Have you been thinking about installing a pond or adding a water feature to your landscape – but something always stops you making it happen?

We wanted to bust 8 of the most common myths about water features so that you can make an informed decision for yourself – and dispel a few ‘old wives tales’ going around…

True or False?

Maintaining a pond is a headache!

False. If your pond is ecologically balanced and uses the right materials, Mother Nature will take care of a lot of the work! All you need to do is schedule in some time for regular maintenance, and enjoy the process of tending to your own little water garden.

Water features will breed armies of mosquitos.

False. But only if your pond is neglected and left to become still, stagnant water. A well-designed water feature encourages water flow – we love that beautiful sound of running water – and attracts a mosquito’s natural predators; frogs, birds, fish, etc.

If I want fish – my pond has to be really deep.

False. Two feet is the minimum depth to keep fish alive in your pond – with anything deeper than three feet liable to cause circulation issues – but, if you want to enjoy watching your fish swimming around in there, you won’t want it any deeper!

Large water features are too much work.

False. Interestingly, the opposite is true! Large water features require less work because larger bodies of water, combined with more rocks, gravel, fish and the bacteria that comes with them, are generally more stable and harder to unbalance. That means that less work is required to make sure they stay healthy.

Algae is bad and I don’t want it in my pond.

False. A healthy pond is its own natural ecosystem, and green algae (in the right amounts) has a role to play as another plant which helps keep it balanced. Combined with the right amount of your favourite plants and fish, a little algae never hurt anyone – but if you really want to see it gone, just increase the number of plants which will steal the light and nutrients from the algae and limit its ability to grow.

If I have fish – predators will eat them.

True & False. If you have a particularly adventurous cat who doesn’t mind getting wet or have left your pond out in the open with no shelter from passing Herons or Ibis, then there is that chance. However, there are plenty of things you can do to protect them, such as making sure the sides are steep and the water is deeper than one metre, or including a fish cave and the right plants so they have somewhere to hide.

The water in my pond would need constant testing and monitoring

False. Do you test and monitor your local lake or river? If the pond has been intelligently designed with a natural ecosystem in mind, then it will sort itself out – with only occasional help from you. Only if your pond is dependent on chemicals will you need to test its balance.

A water feature will cost me an arm and a leg

Up to you! Anything can cost a fortune if you want to really go to town, but you can still use quality materials to build a beautiful water feature without tapping into the kid’s college fund. AQUAPRO offers a natural rock-look pond for just over $100, combined with the solar panel pump kit and a few accessories, and you can have a gorgeous pond for less than $300 – which in turn adds to the look and value of your property.

Have we convinced you that adding a pond to your home might actually be easier and more beneficial than you think?

There is nothing like the look and sound of a water feature to help you enjoy your outdoors – and if you want to add one to your backyard, AQUAPRO has everything you need from ponds to pumps and accessories. Just head into your local Bunnings to pick up your supplies.