How to Dig a Swimming Pond
- 1). Determine what size pond you wish to build and choose an area of your yard to build the pond. The area must be slightly larger than the pond itself, as you must use the extra room to build in the slope of the pond.
- 2). Determine the desired depth for your pond. The pond should slope from the shallow outer edges to the deepest point in the center. The sloping sides are to prevent the pond from collapsing on the sides.
- 3). Mark off the area you wish to dig for your swimming pond, in the shape and size you prefer. Mark the ground with spray paint or any other item that helps make clear the outline of your pond.
- 4). Rent a backhoe, if you have experience using one, to dig the hole out to the desired shape and depth. If you have no backhoe experience, hire a heavy machinery operator with a backhoe to dig the pond for you.
- 5). Create a layer of cushion in your pond to help the lining last. Use old carpet, newspapers or foam swimming pool liner underlayment placed along the inside of the hole.
- 6). Line the pond with a rubber liner to aid in cleanliness and water retention.
- 7). Add gravel to the sloping sides of the pond. Plant aquatic plants such as water lilies, cattails and pond grass to filter water.
- 8). Add a pump to your pond to move and aerate the water. This pump may be a traditional pond pump capable of circulating the amount of water used in the pond or a mechanical waterfall added to one side of the pond that keeps water circulating.
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