Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

Speaking of deciding what you should put in, on, and around your garden pond, another thing to consider is a filtration system.  While most small ponds (which are generally defined as having up to 1,000 gallons of water) don’t necessarily need them, especially if they are stocked with the correct balance of plants and fish, installing them will clarify the water sufficiently for optimum viewing of the aquatic life within.

Putting in a pump and filter that’s the right size for your pond will also allow it to support more fish, and is, in fact, essential for koi.  Basically, there are two types of filters, which are known as mechanical and biological.  Both kinds keep the water clear by trapping floating particles, including fish waste, uneaten food, algae, and dirt.  Moreover, biological filters, as well as certain mechanical types, also remove toxic chemicals, such as ammonia.

The most commonly used systems for small ponds are comprised of mechanical filters with complementary pumps.  These may contain replaceable foam filter wraps, or corrugated polyester cartridges, which are comparable to those used as oil filters in cars.  In order to keep them operating at maximum efficiency, mechanical filters must be cleaned frequently, especially during the summer, when you shouldn’t let them go for more than three days.

If you want to make your pond even more breath-taking, by adding fountains or waterfalls, you will need a submersible pump that will recirculate the water.  Available in a variety of sizes, the labels will help you to determine the one that’s best for your pond, depending upon factors such as its size, capacity, and how many gallons per hour go over the waterfall.  Some of these also have separate attachments for fountains.    

While a pond is one thing that’s certain to enhance your landscape, the ways of beautifying your surroundings are too numerous to count, because CedarStore.com has hundreds of outdoor décor items, including decorative mailboxes, birdfeeders and houses, garden trellises, pergolas and screens, weathervanes, planters, planter benches, and much more.

Oh, yeah, and, although I’m not sure, I think that they may have a piece of outdoor furniture or two – or three – thousand!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy   

Tags: garden pond, pond

As I mentioned before, using a flexible pond liner, nearly anyone can install a backyard pond.  In fact, it’s a great weekend project.  Just imagine – you can start on Saturday morning, and by Sunday evening, you’ll be relaxing at water’s edge, sipping cocktails in your chaise lounge, or enjoying grilled steaks at your bistro table in your own, private outdoor café! 

Begin by using a rope, garden hose, or extension cord, to outline the desired shape of your pond, keeping it slightly asymmetrical and nicely curved.  Then, dig the hole, install some underlayment to guard against punctures, put the liner in, and smooth it into shape.  Once that’s done, fill the pond with water, then place coping stones around the edges to hide the liner and make a natural-looking border.  You can also install a recirculating pump to keep the water clean and healthy for aquatic plants and livestock. 

You choices for liners are PVC plastic and EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer), or butyl rubber.  Both kinds are flexible, resistant to UV rays, and non-toxic to fish and plants.  The rubber liners are a bit more expensive, but they’ll last longer, particularly in colder regions where repeated freezing and thawing will eventually cause the plastic ones to become brittle. 

Both types are graded according to material composition and thickness, which, for PVC liners, will be either 20-mil or 32-mil.  You can also get an enhanced PVC liner, called PVCE, which is a bit more durable than regular PVC liners of the same thickness. 

Rubber liners come in 30-mil and 45-mil thicknesses.  Premium ones, which are easier to install, also have a bonded backing material that makes them highly resistant to punctures and tears, and usually come with a lifetime warranty.  This material is also available to be purchased separately for use as an underlayment for any kind of liner.

After you install your pond, there are countless ways in which you can embellish your creation, such as adding fish, plants, lights, fountains, waterfalls, statues, decorative stones, or anything else that strikes your fancy.  The same is true for the endless choices in outdoor furniture that you’ll find at CedarStore.com when you go to decorate your gorgeous new outdoor living space.  So stop in and browse our selection.  Like your new pond, you’ll really dig it! (Pause for groan) I KNOW!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: Outdoor Furniture, outdoor pond, pond