Many people love the idea of building a pond in their backyard. But is a pond really right for your home? This post delves into some of the pros and cons of building a pond.
Pros
A pond can make your backyard more beautiful and serene
Throughout history, human beings have naturally been drawn to living by the water. It is likely because we depend on water to live that we find it to be a source of peace and joy. For those of us who cannot afford to live by the sea or a river, a pond can be the next best thing. It could make your backyard feel so much more cheery and tranquil.
You can keep pet fish in them
A pond can allow you to keep pet fish that would otherwise be too big for a tank. There are many different types of fish that you can keep in a pond ranging from goldfish to koi carps. Fish ponds should be at least 2 ft deep. The bigger and deeper, the more fish and the more types of fish you’ll be able to keep.
Ponds can support other local wildlife
Ponds can not only be a home for a pet fish. They can also support all kinds of local wildlife including frogs, newts and dragonflies. In fact, many creatures are likely to live in and around your pond which could be a source of food for various other animals up the food chain. All in all, they’re great for the environment.
Cons
They require quite a bit of maintenance
While building a pond isn’t too much work, there is a lot of maintenance required in order to keep your pond looking pretty. Such maintenance tasks include feeding fish, watering plants, maintaining a good water level, aerating the pond, controlling weeds and algae, controlling ice and monitoring for leaks. You can hire companies to help with tasks like pond cleaning, and there are plants and filters you can use to constantly aerate the pond. However, you’ll still need to keep on top of other tasks like feeding fish and watering plants.
They can be a hazard
A small pond may not be much of a hazard, but a large pond could be if you have young kids or pets. You’ll need to either cover up/fence off the pond or monitor kids and pets around it. Integrating a slope into your pond could be useful for helping any animals out that may fall in.
You may attract unwanted guests
Ponds can sometimes attract unwanted creatures. Mosquitoes can settle in a poorly aerated pond or in nearby puddles. Rodents like muskrats can also nest around ponds and cause damage. Finally, you need to be careful of birds like herons that may snatch fish. There are measures you can take to ward off these creatures, but they’re not always effective.
Should you build a pond?
Ponds are ideal for homeowners that love animals and gardening. For such people, maintaining a pond can be a fun project rather than a chore.
Ponds are less ideal for those who want a maintenance-free backyard or a backyard that they can let kids play freely in without closely monitoring them. If you’re not into gardening or animals, a pond also may not be so rewarding.
