Step 2 - The Purchasing Trip

Whether your interest in water in the garden came from 'Grand designs' or 'Groundforce', it makes no difference. The common route to obtaining your first pond would be down at the local garden / aquatic centre. Here you have a 50:50 chance of speaking with someone who actually understands the products they are selling, or a Saturday helper working for beer money who really wants to go back to bed. One thing is for sure, they will know a little more than you and as a result you will spoon feed every word, thinking this advice is good. (Trust me I know, many years ago, I was that Saturday boy).

The advice they give, may also be based on the fact that the stock room is full of a certain product and they have been asked to shift at all costs to make room for new products. A large percentage of people will opt for the pre-formed liner route. A pre-shaped shell manufactured from plastic or fibreglass that needs to be buried in the ground. It will normally have shelves to incorporate plants known as marginal shelves.

One may have done some research and realised than unless the pond is to be filled with plants the water needs to be kept clear some other way. It will be at this point that your attention is drawn to an array of pumps and filters. Normally you will be sold a water pump that drives the water up to the filter. A small length of hose will be suggested to transfer the water from the pump to the filter. The filter, will by definition be a black / green plastic box with foam and maybe some brushes or flocor (like hair curlers). This will usually sit at the top of a waterfall and will return the water to the pond by gravity. This style of filter is called 'Pump fed' as the water arrives at the filter from a pump. Later I will discuss 'gravity fed'.

You stack the car full of new pond goodies and head home with a large pond strapped to the roof! The adventure has begun; weekends will never be the same again!

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