The Pond Gnome
  • Home
  • Pricing
  • Construction
    • Remodeling
    • Homeowner Installation >
      • Ponds
      • Pondless Waterfalls & Streams
      • Pool to Pond Conversions
    • Commercial Work
    • FAQ
  • Gallery
  • Meet the Team!
    • Vlogging With The Pond Guy
    • Pond Tour
    • Testimonials
    • Events
    • Seminars & Speaking Engagements
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Maintenance
    • Emergency Pond Procedures
    • Pond Water Treatment
    • Aquatic Plants for Ponds
    • Phoenix Pond Cleaning
    • Phoenix Pond Service & Maintenance >
      • Snowbird Maintenance
    • Troubleshooting
    • Warranties and Manuals
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

PHOENIX POND LEARNING CENTER
​BLOG

Gravel or Rock in a Phoenix Pond

9/3/2014

 
Picture
Over the years, Phoenix backyard ponds have been constructed with a variety of materials. Many are made out of concrete, while others use preformed plastic tubs or various types of flexible liner. One of the main reasons we advocate the use of gravel is that it plays a vital role by providing a natural habitat for beneficial microorganisms. It’s also a cost-effective way to cover the liner and enhance the ecosystem, making your Phoenix backyard pond a lot lower maintenance!

Picture
The rocky bottom of a Phoenix backyard pond is alive and brimming with activity, covered in algae, microscopic invertebrates, and bacteria. This section of the pond is basically a compost pile. When organic debris falls to the pond’s bottom, it’s broken down by the benthic (bottom) inhabitants. These organic recyclers live off of uneaten fish food, decaying plant matter, and nitrogenous fish wastes. If this substrate wasn’t present, the pond would quickly die, effectively being suffocated by toxic fish waste and organic build-up. If you don’t have this substrate, draining & cleanings must be done often to eliminate that build-up.

Picture
Fortunately, nature has given us a way to solve this problem with your Phoenix backyard pond. And it’s SO much easier to work with Mother Nature, than against her! Organisms have evolved to use practically every bit of available food. Fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects will feed on these minute organisms, including bacteria and algae that live on the rocky pond floor.

Picture
In addition, gravel lends structural stability to the Phoenix backyard pond. To achieve this, gravel is placed in between and behind the boulders. This eliminates spaces between them, which keeps them from shifting around, giving you a stable substrate. The gravel becomes a free-floating mortar, naturally locking the boulders into place. Again, Mother Nature does this as a matter of course in the naturally-occurring ponds and streams.

Picture
When adding gravel to your Phoenix backyard pond and waterfall projects, be sure to vary the size of the gravel in order to provide a more natural appearance, as well as stability. You can have your gravel mixed at the stone yard, incorporating a blend of 3/8” to 3” gravel. The larger pieces give mass to the gravel bed, and act as a nice transition to the larger boulders. The smaller sizes provide lots of surface area, which is key for the pond’s biological activity.

Jay Jorgenson link
10/21/2019 01:29:16 pm

I love the second picture of the pond with lilies. My daughter wants a pond with lilies and Koi fish. Thank you for the information. I'll search for a rock supplier so I can get gravel for the pond.


Comments are closed.

    Categories

    All
    Fountain
    Landscape Ideas
    Pests
    Pets And Phoenix Ponds
    Pond Design
    Pond Fish
    Pond Installation
    Pond Lifestyle
    Pond Maintenance
    Sustainable Options
    Water Quality
    Wildlife Around The Pond

The Pond Gnome offers Pond Design, Pond Construction, Pond Maintenance, Pond Remodeling, Pond Replacement, and Pond Cleaning Services for the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan area, including the cities of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Carefree, Cave Creek, Glendale, Peoria, Sun City, and other surrounding communities.​

Our Services

Ecosystem Ponds
Pondless Waterfalls and Streams
Commercial Installations
​Pool to Pond Conversions

Public Speaking/Seminars
​

Company

Company Profile
Testimonials and References
Portfolio
​Events
Blog
​
Employment Opportunities


Support

Contact Information

Maintenance
Water Treatment
Contact Us
Client Hub​
Digital Product Catalog
The Pond Gnome
22767 N 104th Ln
Peoria, AZ  85383
(623) 572-5607

Email
​ROC#277878

Picture
Picture
Picture
Remodeling and Home Design
  • Home
  • Pricing
  • Construction
    • Remodeling
    • Homeowner Installation >
      • Ponds
      • Pondless Waterfalls & Streams
      • Pool to Pond Conversions
    • Commercial Work
    • FAQ
  • Gallery
  • Meet the Team!
    • Vlogging With The Pond Guy
    • Pond Tour
    • Testimonials
    • Events
    • Seminars & Speaking Engagements
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Maintenance
    • Emergency Pond Procedures
    • Pond Water Treatment
    • Aquatic Plants for Ponds
    • Phoenix Pond Cleaning
    • Phoenix Pond Service & Maintenance >
      • Snowbird Maintenance
    • Troubleshooting
    • Warranties and Manuals
  • Blog
  • Contact Us