Building a pond can become a full time project. Many people use it as a form of therapy; if the children are getting a little too much, get the wellies on and start clearing the pond.

And one particular pleasure that pond owners get from their water garden is from choosing plants to add to the look of the pond.

Plants can really make a difference to garden ponds. They make the pond look far more natural and they can be used as a way of emphasising water features or any wildlife you keep in the pond.

They do of course, have their more practical uses, in that they produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide and they also shade any fish that you keep and reduce any unwanted light.

Plants help to reduce algae and they also attract wildlife to your pond, which can be particularly great for keeping the children entertained as well as teaching them a little bit about nature.

When installing your plants, ensure that you use aquatic compost as this does not pollute the water with quick releasing fertiliser. You may also make use of aquatic baskets which are designed with mesh so that the soil does not simply float away.

Soon, you will have your very own haven. And somewhere peaceful to escape when the children get a little too much.

As with any other feature in your garden, a pond has to be well maintained in order to ensure that it continues to look as it should.

Aside from looking after any plant life around the pond, you also need to ensure that the water is kept clear. This is particularly important if you keep fish.

The first few weeks are crucial for garden ponds. The pond life has to establish itself and that means that until this has happened, plants and micro-organisms cannot cope with toxic substances.

What can sometimes happen, in the early stages of a pond, is that the pond ‘dies’ and sadly, this is the end for your fish too.

So, it is good to know what to do in this situation. Firstly, you need to establish whether nitrite was the cause of this. If nitrite is present, as well as ammonia, then this tells you that the vital biological processes have not developed properly. Carrying out a nitrite test will be able to tell you whether your pond is ready for fish.

You can then use a ‘starter bacteria’ in your pond to speed up the biological processes so that the level of nitrite is no longer dangerous. Once the nitrite level is safe and the PH level has been checked, fish can be safely added to your garden pond.

Deciding to build garden ponds is a big decision. Having a water feature in your garden will completely transform it.

But before you begin to plan building your pond, you must ensure that you make some vital decisions. After all, you don’t want to get half way through the back breaking work only to discover that you’re digging in the wrong place.

If you are digging a pond because you are hoping to create a tranquil area in your garden where you can sit back with a cold drink and relax, then you are a little less restricted. However, if you are hoping to attract wildlife, then the location, size and shape all need to be considered carefully.

Wildlife garden ponds can be great if you’ve got small children. They can be an excellent way for them to learn about nature and animals. So if you are looking to build a wildlife pond, it is best to choose a warm, sunny area and ensure that you dig it so that it has gently sloping edges so that wildlife are attracted to the shallow waters.

Once completed, it won’t be long before your pond is attracting birds, frogs and dragonflies.

Although they can really add beauty to your garden and can provide a relaxing place to sit and enjoy the outdoors, garden ponds can also be hard work. But look after your pond properly and the rewards can be endless.

The most common problem faced by garden pond owners is that of weed and algae. Blanket weed attaches itself to solid objects within the pond and forms green strands which can cause problems for fish and can also look unsightly.

There are many different factors which contribute to the build up of blanket weed, ranging from the amount of sun exposure, water chemistry, filtration and the fish.

There are also many different treatments you can use to tackle this problem weed but the best one is the plant friendly treatment which is safe and effective. These work by altering the water chemistry so that the environment is not suitable for blanket weed. But any other plants that are growing in the pond will not be destroyed.

Another option is the electronic weed control units. These work by wrapping two or more antenna wires around the outside of a section of the pond’s pipe work and they produce a frequently altering signal which alters the water chemistry. These units should not do any damage to plants and fish in the pond.

Just like the rest of your garden, garden ponds require a lot of care and attention. They need to be maintained and checked regularly to ensure that you can continue to get pleasure out of them.

The main thing to keep an eye on is the water level. If you notice the water level dropping, it may be because you have a leak. This will need to be repaired as soon as possible, particularly if you have fish in your pond.

If you do have fish, ensure that you check them every day. Check that they all look healthy and that they are eating the right amount.

But there is a lot more to pond maintenance than this. You will also need to remove debris, leaves and weeds from you pond on a regular basis and clean your pond filters and pond pumps. This becomes even more important in the summer months when increased temperatures result in more weed and algae.

It is also advisable to give your pond a water change of around 10 – 20 per cent once a month and make sure that you add a dechlorinating liquid.

There is more to having a garden pond than simply digging it out and filling it with water. To get the most out of your water garden, make sure you look after your garden pond properly.

In the last article we discussed what type of water was the best to use to top up your pond. Because of the added chemicals, tap water was not the best solution, so how do you collect the rain water necessary? A good idea is to collect the rain water that falls on any roofs or sheds and use this to top up your pond. If you want to do things properly you could even install a cistern type arrangement in a hidden area of your pond that lets this water into the pond when the level drops sufficiently (a similar arrangement to the cistern you have in a standard toilet). This of course means somewhat disruption whilst you lay the necessary pipes in your garden from your collection source, but it will be then virtually maintenance free.

But whet happens if the level of your pond actually rises too much? The best option here is to design and build some form of soakaway area. If the level of the pond rises too much and is not kept under check, the water may overflow and then at the least cause damage to your surrounding garden. A soakaway is a hole which can be filled with clean rubble, then topped with a water permeable material to stop the soil you are going to place above the rubble entering the soakaway, and then if you have a lawn, turf. All you need to do then is install a fixed pipe from where you want the top water level of your pond to be, into the soakaway and hey presto an instant maximum water level device.

When you design your pond you should also think how you are going to top the water up if the level drops because of evaporation. Whilst British summers are unfortunately quite wet nowadays, there comes a time in every garden pond owner’s life that they may want to add that little bit extra water.

If you have a fountain or waterfall in your pond you may actually notice that the water disappears more quickly than usual. This is because water may actually be blown out of the pond and water will evaporate more quickly.

The best type of water to use to top up your pond is of course rain water. If you are connected to a water meter then you will soon realise that rain water is by far the best option because it is free. Another important consideration regarding rain water is that it contains no added chemicals like tap water. Tap water contains fluorine and chlorine so it is safe for human consumption. But, when added to your pond in large quantities you may actually affect the balance of the ecosystem in your pond and so create problems for your fish and plant life. Another point that is worth mentioning here is that tap water is inherently colder than other types of water that you may add to a pond. If added too quickly this could also affect the pond life also.

So, how can I top up my pond using rain water? And how do I cope with excess water in my pond? Find out in part 2.

You’ve spent all those hours designing, digging and fitting your pond. The feeling of satisfaction when the job is complete just can’t be beaten.

So imagine the feeling when you wake up one morning and the level of water has dropped significantly. Time to face facts; there’s a leak in the pond liner.

The first job to do is to try to determine where the leak is. It sounds like a mammoth task, but in fact it’s not as time consuming as you first might think. The best method is to let the water drain away by itself.

Eventually, once the water has stopped leaking out, the water level will have stopped just below the source of the leak. This gives you clue as to where the leak is and means that you don’t have to drain the entire pond.

There are several repair kits available, particularly for the PVC, butyl or EPDM pond liner. The repair kits usually consist of high adhesive tape or specialised glues.

For pre-formed pools, there are some resin based repair kits available. But these are very rarely needed, as leaks in these types of ponds are not very common.

The key to fixing a leak is to do it sooner rather than later. And before you know it, the pond will be restored to its former glory.

It’s a shape that all garden pond owners have etched into their minds. The shape of a heron is unmistakable.

Although they are beautiful birds, unfortunately, herons are no good for your garden ponds; particularly the fish in it.

Herons are excellent fishers and they are especially attracted to colourful fish in places where they can’t escape. This is why ponds are their favourite spots.

These birds have a tendency to carry on fishing until all of the fish are eaten, or until they are scared off. And it’s obvious which of these two alternatives most pond owners would prefer. So how do you scare a heron off?

The best defence against heron attacks is to stop it even reaching your pond in the first place. This can be done by building a wall or fence around the pond. Another option is to place a mesh net over the pond, although some pond owners think that this can ruin the look of their garden ponds.

If you have a large pond, there are some more extravagant deterrents out there. One particularly effective one is one that uses sensors that set off jets of water to frighten the bird away.