The biggest preformed pond available is now the EZ Pond. This preformed garden pond has a large footprint, so to get one you will have to have a larger delivery. The EZ Pond is made from melamine which is resistant to corrosion, easily maintains its color and clarity through the years of use, it also requires very little maintenance. It’s basically a waterproof garden pond that looks good and performs superbly. The pre-molded garden pond is easy to assemble, while the water pump has a submersible filter, fountain and UVC together in one unit. This pre-formed pond comes with a professional installation and is on the threshold of what would be a great deal.
It’s about the size of a large garbage can with a side faucet, making it quite noticeable in gardens. The large 18″ wide, earthen composite material panels have been specially designed with pockets in the corners for keeping and distributing rainwater well. There are some earthen fiberglass preforms that actually have the fiberglass edge pre-molded into them. The prefabricated edge models are not weather tight and can be damaged by strong winds or high moisture levels. Weather tight models are sold in kits with edges already milled in.
There are several types of garden ponds available, but the most popular and common is the pre-molded garden pond, and it is very easy to assemble. Most of these models employ the use of a float tube filter with a water pump. There are several different styles, but the most popular uses a two-stage system with a medium flow filter attached. Most of the models use a rubber filter sleeve with the medium flow filter inside. Some use the classic float chamber, where the water flows through a large screen filter before it reaches the pond.
Preformed garden ponds generally come in three basic shapes – the rectangle, square and round. Most use the round type, but some use the square or rectangle as well. All use one of the two-stage systems, and fiberglass pumps are used to maintain the water level. All use pumps to circulate the water and move it through the garden rather than gravity. Most use electricity for pumps, but some use solar power as well.
The filters used on preformed ponds all require standard size garden hose and ball valves, and most use cartridge or fiberglass filters. The fiberglass ones tend to be more expensive than cartridge types, although they are more durable and more resistant to damage. There is no significant difference in performance between cartridges or fiberglass pumps.
Some garden pond manufactures offer pumps that use the traditional style garden pump, including a conventional motor, drive shaft and chain drive. These pumps are usually not portable because of the size, and because they don’t utilize the water column to push air through the system. They are good for use indoors or in some reef aquariums, where you don’t have a decent sized pond yet. These are not good for use in a half barrel or a quarter barrel. A preformed liner can be installed this way, but it is a lot of work.
If your pond is very small, and you can install it using the smallest preformed ponds available, then you might be able to install it yourself. However, it is extremely difficult and very time consuming, especially if you do not know much about pond installation. The smallest pond will generally not fit into a regular manhole. This means that you will either need to install via a hole in the ground, or install via copper piping that must be run up a steep hill to a point where the pond and pump are both sitting flush with the surface, and where the pump and filter can be installed without disturbing the pond bed.
To make it easier on yourself, you should also use an epoxy paint to protect the steel components, which are painted white. You will want to do this before you install the pump, but while the pond liner is still in the box, because it will help you keep track of where the pump is in relation to the filter. After the liner is installed, it is important to remove it, as it is now ready to be the foundation for your new, beautiful fish pond. You will be very happy with the results if you follow these simple steps, and if you choose to use flexible pond liner instead of the traditional pre-molded shape.