Pond product guide

Interested in offering pond supplies at your garden center? Here’s a list of must-have products and additional suggestions from Bob Balmes, manager at Pondliner.com.

The bare necessities

Liner: Use a liner that’s made with EPDM (which stands for ethylene propylene diene monomer), a type of synthetic rubber. It is very flexible and has a 20-year UV warranty. It is rubber-based and can be patched or seamed together very easily.

Underlay: It is always recommended to have a protective layer for the liner. It provides a barrier for roots, and cushions the liner when items fall on it. The underlay can be placed on top of the liner, especially if larger rocks are in the design/plan. Jagged edges can damage the liner.

Pumps: There are several options in this category.

• Pumps with cages are good in ponds because they protect the pump from larger leaves and debris from entering the pump, but they still must be cleaned when leaves build up. 
• External pumps are more powerful, but keep in mind they do not vacuum water, they push it. So external pumps work well at or below water level and when they are protected from the elements as much as possible (using a pump house, for example). They should carefully placed so that water does not flood the pump.
• Mag drive pumps are magnetic driven and the impeller can spin either way, so they are less expensive to run, but not as powerful.
• Asynchronous pumps are mag drive pumps designed so the impeller turns one way. This allows the impeller to push more water. For the most part, they are cost effective to run and more powerful than the mag drives.
• Direct drive pumps use more watts, but they are more powerful. The impeller is directly connected to the motor.

Maintenance is the key to success with all pumps. Pumps need to be cleaned on a regular basis to provide years of use. Pond pumps are rated by GPH (gallons per hour) at a certain head height. Pumps have a sweet spot where those two items line up to provide a better working environment for the pump. A pump that puts out 5,000 GPH at a 1 foot head height should not be used at such a low head, because it will burn out faster, which will cause more work to replace. It would be like running a car full speed all the time -- it just will not last. A pond can be built with multiple pumps. Some people have one pump that runs the waterfall and another for a pressure filter to aid in keeping the pond clean. Plus if one pump goes out, there is one still running as a backup.

Skimmers: Some ponds have skimmers, and some do not. Using a pump in a skimmer is great because the skimmer acts as a prefilter for the pump, collecting leaves and debris before they sink to the bottom. Skimmers also provide access to the pump. If the pond is located near a lot of trees, your customer may want to consider a skimmer to help with the collection. Of course the more trees, the more frequently the skimmer leaf bag needs to be checked. The flow of water shouldn’t be restricted by leaves because it may damage the pump.

Filters: There are many types, but the most common are pressure filters, waterfall filters and gravity filters.

• Pressure filters are great, because most have a UV light in them to help with algae and are great at filtering a pond. They do need regular cleaning, and the time between cleaning varies by water condition. The drawback is if the flow is too powerful, they will leak. Water can travel up after 1 foot, but usually not more than 6 feet or so depending on brand.
• Waterfall filters are waterfall weirs (see below) that have filter pads, a media bag that you fill with media so beneficial bacteria can grow on it. The filter pads can be cleaned with a hose, but the media (bio balls, lava rocks, spring flow, sponges, etc.) has to be cleaned with pond water, as tap water will kill the good bacteria.
• Gravity filters are great, but the water must go downhill once it has been through the filter. A lot of gravity filters have a UV light as an option. They provide more filtration than the others, but it can be more difficult to hide them or work them into a waterfall. There are also bead filters, which are like pool filters, but instead of sand, they have different shaped beads that provide surface area for good bacteria to grow.

Weirs: They help start a waterfall. If someone is not using a waterfall filter or working with a pondless build, they would use a weir to have the water start at the top of the falls or stream.

Water purification

UV light/Ionizer: Ponds that get the “pea soup” algae would be best served with a UV light. A UV light can be added after the skimmer and before the falls. Ionizers put small amounts of copper into the water to help control algae. If there are fish, the copper level must be closely watched, because too much may harm or kill fish.

Air pumps: Ponds with fish require some type of aeration. A waterfall, fountain or air pump should be used. The best way to ensure fish get enough oxygen is with an air pump.

Water treatment: There are many options for treating pond water, which are described below. What customers need to know up front is that there is no quick fix for a dirty pond. Many people think they can add something and it will be clean the next day. Every pond is different, and some stay clean for years, then all of a sudden customers have problems keeping it clean. There are many conditions and what works for one pond may not work for another.

Water conditioning products: Chlorine and chloramines found in municipal water systems can harm fish and can be fatal in large quantities. Chlorine, even in small amounts, irritates the gill tissue of fish making the uptake of oxygen from the water difficult. Always use water conditioner when adding tap water to the pond.

Start-up bacteria: New ponds or ponds in early spring come to life before the pond filter is established with beneficial bacteria that helps deal with fish waste and other organic debris. These products jump-start pond filters to keep ammonia and other toxins at a minimum. Regular use keep pond filters operating at maximum effectiveness.

Clean-up bacteria: Regular use of these products keeps the bottom of ponds clean and helps keep pond water crystal clear. Special enzymes and bacteria digest organic debris from fish waste, dead plant matter and uneaten fish food.

Flocculants: Clears cloudy or murky pond water by clumping suspended particles together and sinking them to the bottom of the pond where they can be removed by the pond filter or digested by clean-up bacteria.

Vacuums: It’s a good idea to have a pond vacuum on hand to help remove debris on the bottom, and it comes with attachments to help clean various parts of the pond.

Bring the pond to life

Rocks: The type, color and placement of rocks have a tremendous effect on the look of a pond.

Fish: Adding fish brings ponds to life. Ponds with fish need to be deeper, larger and have spaces for them to hide.

Plants: Plants can add beauty to ponds and also help provide filtration, depending on quantity. For more about offering pond plants at your garden center, read Garden Center contributor Nikki Weed's article, Irrigate your profits with ponds.

Information courtesy of Pondliner.com. For more, visit www.pondliner.com.