Questions Reguarding Pond Construction

[rvsuper]

Hi there,
I am a first timer at this project that we are going to put in a pond this fall.
1.) I was thinking about taking retaining wall bricks, putting three rows up, and setting a pre molded pond on top of the retaining wall bricks. Do you put dirt inside of the retaining wall to support the weight of the pond?

2.) I have seen a friend of mine's pond with a heater in it. How effiiciently do these work and can you keep the fish in there in the winter? I live in Iowa......Hate cold, snowy winters.

3.) Do you know of any place I can buy a pre-molded pond?

4.) My local greenhouse does not supply water garden plants. Know of any place I can find them?

Thanks in advance for your help

[cclllc]

I have seen several plastic ponds at home Depot. I would use sand if I were doing it.I like using the liners myself.Why can't you just dig down and place it in the ground?

[Art Stubbs handy 58]

for pre molded ponds Home Depot has good selection and supplies, for ponds, yes i would also use a heater it will help keep the fish alive in our unpredictable iowa winters. and i would use a sand or paver stone for back fill, it will hold the weight better. there is also a place in Waterloo called Fosters Lawn & Garden Supllies, 1-800-747-2756 / email Info@FostersInc.com

They have a great selection of items and most are in stock...
everything you need for ponds

What part of Iowa?? Waterloo here, Biz is good here....
Hope this helps

[rvsuper]

Northwest Iowa. Rock Valley if you look on the map

[pondman20]

If your budget allows, do an Aquascape kit, well worth the effort. Preformed tubs can be high maintenance and are harder to naturalize. Also, for fish to over winter in your zone, you probably need a final depth of 2-3 feet, and I'm not sure you can get a tub that deep. Good luck, keep the faith!

P.S. As for the heaters, they are used to keep an opening in the ice of the pond, to let deadly gasses escape, not to heat the water. If you use a heater you need some type of aeration for the water because the heater depletes the water of oxygen, thus killing your fish.