Ponds 101 Chapter 1
What is a Pond?
The definition can be argued over forever, but we have to start somewhere. Let’s agree that, for the purpose of discussing pond construction, at its simplest, a pond is a body of water, natural or man-made, that supports plant and animal life. Although there are many more types of ponds than we can possibly address, most man-made residential ponds can be divided into three general types, which we’ll call the Water Garden, the Koi Pond and the Garden Pond. The main difference lies in the balance of fish to plants to bacteria, which determines how much maintenance to expect. Animals in general, and fish in particular, produce wastes; plants, in general, consume those wastes, and bacteria facilitate the cycle and help clean up after both. The more balanced that cycle is, the less maintenance you’ll have to do.
Typical Water Garden
Typical Koi Pond
Garden Pond
The definition can be argued over forever, but we have to start somewhere. Let’s agree that, for the purpose of discussing pond construction, at its simplest, a pond is a body of water, natural or man-made, that supports plant and animal life. Although there are many more types of ponds than we can possibly address, most man-made residential ponds can be divided into three general types, which we’ll call the Water Garden, the Koi Pond and the Garden Pond. The main difference lies in the balance of fish to plants to bacteria, which determines how much maintenance to expect. Animals in general, and fish in particular, produce wastes; plants, in general, consume those wastes, and bacteria facilitate the cycle and help clean up after both. The more balanced that cycle is, the less maintenance you’ll have to do.
Typical Water Garden
Typical Koi Pond
Garden Pond
