Dirt Bottom Pond?

[jemanser]

Bettagurl, over time debris will naturally accumalate on the bottom of the pond creating problems in the long run. A cleaner system would be to plant your water plants in large but cheap black plastic planters(>2gallons) that can be removed when periodically cleaning your ponds bottom. I would avoid gravel too. There will be enough surface area for the bacteria to colonize on the liner, plants, planters w/soil and on the biospheres or gravel\mesh in the filters. Is your pond shallow and in need of something to cover the bottom for asthetic purposes?

 

[frloplady]

a dirt bottom pond will usually become a dirt bottom mud hole. Most areas common dirt does not hold water. Mud ponds are usually lined with bentonite clay. Not worth the expense for a small personal pond.

Get a liner. Keep lilies and such in pots so they can be pulled out and the pond cleaned (UCK!!! smelly etc). Otherwise the build up of crud at the bottom will eventually cause problems for the fish.