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Garden Ponds For All Uses

Natural Ponds

by Michael O'Brien

When installing a pond or pool in a backyard or garden, there are several schools of thought on the best way to create a healthy environment for fish and plants. If an attractive, nice looking, tranquil sounding fountain, waterfall, or stream is your intent, it may be best to keep fish and plants out of the mix.

Natural Ponds, Natural Strategy

Fountains and waterfalls are nice on many levels. If a waterfall is small enough, it can help oxygenate and purify a pond. Fountains and brooks are pretty hard on fish and plants because of their more torrential nature. For pure decoration, these types of water structures are great. For ponds and pools where life is going to thrive, it's a different story.

Natural ponds are geared more toward being miniature eco systems. Because of this, you want to create as tranquil and peaceful an environment as possible for fish and plants. Having a lot of strong, flowing water in a pond is going to make it difficult for plants to take in nutrients and for roots to grow. For fish, it's like living in a hurricane all the time.

Peaceful and Still

For natural ponds to thrive, the water should be as calm and still as possible. This doesn't mean things like pumps, filters, and waterfalls have to be excluded all together. As long as they do not disturb the water too much, they are fine. Otherwise, remember that nature likes to have a stable environment to live in as much as possible.

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