Liner Will Stay in Place

Installing gravel over a pond liner will help keep the liner in place. This is just like how you can use a rock to keep a napkin from blowing away in the wind at a picnic. If you don’t use rock and gravel and the liner moves, air bubbles can form underneath. This bubbling can lead to your pond liner rising up over the surface of your pond overtime. This is creating an unappealing formation in the middle of your beautiful water feature.

Slip Prevention

Many pond owners like to wade into their pond to trim aquatic plants or interact with their fish. If you are that pond owner, then you are certainly familiar with how slippery a pond liner is below the surface. It is much safer to enter your pond when there is a layer of gravel to step on.

Pond Gravel Protects Liner from Sun

Just like how the color of your furniture may begin to fade when placed in front of a window for too long, your pond liner can too be damaged by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Utilizing a layer of gravel will help to increase your liner’s longevity by protecting it from the sun and its harmful rays.

Gravel Enhances the Ecosystem

Gravel provides a habitat for beneficial microorganisms which in turn can attract healthy bacteria to your pond. These minute organisms become food for fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects. It is also food for bacteria and algae that live on the rocky shore. These bacteria break down decaying plant matter and fish waste, turning it into usable plant nutrition.

Without gravel, this decaying plant matter and fish waste will simply pile up on the bottom of your pond. This will be creating an icky, slippery layer of muck. Reduce the amount of muck in your pond by installing rock and gravel. You’ll find this practice will reduce required maintenance overall as well!

Gravel Naturalizes the Pond

In addition to being an essential ingredient to the overall ecosystem of your pond, rocks and gravel help to create a natural feel for your entire water garden! They can be used to naturalize a water feature, create waterfalls, and increase the biological activity in and around the entire pond. Use gravel to blend your water feature into the natural landscape in your yard.

In Conclusion

Gravel not only helps to support the ecosystem of your pond but it also protects your liner. This makes your pond safer to walk in and enhances the natural feel of your entire water garden. Next time you are asked about gravel and its importance, use these five reasons to support why you are pro-gravel too!  Contact us to see how we can build a pond for you!

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1. Pond Gravel Naturalizes the Pond

Rocks and gravel are used to naturalize a water feature, create waterfalls, and increase the biological activity in and around the entire pond. Rocks and gravel create a natural feel for the entire water garden. And simply put, they’re an important ingredient in the overall ecosystem pond.

2. Gravel Enhances the Ecosystem

First and foremost, gravel provides a habitat for beneficial microorganisms in the pond. Fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects feed on these minute organisms, as well as bacteria and algae that live on the rocky shore. These bacteria help break down decaying plant matter and fish waste, turning it into usable plant nutrition, which is then consumed by pond plants over and over again in the aquatic “circle of life.”

Without the rocks and gravel, the bacteria would not thrive and the decaying plant matter and fish waste would accumulate on the pond bottom, getting deeper and deeper. This is the muck that you slip on if you’ve ever walked in a pond without rocks and gravel. Far less muck accumulates when you have rocks and gravel in a pond, which also means less maintenance.

3. Holds Liner in Place

Just like you use a rock to keep a napkin from blowing away at your family picnic, installing gravel over pond liner helps to hold the liner in place. If you don’t use rock and gravel, air bubbles can form underneath, and on occasion, pond liner can bubble up over the surface of the pond creating a Loch Ness monster of sorts.

4. Pond Gravel Protects Liner from Sun

Have you ever placed a couch in front of a window only to groan in dismay months later when you see how the sun’s rays have faded the color?  Pond liner is also susceptible to the sun’s ultra violet rays. You protect the liner from its worst enemy when you cover it with gravel, thereby increasing the liner’s longevity.

5. Prevents Slipping

Have you ever stepped into a pond without gravel on the bottom?  Unprotected liner is very slippery and if pond owners like to wade in their pond to trim aquatic plants or get up close and personal with their fish, stepping on small gravel is much safer.

So not only do rocks and gravel help to maintain the balance of a healthy pond, but it protects the liner and acts as a safety feature, as well.Remember these 5 important reasons the next time you’re asked why gravel is important for an ecosystem pond and be prepared to give your own speech on why you are right!

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