Can I put sand in the bottom of my pond?

You may already have a lovely pond on your property, and while it’s beautiful to look at, you might also feel that you could spend more time there if only there were a beach surrounding it. A beach makes water activities such as swimming, fishing, and sunbathing much more convenient.

Many beaches around the world aren’t only a result of natural forces and weather breaking rocks into sand, but some are partially man-made beaches. So, why not consider creating a perfect beach at your pond so that you’ll have access to a great beach experience whenever you want? 

Here is our list of the most important things to consider when building a beach addition to your pond. 

Local Construction Regulations

The first step in beach building in the United States is to check in with the local zoning board or Department of Natural Resources to see if you can legally build a beach on your property. And be sure to get a building permit to proceed in areas where there are endangered plants or animals as the fines can be pretty stiff if they are destroyed, even accidentally. 

Weed Control Barriers 

Don’t start dumping loads of sand in your eagerness to get the beach completed. You’ll need to do some type of weed control so that you won’t have pesky weeds growing through the sand to ruin the effect you were looking for. Depending on the size of your prospective beach, you can lay down plastic liner or sand mats before adding sand to keep the sand in place and prevent any plant growth on the beach. There are also special herbicides you can apply so that weeds and other plants don’t spring up and ruin your beach.

Creating a Sand Barrier 

Unless you create some type of barrier at the place where your sand meets the bottom of the freshwater pond, your sand will wash away. Things like a cross tie, landscape timber barrier, or concrete curb can all work to keep sand in place. It’s also a good idea to mark the barrier with small flags or buoys to prevent injuries. We also recommend stones or geotextile bags to keep sand in place.

The Best Sand Options

How much sand will you need? As a rule, for most pond beaches you should plan to cover the beach in a minimum of 6 inches of sand, but do not exceed more than 18 inches. Measure the area for your beach and then calculate the sand depth and the area to cubic feet or cubic yards. 

What type of sand should you buy? The best kind of sand to buy is called beach sand or mortar sand. Both have perfect textures for beaches and are easy to purchase. The expert staff at Reflections Water Gardens are available to help with sand calculations, advice, and purchases.

Cleaning the Beach

Keep the beach tidy. In spite of preventative measures, there will always be some plants that will push through the sand. You can use a sand rake like those used at golf courses to keep your new beach clear of debris and unwanted plant life. Using a rototiller on the sand a few times a year will help keep it inviting and weed-free. Creating a beach for your pond is a great idea to extend the use of this outdoor water feature, and it’s easier than you may think to accomplish.

Our expert team can assist you with any questions you may have about beach installation for your natural water feature or pool. From permits to sand measurements, let the experience of Reflections Water Gardens complete the backyard you always dreamed of. 

Every manmade pond should have a liner, and some also recommend a layer of sand and gravel. While the need for a liner is indisputable (as the pond will otherwise leak into your lawn and garden), there is some controversy over the use of a substrate like sand or gravel.

There are pros and cons to using sand or gravel, as well as to using only a liner.

Learn more below! 

Table of Contents

• Just a Pond Liner
• Sand
• Gravel
• Clean Your Pond Regularly or Put the Health of Your Wildlife at Risk
• Are Rocks or Pebbles Good for a Wildlife Pond?
• Pond Plants for Oxygen and Decor
• Final Words

Just a Pond Liner

There are many who choose to use just a liner in their pond, forgoing any sand or gravel.

This is mainly because it can make things quite a bit simpler.

First off, you won’t have to go to the trouble of acquiring and distributing a suitable substrate.

Secondly, cleaning a pool that has a liner only is much easier. This is because you can simply give it a go-over with a pond vacuum cleaner!

What’s more, pond liners do not encourage the growth of algae compared to sand and gravel.

This means that come cleaning time, there should be very little gunk!

Pros:

• Cleaning is simple and easy
• Inhibits the growth of algae and other kinds of pond gunk
• Provides a blank backdrop so any fish or pond critters can be seen clearly
• Creates a modern look

Cons:

• Doesn’t look quite as natural
• The pond wildlife might be more comfortable in sand or gravel
• Many (but not all) pond plants require sand or gravel

Sand

Sand is primarily used at the bottom of ponds:

1. as decor
2. but also, to allow certain underwater plants to grow

The best sand for the bottom of your pond depends partly on what wildlife you have; for example, catfish are bottom feeders, and their stomachs can be scraped by rough sand.

In this case, you’ll want sand that’s smooth and aquarium-quality. If all you have are koi, it won’t matter quite as much. Keep in mind that sand not only encourages the growth of plants but also of bacteria, however!

This means that sand (especially if it’s not filtered properly) can increase the chances of critters in your wildlife pond becoming sick!

In fact, sand will make cleaning a bit more difficult altogether.

You won’t be able to simply apply some elbow grease and a vacuum cleaner but will probably need to replace the sand.

You’ll also likely find yourself having to remove algae and other sand-borne gunk!

Pros:

• Needed in order for certain plants to grow successfully
• Bottom-feeders (like catfish or corydoras) tend to prefer it
• Can help filter the water
• Creates a more natural look

Cons:

• Can make cleaning more difficult overall
• May comparatively encourage bacteria that can make pond critters sick

Gravel

Like sand, compared to a plain liner, gravel will give you a much more natural look.

It also tends to stick together a bit less than sand. This allows oxygen and bacteria to penetrate the substrate, breaking down detritus and keeping the pond environment cleaner! 

Some hold the opinion that gravel encourages harmful bacteria, whereas others say that it actually helps filter the pond.

Both have their merits, so here, it may come down to what you personally prefer. Unlike with sand, it can be possible to use a pond vacuum around large enough gravel.

Some gravel is too rough for bottom-feeding fish, so if you have these, this is also something to consider!

Pros:

• Creates a very natural look
• Some say it helps filter the pond water
• Some underwater plants require a substrate (such as gravel) to grow

Cons:

• Some gravel is too rough for bottom-feeding/bottom-dwelling fish 
• Some say it can encourage harmful bacteria and gunk
• Koi have been known to get sharp gravel stuck in their mouths

Clean Your Pond Regularly or Put the Health of Your Wildlife at Risk

A common problem among wildlife ponds is that they don’t get cleaned often enough.

Sometimes, they don’t get cleaned at all. Not only is this unsanitary, but it can put the health of your pond wildlife at serious risk!

In fact, keeping a clean pond is even more important than what you put on the bottom of it.

Harmful bacteria and sulfur will form when pond substrate is left undisturbed – essentially, deadly gunk.

Remember This: A pond should be cleaned at least monthly, to keep things like this in check!

Are Rocks or Pebbles Good for a Wildlife Pond?

If you’re looking for something more to put on the bottom of your pond than a liner, some smooth rocks or pebbles might do the trick.

Oftentimes, these are large enough that you can use a pond vacuum around them and sucking them up won’t be a risk!

Pond Plants for Oxygen and Decor

Plants can be the ideal decor item for a pond, as, more than anything else, they’ll give it that sought-after, natural look!

What’s more, they’ll act as a natural filtration system, breaking down detritus and turning CO2 into good old-fashioned O2, so your pond wildlife can breathe much easier!

• Water Starwort
• Water Violet
• Cardinal Flower
• Water Lettuce
• Mosaic Plant
• Willow Moss
• Microsword
• Water Lilies
• Yellow Flag Iris
• Chameleon Plant
• Hornwort
• Marsh Marigolds
• Horse’s Tail

Final Words

So, if you’ve been wondering, ‘what should I put in the bottom of my wildlife pond,’ there’s your answer: nothing but a liner, or sand, rocks, or gravel.

It all depends on your personal preference, and what you’re looking for.

It’s also equally important that you clean your pond roughly once a month, to keep harmful bacteria and the like in check!

What can I put at the bottom of my pond?

What kind of sand can I use in my pond?

Can you line a pond with sand?