizontal position is maintained, use a building level.
We fill the empty spaces around the entire perimeter behind the container with sand.
We decorate the artificial pond by planting plants, laying out decorative stones, and so on.

If your budget allows, you can purchase a more expensive version of the mold - made of fiberglass. Its service life will be 2-3 times longer and it is very resistant to mechanical stress.

Pond from an old bathtub

If you have an old unnecessary bathtub lying around at your dacha, then you can also use it as a form for a pond. It may seem that this option is the easiest and consists only of digging a pit and placing a bathtub in it, but this is not entirely true, there are some nuances.

Let's look at the process of creating a pond from an old bathtub with your own hands below.

We dig a hole slightly higher than the height of the bathtub (+ 20-30 cm).
Along the entire perimeter of the pit we dig a small ditch with dimensions of 30x30 cm.
We place the bathtub in the pit and make sure that it stands clearly horizontally - a level will help.
Between the inner edges of the pit and the bathtub there will be empty seats. Just like when installing a plastic container, we fill them with sand.
A white bathtub will not look very aesthetically pleasing, so it is necessary to darken it. Prepare the adhesive mass by mixing a dark pigment (for example, brown) and water into it. We use tile adhesive as a basis. Next, apply the mixture to inner surface baths (can be an uneven layer) so that it acquires dark color. Cover with film and leave to dry.
We fix the edges of the bath. We cut out pieces of metal mesh and place it around the entire perimeter of the pond so that one side of the mesh is on the surface, and the other is half buried in the bath, covering its inner walls.
We cover the part of the mesh that is on the surface with cement and while the solution hardens, we can apply stones for decoration. Place the stones in random order and various sizes, shapes and colors to make it unique.
At the bottom of the bath, mix a solution of clay - pour dry clay and fill with water, stir. Coat the side walls of the bath with it.
Fill the bath with water at low pressure.
You can plant on the bottom of the bathtub and in the grooves around it aquatic plants. After a few days, the water will become cloudy and nothing will distinguish your artificial pond from a natural one.