The EASY way to select your pond liner size and pond pump to match ...

Here is a simple chart that enables anyone to select the right pond liner to match their chosen pond depth and volume requirements. First however you need to make a basic decision on what pond depth you will want to finish up with. To help you make up your mind about pond depth these are the basic rules ... by the way this is a big advantage of using pond liner compared to preformed ponds which have a fixed depth. Pond liner allows you to go as deep as you like. Whichever depth you go for the best pond liner materials are EPDM rubber and Butyl rubber. Lower cost liner material is made fromPVC.

  • Larger ponds should be deeper say maximum of 4 feet (with some shallower areas) unless you are a very serious koi fish enthusiast in which case 6 feet is more appropriate

  • If you want to keep water lilies there should be a depth of between 2 and 3 feet since some water lilies need 3 feet of water whilst others will be happy with 2 feet depth.

  • The deeper the pond the more stable will be the temperature and the chances of a complete solid freeze in winter will be reduced.

  • For an all round basic garden pond for some fish and plants 3 feet is a good depth

How to use the table ...

  • Select the depth (column 1) you would like to have

  • Choose the volume of the pond you want to finish up with (column 7 or 8)

  • Select width of liner you need from column 2

  • Select length of liner you need from column 3

  • Columns 4 and 5 will provide you with the maximum size of hole you need to dig.

See example at bottom of table ...

Every situation of pond liner size and depth combinations has not been covered of course but you can still use this pond liner table to match your requirements for most cases by "reading between the lines" ... in the UK choose pond liner made from butyl rubber and in the USA choose EPDM rubber pond liner.

 

Example ....

Lets say you have decided you want a pond 4 feet deep that will be longer than it is wide in shape (ie fits inside a rectangle) and that you want an absolute maximum volume of 2,500 US gallons (column 7)

Then one choice you have is a pond liner measuring 15ft x 22.5 ft  as shown in the dark blue row above.