If you want electricity, I paid a handy man $300.

He dug the trench, laid the conduit, wired the box and tapped into my household circuit.

I think the easiest ponds are those you build yourself. If you get a pre-formed liner, you have to dig your hole *exactly* the same shape/size as the liner, and it is possible that UV exposure over time will cause it to crack and/or leak. Also, if you live in an area prone to freezing, the annual freeze/thaw cycle of the ground can cause the liner to heave itself out of it’s hole. Basically, though they may be cheap to begin with, the troubles that come with them on the back end makes them not a very economical or aesthetically pleasing option in the long run, in my opinion.

Instead, I would say get the heaviest EPDM liner you can afford - at least 30 mil. Use carpet pad for underlayment - much cheaper than “official” underlayment. Dig your hole the size you want it, line it with sand, then the carpet pad, then the EPDM (let it sit out in the sun for a bit before working with it - the heat will soften it and make it easier to maneuver).

A few “facts:” no one ever wishes they would have made their pond smaller. What looks like a big hole, seems to miraculously shrink once you get fish, plants, and rocks in it! We had around a 500-750 gallon one, and the next year, immediately turned around and expanded it to a 3,000 gallon one! Also, if you want to keep koi and overwinter them out there, you really should have it be at least 3 feet deep. And, if you are anywhere where you might get predation from herons, egrets, raccoons, etc., build the sides straight - don’t do any steps or ledges for plants, etc. You can put your plants on upside down buckets, upside down milkcrates, or even powder-coated metal plant stands (I’ve used all three), instead, and it will be MUCH more difficult for predators to get at your fish. This will make your fish calmer and more likely to be friendly when YOU come to visit them.

As far as pumps go, I recommend getting one that has the capability to turn over your entire pond volume in an hour. It’s always better to go with a pump that is bigger than you need, than to get one that is too small. Go with an actual pond pump, too. Sump pumps and other types can leak oil back into your pond if they should malfunction (which would kill your fish and possibly your plants), whereas pond pumps have all the oil, etc., sealed inside. In my opinion, this is where you should spend your money.

I don’t think UV filters, or any mechanical filters, are necessary. We’ve had our pond for 8 years, and started off with a bead filter and UV filters. We had a terrible time maintaining water quality - it was a daily worry (take care of the water and the fish will take care of themselves!). We had a friend that kept telling us to go veggie, and we just thought that no way could a “primitive” veggie filter be better than the latest technology in mechanical filters and UV filters, etc. Boy, were we wrong! Last year, we finally switched to a veggie filter - one that takes the water out of the pond through a bottom drain, and pumps it through heavy feeding plants (we use water iris) to take out the nitrates before letting the water go back into the pond. Our water has never been better. This year, we discontinued the bead and UV filters altogether, and we have had ZERO water maintenance problems since - running solely on a veggie filter! In general, you want enough plants to fill an area equal to at least 15-20% of your pond’s surface area (we have a 500 gallon veggie filter for our 3,000 gallon pond). And, they are cheaper and WAY less maintenance. Here is a link, plus you can e-mail me through my profile and I can give you more specific “how-to’s” if you decide to go this method:

Even if you do decide on a mechanical/UV filter instead of a veggie one, you will still need plants. Fish eat, then make waste (ammonia), which is bad for them. Luckily, Mother Nature has a bacteria that “eats” the ammonia and converts it to nitrites. Unfortunately, nitrites are also bad for fish. So, Mother Nature has another bacteria that converts the nitrites into nitrates, which are OK for fish in very small quantities, but which plants love! (It is basically fertilizer). So plants in the pond end up soaking up most of the nitrates, which keeps your pond water in good shape (again, if you take care of the water, the fish will take care of themselves - just feed them, is all….). Aim for plants equal to roughly 50-60% of your pond’s surface, though they don’t all need to be surface plants. A good combination of oxygenators like anacharis, heavy feeders like lillies and iris, and floaters like water hyacinth, azolla (fairy fern), and water lettuce, should look very good and provide for good water quality. As a bonus, plants provide shade for your fish and places for them to hide when they feel threatened.

If you want to go really, really, small, you could put a scaled-down version of a “pond” in a half whiskey barrell planter on your proch or patio. You can find pre-made liners for the barrells in most garden centers or nurseries. I have one of these, too - I’m using a submersible pump for fountains that goes up through an old-fashioned water pump sitting on the side of the barrell, and lets the water fall back in, oxygenating it. I have water iris, marsh marigold, and azolla in it, and it keeps 6 small (3-4″) sarassa comets in it very nicely. It would take you a few hours to set it up, is all. Again, e-mail me through my profile if you want more info on this option.

Sorry to be so long-winded - I guess that’s what happens when you ask a fish geek about her hobby! Anyway, ponding is a great hobby and if you try it, I’m sure you’ll love it and your parents will probably get hooked on how relaxing it is to listen to the water and watch the fish, etc. I wish you the best of luck - please feel free to contact me if you have questions/run into problems. Hope this helps.

Yes, you need a filter/pump system. Otherwise you’ll have algae and lots of it.

The fish can winter over as long as the water is deep enough that it does not freeze solid. You should make sure there is always an opening in the ice so that toxic gasses can escape.

Read up before you jump in. You’ll be responsible for those lives, you know. It is a serious responsibility to undertake. A FUN one, but indeed a responsibility.

Here are some links to get you started: