1. Get someone to help you dig.... Well Duh.....

2. Make sure you can fence your yard and then do it. I know it's a hassle and expensive, but even if you don't have small children around you do have dogs and dogs and ponds don't mix, one of them is going to get hurt. If you do have small children I would not even have a pond until they are old enough not to act stupid around water say 30 or so.

3. To keep floating plants like water hyacinth in one place stretch a piece of mono filament fishing line across the pond just below the surface. You will not see it and the roots of the plants will keep them from "crossing the line". Water Hyacinth will bloom better if kept crowded this way.

4. Many plants that grow on land will grow in water Peppermint, Impatiens and clover are 3 examples. If the plant has a soft not-woody stem it might grow in water. Water Cress from the supermarket grows great in a water fall or stream.

5. Ponds CAN be built in the shade you just have to be careful that the plants that you pick can grow in shade. You also have to find some way to keep the leaves out of the pond in the fall.

One BIG advantage to the shade is that you are far less likely to get green water in the spring.

6. Check out the pond forum on the links page there is no better way to learn about ponds of all kinds and get your questions answered.

7. Do NOT buy a low cost pump. Cheap pumps can cost more in electricity then the price of a good pump. Some can cost $100.00 a month to run or more.. Check out the amp rating the lower the amperage the better.

8. You don't have to buy expensive pots for your plants. Wallpaper water trays are cheep and work great on narrow shelves in the pond. Plastic concrete mixing pans and plastic car oil drain pans are good planters too.

9. Deer Netting and Bird Netting make great bio filter media. 100 feet of Deer Netting fills a net laundry bag. Just stuff, rinse and stick it in your bio filter. The bag makes it easy to pull out and clean in the spring.

10. The Deer Netting and Bird netting also make a great cover to keep leaves out of the pond in the fall. Bend PCV pipe over the pond in arches stretch the net over them and tie wrap it to the pipes.

If the netting is too narrow you can "sew" two or more panels together with tie wraps or twist ties.