Interactive Planning Tool & Calculator
Design Your Perfect Pond
Enter your dimensions once — liner, pump, filtration, fish stocking, and plant recommendations all calculate automatically.
Pond Dimensions
Enter once — every calculation in the planner updates automatically from these numbers.
Shape & Size
Choose your pond shape and enter its maximum dimensions.
Core Figures
Calculated live from your dimensions — used by every other step.
Pond Liner
Includes 2ft overlap on all sides — the standard installation allowance.
Length + (2 × depth) + 4ft. One piece is always better than joining two sections.
Underlayment
Protective padding beneath your liner to prevent puncture from stones and roots.
Old carpet, builder's sand, or purpose-made geotextile all work. Avoid anything sharp or liable to shift over time.
Pump selection
The heart of your pond. Right-sizing it means healthy water and lower running costs year-round.
Application & Minimum Size
Water needs to turn over through the filter at least once every 2 hours. For fish ponds, double that. For waterfalls, the spillway width is usually the deciding factor.
Pump Size Guide
How far does the water travel from the pond to your filter or waterfall? The longer and higher the run, the harder the pump works.
Complete the fields to see pump size guidance.
When shopping, match your pond's minimum GPH to the figure shown for your distance on the pump's packaging — not the headline maximum number.
Running Cost
Pond pumps run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — worth knowing before you buy.
Which Type of Pump?
For most garden ponds, submersible pumps are preferred — they're easily hidden and work well in skimmer boxes. Three main styles:
Small to medium ponds
Quiet, long-lasting, minimal maintenance. Magnetic impeller — usually only the impeller needs replacing. Ideal for fountains and ponds up to ~500 gallons.
Medium to large ponds
Higher flow, energy-efficient, long lifespan. The go-to all-rounder for ponds with waterfalls, streams, or moderate fish stocking.
High head / high flow
Built for demanding features with significant height and GPH. Fewer parts keeps cost down, but shorter lifespan. Some models need periodic lubrication.
Complete the fields above to see a pump type recommendation for your pond.
Filter & UV sizing
Matched to your pond volume and fish load — both carried through from your earlier answers.
Filter Recommendation
Biological filtration converts harmful ammonia into nitrates. An undersized filter is the most common cause of murky, unhealthy pond water.
Complete Steps 1 and 2 to see your filter recommendation.
UV Clarifier
Kills free-floating algae cells to keep water visually clear. Works alongside biological filtration — not instead of it.
Complete Steps 1 and 2 to see your UV recommendation.
Filter Types Explained
Different ponds suit different setups:
Small & medium ponds
Can be buried below the waterline. Flexible placement, easy cleaning. Often combined with UV in one unit. Good up to ~1,500 gallons.
Large ponds & koi
Positioned above water level. Higher biological capacity and easier media access. The preferred choice for large or heavily stocked ponds.
Small & shallow ponds
Fully submersible, hidden beneath the surface. Convenient for small wildlife or ornamental ponds without space for external equipment.
Fish stocking
How many fish can your pond comfortably support long-term?
Maximum Fish Load
Plan for your fish at their adult size — not the size you buy them.
These are theoretical maximums. A pond at 50% stocking capacity is far healthier and easier to maintain than one at 100%.
Ecosystem Balance
Fish, plants, and filtration form an interconnected system.
Enter your dimensions in Step 1 to see recommendations.
Aim for 50–70% surface coverage with floating and emergent plants through summer. This controls algae, regulates temperature, and shelters fish.
Koi need 3–4ft minimum. Goldfish manage in 18–24 inches with a de-icer in cold climates.
Plant recommendations
Curated for your pond size and depth zones — each species links to Pondpedia for full care guides.
Your Pond Zones
A well-planted pond uses all three depth zones. Each supports different plants with different ecological roles.
✨ Quantity recommendations will appear once your dimensions are entered in Step 1.
These are starter picks. Visit Pondpedia for detailed care guides, hardiness zones, planting depths, and propagation notes for 35+ pond plant species.
Your pond at a glance
Everything in one place — ready to plan, shop, and plant.