Rocks and Gravel Are Important

 By Danielle Robinson

     Did you know that rocks and gravel play a very important role in keeping your pond? If you have heard differently then you need to read this article. I will explain the reason why every pond should contain rocks and gravel at the bottom, if they want their pond to look beautiful.

     Originally when ponds where first introduced many people believe that the bottom of your pond should always be left free from any type of obstructions. If you own a pond yourself, then you already know that ponds can sometimes have huge black sludge at the bottom. Which can be quite nasty and disgusting to deal with. The black sludge can be mixed up from things likes leaves, fish droppings, dead plants and who knows what else. Who in the world wants to clean out such a mess? I know I don’t, which probably means you don’t want to either.

     Most people think that adding rocks and gravel to the pond liners will make the cleaning job much harder then it already is. Here’s a little secret it actually makes your cleaning job easier. The main job for the rocks and gravel is to hold the pond liner flat to the ground. Many thin liners can float up because of hydrostatic pressure, which causes many liners to have bubbles. The rocks and gravel also provides a nice home for bacteria to colonize and break down some nutrients such as plants and fish waste.  By adding rocks and gravel to your pond it literally becomes a filter.

     Having rocks and gravel in your pond can be a beautiful away to make it seem more natural, not to mention the fact that it will cut the majority of your smudge filled days. You won’t have to worry about having green water and who knows what else at the bottom of your pond. When you add rocks and gravel to your liner not only are you eliminating smudge but you are also protecting the liner from many types of damages. Many animals like to lurk around the pond and could end up destroying your ponds liner. Ultraviolet light rays can also be eliminated.

     If you don’t believe a word that I’m saying maybe you should try it yourself. The next time your liner is damaged or you are clearing a lot of nasty smudge from the bottom of your pond you might want to rethink the rocks and gravel. All you have to lose is your smudge.