BonniesPlants.com

Hello! I'm brand-new to ponds AND this forum. I dug my own little pond (6x8) a couple months ago without doing much research or planning...it's surprisingly beautiful and my fish aren't dead. I was going to live with some of the mistakes I made (like not enough shelves for plants, and no bog areas--even though I figured out how to tuck plants in the rocks on the sides and the waterfall), but I decided that I'm going to rip it all apart and go bigger, better, and actually use what I've learned through post-pond research and trials/errors. All I need for the bigger pond is a new liner (AND MY HUSBAND-PERSON TO GO ON VACATION FOR A COUPLE WEEKS !). I've been trying to find out which liner is better....PVC or EPDM? Any suggestions? I currently have PVC.

Thanks much for any info....

Hello Beckie
My entire pond, all 15,000 gallons is made of roofing rubber. It about half the price of pond liner and made by the same folks. We also have several tanks made out of roofing rubber.

Look in the yellow pages under roofing supplies or call a roofer and ask where to buy roofing rubber that is 45 mil

I don't know the answer to your other question on how to update your profile but I will look around as I forgot where it is.

Bonnie

I never would have thought of roofing rubber....my sister is just now putting in a pond liner (THE BIG DAY!) and that's what she got...I did mine first, and she learned from ALL of my mistakes and "wish I had's." Thank you, Bonnie!

I found a local supplier for the roofing rubber (.37/ft for the 45 mil). The guy told me I needed to wash it good and let it "air out" for about a week because of the powder they put on it to keep it from sticking and I should have no problems. When I was checking on-line for prices, tho, a pondliner website said that roofing rubber is treated with antifungal/antibacterial chemicals which are not good for healthy ponds (of COURSE they said that...they want me to buy THEIR pond liner, right?). Is the information from the local roofing rubber supplier correct?

(By the way, my sister is almost finished with her pond and she just placed her FIRST Bonnie's Plants order...she's so excited because tomorrow is THE BIG DAY....finally time to put the water in!)

Thanks much! Beckie

That controversy has been going on for YEARS. In fact back in the 90's it was on koi forums. And there were knock down, drag down fights on about it.

He is correct. The powder is to keep the liner from sticking to itself. What we did was roll the liner out, wet it down, sprinkled baking soda on it and scrubbed it with a push broom. Then rinse the baking soda off. Baking soda is completely fish safe.

I have not checked the price here in NC but in 2000 when we moved here it was .33 cents. In Mi in the late 90's it was 30 cents.

I don't sell either so it is not to my advantage to tell you that you must buy pond liner.

What I purchased was for other ponds we built here. One thing you can count on, I will never tell you to do anything I would not do to myself.

In fact, the contractor who built my pond gave me a hard time about using roofing rubber. What we did was in one of our travels from MI to NC is we bought huge rolls of roofing rubber for my 15,000 gallon pond with us. Boy, did he balk when I told him it was roofing rubber. He finally gave in when I told him, it is my pond, I am paying you to build it and this is what you will use.

The problem is those shady folks who use roofing rubber at installs but charge you pond liner prices! NO ONE knows but the pond installer.

Bonnie

The guy at the roofing supply place was honest about it, at least, when he said it's the SAME THING, but I needed to wash it and air it out...I think that price is decent, too, because I won't have to pay for shipping.

As soon as I finish talking the non-ponder-husband-person into letting me dig another pond, I'll get that roofing rubber (and a bigger pump and wider tubing!) and use your suggestion about the baking soda.

By the way, this is THE BIG DAY for my sister...she's putting water in her pond...she called me so I could hear how loud the waterfall is!

Thanks again!

One way to look at it is you have your sister to share your addiction! LOL

A lot of folks here have the same problem with a spouse who is less enthused!

Ideally, get a pump that will turn the water over once an hour - more is better. Mine turns over about 10 times an hour and even more in our tanks where we have fish for sale


Bonnie