by Sammy Stein

Created on: March 31, 2009

A self sustaining pond is one which has its own balanced ecosystem. It will have predators, prey, microbes to keep the water clean and plants to provide oxygen and keep the water clear. It will also have enough food supplies to sustain a food chain and provide places for animals to nest, breed and drink from.

A natural pond is by far the easiest option if you want to set up a self sustaining pond and you can create one easily, giving just a little thought.

First, think about where to site your pond. It should get between 6-8 hours of dappled or full sunlight a day and be away from overhanging trees or branches because leaves which rot produce toxins which taint the water and make it an inhospitable environment for beneficial creatures. It should be on the level.

Lay out your pond using sand, sticks and string or spray paint and then check it from every angle before you dig.

Dig out the shape of your pond creating a maximum depth in the centre of around 3 ft (1m) and shelving sides with a small shelf about 9 inches deep. Incorporate a beach area with sloping sides to enable animals to come and drink safely. Thisalso allows them to exit the water as even larger animals like badgers and hedghogs can drown in garden ponds. Check the sides are level with a spirit level.

Line the hole with 2 inches of coarse sand - this is to protect the liner from any stones which work their way to the surface. Use a liner of butyl rubber, which is flexible and buy the best grade you can afford for longevity and durability. Allow twice the length and twice the depth plus the maximum depth of liner. Lay the liner loosely in the pond and partially fill with water, then carefully mould the liner to fit the hole, tucking any necessary folds neatly into place. Fill the pond and trim the liner.

Place edging material of turf or pavers around the edge and mortar in. This will protect the liner from moving and deterioration in sunlight. Overhang the liner about 3 inches.

Now you have your pond, you need to stock it with the necessary plants to create a self sustaining ecosystem. You will need 3 main types of plants. These are marginals - planted with their roots in water on the planting shelf at the edges, deep water plants like lilies in planting baskets in the centre and some floating plants or oxygenators to aerate and keep the water clear.

Use 5 oxygenating plants per square foot of water and simply pop them into the pond. Plant marginals at 2 foot distances around the margins, these can be

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