FAQs If you don't find the answer to your question, contact me and I will be happy to help, if I can.
How big will the pond be?
All boats are 284cm long, 115cm wide and 82cm high.The actual pond is 158cm long, 98cm wide, 60cm deep, and holds approximately 900litres of water.
How do I install my pond?
Does the pond come with a pump or a filter?
The pond does NOT come with a pump or a filter. The type of pump and filter you wish to buy will depend on how many and what type of fish you intend to put in your pond. Selecting a filter is a matter of personal preference and in order to keep the price of the ponds down, I allow customers to buy their own. However, all ponds do come with a power unit and pipework already installed. Connecting your pump and filter to the pipework is really simple.
Are the ponds difficult to install?
Your pond is easy to install. Look through FAQs below for advice about where to position your pond and how to level it.
Do I need an electricity supply?
Yes, you will need an external electricity supply to run your pump and filter. ALWAYS get a qualified electrician to connect a power supply to your pond. All the electrician will need to do is run an external cable from your house to the pond and connect it to the power box, (already supplied and fitted in the front cabinet of the boat.) He/she will then need to connect your pump and filter to the power box.
My ponds are simple to install, though they are heavy, so you may need help moving the pond around. If possible I recommend that you place your pond on a solid, flat surface, such as patio slabs or a concrete base. Alternatively, you can simply place your pond on a level bed of sand. My own pond sits on a bed of sand.
Where should I put my pond?
Try to place your pond in dappled shade where it will receive sun for part of the day. Too much sun will encourage the growth of algae and turn your pond green. There's no point having a beautiful pond if you can't see your fish!
Try to avoid placing your pond beneath trees. Trees will shade the pond. Leaves may fall into the pond and pollute the water. If trees are unavoidable, try placing a net over your pond to catch the leaves, particularly in Autumn.
Avoid placing your pond near pine of fir trees. Fine leaves will fall through most nets and pollute your pond.
Levelling your pond... What if I don't have a patio, or a solid base for my pond?
You must place your pond on level surface! Ideally a patio, a concrete base or paving slabs. You can place your pond on the ground, as long as it is level. If the ground ISN'T level you can level it with builders sand.
Once you've decided where to position your pond, empty 3 to 4 bags of builders sand onto the ground. (How many bags of sand you will need will depend on how uneven the ground is.) Smooth the sand out with a piece of timber or a spirit level. SLIGHTLY DAMP sand will make it easier to level out and will hold it in place. Sit your boat on the bed of sand and check the level by placing a spirit level across the top of the boat. Either add or remove sand from one side or the other until the boat is level.
The stern (back end of the boat) must never be higher than the bow (front of the boat). There is an overflow pipe at the stern to allow excess water and rainfall to drain from the pond.
How many fish can I put in my pond?
This depends on a number of factors, such as the type and the size of fish you intend to keep, as well as the quality and size of your filter. I estimate that you can have between 4-8 Goldfish or between 2-6 Koi, approx 4-6 inches in length. Remember, fish grow. The bigger the fish the more waste they produce, the better your filtration system will need to be.
Can I put fish straight into my pond?
No! This is not the answer anyone who has a new pond wants to hear. You have a lovely pond, you want to see fish swimming around in it now! I was exactly the same when I build my pond. The secret to setting up a pond and keeping fish successfully is PATIENCE. See below;
Cycling your pond.
What else will I need?
You will need a pump and a filter with an integrated UV clarifier, or a separate UV unit. I would also recommend using an air stone. All ponds come with the necessary holes predrilled for the cables and pipework for all of the above. I would also recommend a net, to protect your pond from falling leaves or birds of prey.
1.Fill your pond with water.
2.Dechlorinate your water. Tap water contains chlorine which will kill the beneficial bacteria you want to establish.
3. Turn on your pump to start circulating water. Do not turn on your UV clarifier for the first 48-72 hours.
4. Add Bacteria. The most critical step is building the bacteria colony that processes fish waste (toxic ammonia → nitrites → nitrates). Pour a high-quality, live liquid bacteria or gel directly onto your filter media.
5. On the same day as you add bacteria you need to either throw in some fish food or a fish to produce waste for the bactria to feed upon.
Fish Food Option (No Fish) Drop a small pinch of fish food into your pond. The food will rot and break down, creating the ammonia that the bacteria need to eat. You will need to do this for 4-6 weeks. This is the best option if you're setting up your pond in winter when it's too cold to add fish. Test your water with a Freshwater master test kit.
Fish Option.
Add only one or two resilient fish (such as small goldfish). Never fully stock a new pond at once. Feed the fish once every other day. Uneaten food drastically spikes dangerous toxins.
Purchase a high-quality liquid test kit to track your parameters every 2 to 3 days: [1, 2, 3]
[Phase 1: Ammonia Rises] ---> [Phase 2: Nitrites Spike] ---> [Phase 3: Nitrates Appear] (Toxic Fish Waste) (Toxic Intermediate) (Safe Plant Nutrient)
Week 1-2: You will see ammonia levels rise.
Week 2-4: Ammonia will begin to fall as Nitrosomonas bacteria convert it into Nitrite. Nitrite levels will spike significantly.
Week 4-6+: Nitrobacter bacteria will convert Nitrite into Nitrate. Ammonia and Nitrite levels will both drop back to zero.
Your pond is cycled when your test kit reads 0 ppm Ammonia, 0 ppm Nitrite, and reveals a positive reading for Nitrates. Add fish gradually: Introduce new fish over a span of 3 months.
Allow the filter to adjust: Adding too many fish at once will overwhelm the established bacterial colony, triggering a dangerous toxin spike known as "New Pond Syndrome".