Your pond can serve as a tropical focus in your backyard, providing a tranquil place to unwind after a long moment. Almost like a large aquarium, ponds require periodic maintenance to keep them at the proper water level. Planning ahead before you construct the pond is helpful, but if you inherited a pond in a place that contributes to fast evaporation, then you can still take steps to keep the water from drying up.
Liner
When you are installing your pond, be certain that you bring a liner, often made of rubber or PVC. There are different kinds of liners for different pond wants, but they serve a similar purpose, maintaining the water in the pond instead of seeping into the ground below. A pond which has only dirt as a base will eliminate water faster than one using a lining, since the dirt absorbs some of the water each day. If your pond was built without a lining, let the water dry up or pump it out, then add a lining and refill the pond. It is best to do this in the winter when many of the pond plants are inactive. Most pond owners put plants in pots in the bottom of the pond, but if yours has crops growing in the dirt below, you must eliminate and pot them to use after you install the lining.
Location
You may not be in control of the place of an present pond, but if you are arranging a new one, look for a spot that receives partial shade during the afternoon. The water won’t evaporate too quickly in the winter, but in hotter summer season, evaporation can significantly decrease your water amounts in just a couple of days. Partial shade allows your water plants to receive sunlight when maintaining the heat of the sun from evaporating the water too quickly.
Water Plants
Water plants which live on the surface, such as water lilies that provide the large lily pads, can help lessen water reduction from evaporation. These function in ponds found in partial shade or in full sun. Put several pots beneath the water, allowing the lily pads cover up to 70 percent of the water’s surface. Cut away some of the new growth to keep the lily pads from completely covering the surface. The lily pads cover and also colour the water, helping avoid some evaporation. They are also able to absorb nutrients in the water which algae needs to grow, helping keep the water clean.
Windbreak
If the water level of the pond sits near ground level, the wind can be your worst enemy. Steadily blowing wind helps carry water away, lowering the water level. You can help avoid this by building a windbreak. Stack pavers or thick stones around the edges of the pool and also use thinset mortar between the layers to hold them in place. Alternatively, plant shrubs such as boxwood around the pond’s perimeter to serve as a natural windbreak.
Add Water
Although many pond skimmers have a pump which yields cleaned water into the pond, that this does not add fresh water to compensate for water that has evaporated. Instead, you can connect your pump into your house’s water pump and system fresh water in periodically. It is best to use a manual control so the pond does not overflow. You can even make use of a garden hose to add water as needed. Check the water levels about once weekly in cooler weather and twice per week in hot weather. If you’ve got a waterfall feature on your pond, turn it off in the heat of the summer, especially if it pumps water straight out of the pond, since the spraying water in the nest flies into the air and disperses, decreasing the water level.