Estimated Lifespan for Preformed Ponds
Posted by Pond Keeper
What do you suppose is the estimated lifespan for preformed ponds, particularly in comparison with pond liners?
I ask because I put in a top grade butyl pond liner with a warranty period guaranteed for 15 years. That was 20 years ago and it still doesn’t leak, despite having one side exposed to direct sunshine during the summer months, because the way I designed it makes it hard to grow vegetation over that part. But I’m thinking it may need replacing sooner or later, and if I used a preformed rigid pond liner instead of the butyl, would that last just as long, or longer?
Preformed Ponds using Found Objects
Posted by Pond Keeper
Preformed ponds are usually bought as rigid pond liners manufactured specifically for the purpose but there is another way to build an instant garden pond and that is to make use of some kind of hard plastic container that can be made to fit the purpose. I call these ready made water receptacles “Found” objects and I have one in my small front garden made out of a large plant pot container that happens not to have any holes in it. It’s been there for about twenty years now, acting as a small frog pond and the centre of a bog garden.
My attention was caught by this one too, it’s a preformed pond that makes use of a plastic wheelbarrow to make a frog pond and was added to the preformed ponds Flickr group by Doug Becker
-
- wheelbarrow-preformed-pond
-
- preformed frog ponds
-
- preformed ponds from found objects
The new frog pond
So, what to do with an old plastic wheelbarrow? Of course! Recycle it, turn it into a frog pond. Dig it into the ground, surround it with old logs and rocks, which creates habitat, and allow the overflow from the water tank to run into it. Presto, a new frog pond.
Next thing is to get some water plants and put them into pots and allow them to grow in the pond to create a food source for the tadpoles. This pond was inspired by John Tann, who has a small pond in suburban Como in Sydney.
Photos by Doug Beckers 1, 2, 3, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license
Take Preformed Ponds Away When You Move?
Posted by Pond Keeper
I saw this question in the ponds forum and it made me realise I’d never seen this aspect as an advantage of preformed ponds over pond liners.
“I’m about to start planning a pond soon and I want it about 5 foot deep, 15 feet long and 5 feet wide. As it is my first time and my mum does not want me to dig the whole garden up, she wants me to use a preformed pond base. But I have searched and searched but I can not find any the size I want it……
I then seached on forums to see if anybody else has this problem but everyone uses pond liners.
Just wondering if anybody knew a place where i could find a preformed pond that size preferably rectangular.
Please don’t try to convince me to use liner as my family will not have it. Plus when i get older and move out I can take a preformed pond with me.
Hope somebody can help. Many thanks”
Can anybody help with the 5 foot deep preformed rectangular pond question?
New Preformed Ponds Videos Page
Posted by Pond Keeper
Preformed Ponds Videos | Preformed Ponds
I’ve added a page of selected preformed ponds videos from youTube that you can browse through and watch. Some are inspirational, educational or just pretty to look at. If there are other videos about preformed ponds out there that you think should be included please leave a comment below on this post, likewise if there are any which may have crept in there which aren’t really relevant to the preformed ponds blog here.
It would be good to add a few more UK orientated preformed ponds videos for example, if you come across any on your research journet at youTube.
Preformed Ponds Videos
Posted by Pond Keeper
A careful selection of videos about preformed ponds and others viewable here on the preformed ponds blog by clicking any of the descriptions below:
Preformed Ponds and Water Gardens
Posted by Pond Keeper
Preformed Ponds, Water Gardens and Pumps
Fibreglass Garden Ponds for the Water Garden Fibreglass garden ponds are a quick and easy solution to getting aprofessional pond installed in your garden in a matter of days.
Luckily there are many types of preformed garden ponds on the market,
thanks to the sudden popularity of water gardening. But Pond Liners
can also be used In Outdoor Pond Building, in fact every outdoor pond
needs a good pond liner. The size of your pond, the intended shape,
and, of course, your budget are some of the things to consider when
picking out a liner. Pre-formed pond shells and flexible liners are
the two most popular ways to build a long lasting garden water
feature. Backyard Pond Building, Rock Gardens and Ponds Pre-formed liners are usually used for smaller ponds. These can be
bought at pond supply outlets and can be easily installed after
digging the pond. However, if you want to create the design and size
you want, then good butyl pond liners will worker better . Rock Gardens and Japanese garden ponds. I’m planning on getting
another preformed pond that cascades water into the original one I
have now and add smaller rocks for the water to tumble over. Plus I’ll
be adding more plants, maybe an underwater light, a water filter and
maybe a bamboo water fountain. How to build your own garden pond: Always put in at least a 3 ply
plastic liner.You can also purchase a preformed molded liner. Now
install your fountain either in or at the end of your pond if a
fountain is your chose.Or build your waterfall at one end of the pond. How to Install a Preformed Rigid Pond in your Yard Preformed ponds are a great solution for first-time pond owners, as
they are often much easier to install and maintain than ponds made
with poured concrete. Preformed garden ponds. One includes waterfall. included are 3 pumps,
2 lg filters, UV and all plumming. Some extras included.
Fibreglassing. Preformed Pond
This is the biggest pond (lake) to be lined with polyurethane foam and
fibreglass in the UK as of April 2009. Filmed in a first person view
by one of the builders Preformed ponds can be used as well. This Florida USA based ponds
liner supplier is expert on building ponds. Choosing between preformed
ponds and liners 75 …
preformed pond liner.
Posted via email from Preformed Ponds
Build Your First Garden Pond
Posted by Pond Keeper
http://bit.ly/yourfirstgardenpool
in this book you will find
* What water gardening is all about and why people enjoy it so much
* What are the three main types of garden pond and how to know which one is right for you
* Where is the best place to construct your pond so that you can enjoy your water plants at their best
* How to keep your pond healthy so that your fish and plants give you years of enjoyment
* The best varieties of water lilies to use for the most exciting display in your garden
* How to plant and care for water lilies so that they will grow and thrive in your water garden every year
* Which other plants can compliment your pond and how to plant them
* What fish varieties to include in your pond so you can choose the most hardy and most beautiful
* How and when to feed your fish so that they learn to almost take the food from your hand
* How to breed your goldfish and how to look after the fry so that you can have a ready supply of new fish to enjoy
* Feeding and breeding Koi and how you can select the most attractive and valuable fish
* Looking after your pond to make sure you can have it at its best all summer long
* How to order your fish and so make sure they arrive in perfect condition
and much, much more……
Take Action! & Click Here
http://bit.ly/yourfirstgardenpool
Duration : 0:3:38
Preformed Ponds
Posted by Pond Keeper
Preformed Ponds or Flexible pond liners?
Well I have a Butyl pond liner in my semi formal pond but I’m thinking of replacing it with one of those preformed ponds at some point when it starts to leak too much.
On the other hand I have read that some people do not like preformed ponds. They say that the hard plastic does not weather very well in the longer term. Apparently the ultraviolet sun rays eventually break them down and they then become subject to cracks and leaks. I don’t know what sort of time span we are talking about here though, comparing preformed ponds with pond liners. Also, if the area freezes, then the freeze and thaw cycle can cause preformed ponds to “heave” themselves out of the ground. Also at the time of installation, digging the hole, it has to match them *exactly* as to size, depth, and shape which is much easier said than done.
Preformed Ponds for Wildlife
Posted by Pond Keeper
The Preformed Ponds option and Wildlife
I’ve written before about the different options – preformed ponds, pond liners, concrete and puddled clay ponds. The last is only an option in perfect conditions, but suppose you are not intending to construct a sterile koi fish pond but instead are more interested in native wildlife and amphibians?
Preformed ponds may be thought of as more formal than pond liners, since the design is fixed and there are so many rectangular and circular preformed ponds available but if your main considerations is to build a wildlife pond then it would be a mistake to rule out this option. For a start, just as there are many formal shaped preforms around, there are also just as many if not more, informally designed more natural looking designs. There are also some which have a carefully constructed shallow area with a ramp leading into and out of the pond, which is ideal for wildlife. This wildlife ramp built into a preformed pond would also have a rough, simulated stony surface unlike anything you can construct easily with a pond liner. In fact the ease of construction is a big factor in making your pond suitable for wildlife pond because the most frequent mistake made with wildlife ponds is not to start digging one!
Building preformed ponds for wildlife
The main consideration when buying a preformed pond to make a wildlife friendly garden will be the choice of design. A shallow sloping margin at some point is essential, the bigger the better. Depth in the middle should be at least 2 feet, to provide a good volume of non-freezing water in the winter and to act as a buffer against big temperature changes.
The usual advice when installing preformed ponds is to have the lip just above the surface of the surrounding ground. That’s supposed to be so that when it rains, the overflow tips out of the pond rather than back into it, bringing detritus into the pond. With a wildlife pond, I think it’s better to have the lip level or just below the surroundings, to provide a seamless path through for the tiny creatures from the land into the sunken pond area.
Preformed Ponds for Gardens
Posted by Pond Keeper
Preformed Ponds or Pond liners?
Preformed ponds are made from a rubber and plastic composite so they are very durable and long lasting once properly installed. There is a logistical problem in shopping for a preformed pond which is that they are large and cumbersome objects to take home. Apart from the really tiny ones, you can’t just put it in the back of a car, bus or taxi. If you buy one over the internet however, you wil be able to choose from a larger number of shapes and sizes and have it delivered to your door by an inexpensive courier or freight services.
Preformed ponds are best if you are not going to get carried away with digging an enormously big pond and if you don’t insist on having your own unique design as far as the shape of the pond liner is concerned. They so come with a range of different levels and depths preformed into the shape, and are generally well proportioned as far as the needs of fish and plants for any given size of garden pond. Preformed ponds are actually easier to fit than pond liners, even though liners are obviously more flexible. You just have to take care when digging the hole to get it as close as possible to the preformed shape, and also to get it level.
Preformed Ponds
Preformed pond kits
Preformed pond kits can help make a quick, affordable, and easy-to-install garden pond. The kit comprises of a one or more preformed pond pieces, and maybe a watercourse to convey water from one part of the system to another, possibly including a waterfall or other water feature. In this case the garden pond pump, filtration, fountain heads, and all tubing and fittings will be included in the preformed pond kit.
Unlike liner ponds, which require significant effort to design and implement, preformed ponds come with a determined shape. Because of this, you do not have to worry about shaping the pond properly, or ensuring that your liner fits snugly into all the little angles and crevices. You only have to dig a hole that’s a bit larger than your preformed shell, insert your pond, and backfill around the edges.
Preformed ponds can come in various colours and textures, some variants which include black, granite, and sandstone. There are two main types of preformed ponds: rigid, or folding. Folding preformed ponds are similar to rigid preformed ponds in that they still retain a specific shape. However, the advantages of folding ponds are that they are made out of a liner-like material that allows them to be easily unfolded before installation. Folding ponds are more forgiving and adhere better to freshly-dug holes because they are not as rigid as fixed preformed ponds.
Contents include:
