Here Are Some Facts and Benefits for Using EPDM Pond liner

Here Are Some Facts and Benefits for Using EPDM Pond liner.  At Pond H2o, we have a bevy of pond liners you can purchase to keep your water garden pristine and healthy.  Today, however, we will be specifically assessing the effectiveness of EPDM pond liner, an option that offers both high quality and flexibility.

It provides versatility

A koi pond under construction by Biofilter tech via Wikimedia Commons.

Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) pond liners are also known as one of the more flexible pond liners on the market. In other words, they can be used to form sizes and shapes at your discretion.  Typically, one sheet of EPDM rubber will be sufficient enough to meet the needs of your average pond. However, this will depend on your pond’s size. If yours is on the larger side, you can use multiple liners.

Easy Installation

Another of the benefits for using EPDM pond liner and a testament to pond liners, especially with the EPDM variation, is its simple installation. You don’t have to be a professional to install this pond liner. Although it should be noted that you will need butyl tape and top quality pond adhesive, like PondH2o’s product Gold Label sealant, to make sure the seams are waterproofed.

The quality is ensured

Seaming a EPDM pond liner by Aquascape Ponds via YouTube.

There are other flexible pond liners that have trouble holding up over the course of time. However, EPDM liners provide your water garden koi fish pond with longevity—enabling you to save money in the long run. 

For example, if you opt for a low-grade plastic or vinyl pond liner, there’s a higher chance it will eventually develop cuts and tears. Another variation known as PVC liners—typically found in above ground swimming pools —tend to be susceptible to punctures, too. PVC Pond Liners have a great starting price point and are easy to install, but can dry out in the sunlight.  With EPDM liners, however, the material is much more resilient and longer lasting. 

Practicality

And there’s a practical reason for this. EPDM liners were originally made for flat roofs so that they can be more water resistant over time. However, once this liner became popularized and buyers made aware of its sturdy material, EPDM liners soon became one of the most widely used pond liners in the U.S.

After installation, you can be assured these are qualified for your pond and are fish friendly. And while there is no perfectly impervious pond liner on the market, this will provide you with much more resiliency and flexibility than the average.

It is important to note that since EPDM liners are made from high quality materials, they tend to be more expensive than its competitors. Although as the old adage goes, ‘you get what you pay for,’ and this is certainly the case with this variant. 

In the long run, you will be much less likely to replace this with other liners. In addition, an EPDM pond liner will withstand  harsh, colder climates, too. 

As far as upkeep, the most salient matter is to make sure your EPDM pond liner is consistently obfuscated from sunlight. Otherwise, the strength of the lining material can weaken over time.

Buy our fish pond liners designed to fit every budget today to get started, including from our EPDM, LDPE, and other pond liners.

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Protecting Against Herons

The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is a majestic bird with its long wingspan and bright colors in the wild, but is a major issue in the backyard koi fish pond AKA sushi bar! Protecting against herons is a common question.

Lets take a look at it from a birds point of view, to try to get into the mind of a heron.  The bird is flying 200 foot up looking for dinner, comes across a crystal clear pond, as most ponds are filtered full of brightly colored fish, lands has dinner and moves on.

To combat this, the pond keeper has many options.  Most work well but nothing is guaranteed. This is nature after all.  Pond owners have asked us for years what works.

Great Blue Herons are protected by state and federal law which makes it illegal to capture or kill them without a permit. If the birds become a serious problem, a depredation permit may be obtained through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Permit Office (www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/mbpermits.html).

Some useful tips help Protecting Against Herons for your pond and other unwanted visitors

• Have plenty of surface cover the fish can hide under like lily pads or floating pond plant baskets
• Herons like to land and walk up to the pond so place natural barriers like small bushes or picket fences
• Use motion activated outside lights that cover the pond to come on at dawn and dusk
• Blue Heron Decoy helps to keep Herons away from your pond by using the herons desire to fish alone against them

Heron Decoy

Most popular and a best seller at PondH2o is the Heron Decoy, works best if moved every 2-3 days and removed during mating season in the spring. Works on the principal that herons are solitary feeders.  If a heron see’s one already at a pond it will keep going to the next one.

Pond Predator Barriers

Velda Heron Stop can be quite effective on smaller ponds as herons do not like to jump but walk into the water so get spooked when triggers the bells for added fright.

Many different ones on the pond market, Alligator Heads, Owls, Hawks, Snakes, Bird Eyes, Spinners, Flags to name a few, work by basically spooking the bird. Seem to work best as a program of 3 or 4 different types placed around or on the pond to totally confuse the heron.

Pond Protection Cover Netting

Best option for your water garden koi fish pond protection is pond cover netting.  It can be unsightly, but great in the fall to keep falling leaves and debris from entering the water.

PIR Water Jets

Like the Jet-Spray Fox Repeller can be the most successful as also soaks cats, raccoons, bears etc as well, but needs a permanent water supply and batteries have to be replaced.

Choosing a Location for your Pond

Choosing a location for your pond takes some careful consideration. Read our tips below to make sure you pick the perfect place in your garden.

1. Install your pond on level ground with good drainage.
2. Plan the most direct line possible between the house and pond if you will be needing electrical wiring for pond pumps or filters for example.
3. Contact your local municipality to determine if a permit is required.
4. Make sure the site isn’t directly over any underground pipes, cables, wires, sprinklers or septic systems!
5. Being near an outdoor faucet so you can add water to the pond from a garden hose would be very helpful.
6. The more sunlight the pond gets each day, the more choices of water plants you have. If adding fish to your pond, a balance of sun with some shade during the hottest part of the day is best. Try adding water lilies or lotus pads, reeds, shrubs and grasses as additional shade options.
7. Avoid choosing a location for your pond near large trees or in open windy areas. Falling leaves and needles contaminate the water and collect on the bottom of the pond.

You’ll find many products for your pond within our online pond supply store. Read more on our blog on How to Dig a Pond https://www.pondh2o.com/2019/07/03/how-to-dig-a-pond/ and Installing a Pond Liner https://www.pondh2o.com/2019/07/03/installing-pond-liner/.

Call 811 from anywhere in the country a few days prior to digging, and your call will be routed to your local one call center. Tell the operator where you’re planning to dig . Your affected local utility companies will be notified about your intent to dig and will send locators to your dig site to mark the approximate location of buried lines with flags or paint.