RECREATION  PONDS

RECREATION PONDS DESIGNED AND INSTALLED IN THE GYMPIE, SUNSHINE COAST & MORETON BAY REGIONS

What is a Recreation Pond?

Watch the video below for a breakdown of the components used in recreation pond installations.

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Are you ready for transformation?

Are you ready to transform your outdoor space into a breathtaking oasis? Imagine stepping out of your back door and being greeted by the soothing sights and sounds of nature—a crystal-clear pond shimmering in the sunlight, surrounded by lush plants and vibrant wildlife. With a recreation pond, you can turn this dream into reality, creating a personal retreat that offers relaxation, fun, and a connection to nature.

A recreation pond is more than just a water feature—it's a statement piece that elevates your entire landscape. Unlike traditional pools, which often appear stark and out of place, a recreation pond blends seamlessly into your environment. Picture natural stones, aquatic plants, and clear, inviting water that looks like it was sculpted by nature itself. Your backyard becomes a serene and picturesque sanctuary where every moment feels like a getaway.

Why settle for an ordinary backyard when you can have a stunning recreation pond that brings beauty, relaxation, and joy to your life every day? It’s more than just a pond—it’s a lifestyle upgrade that turns your home into a resort-like retreat. Don’t wait to enjoy the benefits of a recreation pond. Transform your backyard into the ultimate outdoor paradise today!

Take a tour of an Australian Recreation Pond.

Come for a dive as we explore the underwater world of a beautiful Recreation Pond.

What is it like to live with a Recreation Pond?

We sit down with Mat & Katy Waterson, the proud owners of our Calliope Recreation Pond and discuss the life of a Recreation Pond owner.

How we build Recreation Ponds

There is a lot that goes into the design and installation of a Recreation Pond, and much of that is below the water's surface! Read on to learn more about the process of building Recreation Ponds from start, to finish.

Design & Consultation

Every water feature project begins with a conversation around pricing and general Q&A. If the client decides to proceed, a Design & Consultation is booked for a site visit.

The Design & Consultation is completed for a fee plus travel expenses. There will usually be a 60-90 minute appointment on site where we will go over any questions that the client has, as well as taking drone footage and measurements and investigating any issues with access or services.

​Upon completion of the site visit a detailed Project Estimate and Design Concept Document is provided to the client as a proposal. A concept design, such as the one pictured is supplied in a 'to-scale' format to assist with visualisation.

Pond Excavation

The excavation of the pond is undertaken by specialist contractors experienced in working with the excavated curvature found in natural ponds. United Waterscapes will generally utilise a 14t to 25t excavator on site, complimented by a medium sized Positrack Loader for earth moving.

United Waterscapes estimates a single day for excavation if everything runs well, but this can take longer dependent on the earth and access. The excavation pictured took less than 1 day as access was good for a large excavator and the digging conditions were close to perfect.

Pond Waterproofing

Waterproofing the pond is the least interesting, but by far the most important, element when building a Recreation Pond.

United Waterscapes employs a ‘Triple Layer Leak Defence’ approach that exceeds industry norms to ensure a ‘leak free’ installation. The ‘Triple Layer Leak Defence’ consists of Firestone EPDM Pond liner wrapped in a 1200GSM geotextile fabric sandwich. If the Firestone EPDM Pond liner is the ham, the 1200GSM geotextile fabric is the bread.

Firestone EPMD Pond liner is the best in the industry as it is durable, backed by a 20-year manufacturer’s warranty and can stretch up to 300%. The 1200GSM Geotextile Fabric is the thickest on the market and exceeds industry norms by more than 4x.

Great care is taken to ensure that the excavation is completed to match the design, and the Geotextile Fabric is installed into the basin prior to the EPDM pond liner. The Firestone EPDM Pond liner is then installed, and the entirety of the pond liner is covered with a second layer of Geotextile Fabric to complete the sandwich. The Geotextile Fabric panels are all flame welded together to create a seam to inhibit movement in the overlapping panels. This is essential as it keeps the folds of the EPDM liner free of dirt, pebbles or debris that could potentially puncture or tear the liner.

In our view, the ‘Triple Layer Leak Defence’ is essential for the long-term preservation of the pond liner, especially when installing large boulders in the pond.

Expert Stone Masonry

The United Waterscapes team employ expert stone masonry techniques in the installation of Recreation Ponds.

The walls of the pond are dry stacked with boulders and river pebbles, and great care is taken to ensure that the walls are both structurally sound and able to compliment the pond ecosystem.

Large, weathered boulders make for natural looking Recreation Pond installations. Specialised slinging techniques ensure the precise installation of boulders whilst adhering to safety standards and operating procedures.

Fish Habitat

A Recreation Pond is a very large fish pond, and designed to house aquatic life that will not just survive, but thrive! Aquatic Life are essential to the design of a Recreation Pond as these propagate the natural cycles essential for natural filtration and purification of the pond water.

At United Waterscapes we take great care to ensure that there is plentiful habitat for aquatic life, specifically for native fish such as Rainbowfish, Pacific Blue Eyes, Honey Eyes, Gudgeons and Glass Fish. We achieve this by installing fish caves, aquatic plant shelves and choosing aquatic plants in the wetland and pond that are favourable for fish breeding.

Pond Lighting

The addition of pond lighting will extend the usable hours (in and out) of the recreation pond well into the evening for a beautiful and warm display. Lights are installed underwater to illuminate the fishes as they swim in their habitat and create a relaxing atmosphere in the evening hours.

All pond lights are installed in the walls of the pond with conduits for easy replacement should they fail in operation. All pond lights in United Waterscapes recreation pond installations are Aquascape, Inc. LED lights which are supplied with a 5 year warranty.

Intake Bay Filtration

Intake Bay Filtration acts a very large pre-filter and operates similar to the skimmer on a swimming pool. Surface water is pushed by circulation jets and sucked into the Intake Bay by pump suction points. This creates a constant flow of surface water to the recreation pond Intake Bay taking leaves, small twigs and plant debris along with it.

The heavier and harder debris may be removed mechanically with a net or from a basket collection point, whilst debris too small to be collected is pumped to the wetland filter to be removed naturally by decomposition.

This pre-filter is essential for removing hard debris from recreation ponds that would otherwise take a long time to break down and removes these from the system ASAP.

Wetland Filtration

Wetland Filtration is as ancient as the earth itself however constructed wetland filtration is a relatively new approach to water purification in fish ponds. In the last decade, this technology has been implemented into fish pond ecosystems as a natural filtration and purification method for recreation ponds and swim ponds.

The process is ingenious and simple. Excavate a large hole in the ground, line it with a waterproof membrane, install a void space in the bottom, cover the void with layers of river stones and then plant out the top with aquatic plants. This creates an environment that is technically designed for water to pass through at speeds and biologically designed as the perfect habitat for beneficial bacteria.

Constructed wetland filtration systems are highly effective in filtering recreation ponds and when specified correctly only require back-flush maintenance every 18 months to 2 years.

Floor Filtration

United Waterscapes is the first water feature installer in Australia to employ Floor Filtration systems into Recreation Ponds. A technique pioneered by water feature builders in the United States, floor filtration utilises compressed air to create an increase of in surface water flow of more than 100% and also incorporates an under-gravel filtration of the basin.

All ponds form a detritus layer on the gravel floor of the pond that must be removed by pond vacuum or by pump and cleanout on a routine basis. The Recreation Pond will still function as a healthy ecosystem for some time, but undesirable plumes of detritus will rise from the pond water during use.

By installing floor filtration (complimented with automatic dosing systems) in our Recreation Ponds we are able to greatly reduce the detritus layer on the pond floor. Floor Filtration employs the suction of water through an under-gravel filter, increasing oxygenated surface area for bacteria to colonise and breakdown the sludge and debris on the pond floor.

Automatic Dosing Systems

It takes about 2-3 years for a Recreation Pond to colonise the right types and levels of bacteria and become an established and stable aquatic ecosystem. During this ‘start up’ phase, it is crucial to routinely dose the pond with water treatments: primarily beneficial bacteria, flocculant and organic algaecide.

United Waterscapes has pioneered the incorporation of sophisticated automatic dosing pumps into our pump house design which streamlines and automates water treatment dosing. When coupled with wireless power sockets, the scheduling of treatments may be done remotely from your smart phone and be adjusted to suit the conditions of the water in real time. For example, If algae is persisting, the organic algaecide may be dialled up, and then as the algae dies off, the beneficial bacteria may be boosted for a week or 2 to mop up the dead and decaying algae.

Landscape Lighting

We say it time and time again, and it's true every time. You will have no idea how much the pond will become central to your life and a social-magnet in the home. So, why not extend the usable hours to the max!?

Underwater pond lighting is great, but installed alone creates a large illuminated water hole whilst enshrouding the area around the pond in darkness. Well designed Landscape Lighting adds a beautiful ambience to a Recreation Pond by casting a warm white glow over the boulders and garden surrounds of the water feature and invites you to spend the twilight hours besides the pond.

Time To Enjoy

There is no waiting period once the project is completed, you can enjoy your recreation pond right away!

The water should clear up within a week or so (if sufficient water is available for the installation back-flush) and the fish are added in the second week. The automation in the Pump House will keep the water treatments ticking along during the start-up phase so you can simply relax and enjoy your pond.

Mission Complete: We unite the reality of water feature ownership with your dream of everything it should be!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

  • A Recreation Pond is a very large fishpond. It is designed to be a fishpond to support aquatic habitat such as fish and aquatic plants and will not function correctly if it is not designed to be a fishpond. The filtration is designed to complement fishes and their natural processes, and aquatic plants. The symbiotic nature of this relationship purifies the water. As the name implies, a Recreation Pond is to be enjoyed in a diversity of ways, including feeding and keeping the fishes as pets, sitting by the waterfalls of a recreation pond, dangling one’s legs in the pond whilst sitting on a edge rock with many also choosing to swim in their ponds.

  • Many choose to keep native Australian Fishes in their recreation ponds, with key species being Rainbowfish, Perch, and Glassfish. Other types of fish kept in Recreation Ponds are Goldfish and Koi Carp. The larger the fish and/or fish load in the Recreation Pond, the more substantial the filtration required to keep the population healthy.

    Be sure to check with your state authorities to ensure you are keeping fish legally where you live.

  • The fish live, feed and breed in the Recreation Pond, primarily amongst the boulders and aquatic plant beds. United Waterscapes install fish caves in their Recreation Pond designs to provide additional habitat for the fishes to escape predation and facilitate breeding.

    The fish will need to be fed a fish flake or pellet in the early stages of a Recreation Pond installation until the ecosystem becomes established. Eventually the decaying aquatic plants and debris will be food for the fishes as they perform their essential role in the aquatic ecosystem.

  • In QLD, fishponds do not require a swimming pool fence. Many of our clients install swimming pool fences around their fishponds for safety reasons. Fences are also great for keeping our other wildlife such as cane toads.

  • Recreation Ponds are made waterproof using EPDM pond liners. United Waterscapes has adopted a “Triple Layer Leak Defence” approach to water proofing Recreation Ponds.

    The ‘Triple Layer Leak Defence’ consists of EPDM Pond liner wrapped in a 1200GSM geotextile fabric sandwich. If the EPDM Pond liner is the ham, the 1200GSM geotextile fabric is the bread. Great care is taken to ensure that the excavation is completed to match the design, and the Geotextile Fabric is installed into the basin prior to the EPDM pond liner. The EPDM Pond liner is then installed, and the entirety of the pond liner is covered with a second layer of Geotextile Fabric to complete the sandwich. The Geotextile Fabric panels are all flame welded together to create a seam to inhibit movement in the overlapping panels. This is essential as it keeps the folds of the EPDM liner free of dirt, pebbles or debris that could potentially puncture or tear the liner.

  • United Waterscapes uses no chemical water treatments in our ponds, save for a dechlorinating water treatment agent when filling the Recreation Pond for the first time, or refilling an existing Recreation Pond. United Waterscapes primarily uses 3 natural water treatment products: A powerful Bacteria Enzyme called Lake Fix and an efficient Flocculant called BioEnzymes BioFloc.

    These natural water treatments all work in conjunction to boost the filtration capability in the pond and are automatically fed directly into the pond by automatic dosing systems.

    There are chemical agents available that will improve water quality, and these are made available to those customers that want to use them.

  • United Waterscapes design Recreation Ponds with filtration categorized as Pre-, Primary and Secondary filtration.

    Pre-filtration is achieved by installing a Skimmer Intake Bay on one end of the pond and using circulation jetting to push the surface water current towards the skimmer, carrying hard surface debris such as leaves and twigs across the pond and into the skimmer area for physical removal.

    The remaining debris that makes it past the skimmer is sent to the wetland filter for Primary Filtration. Here, finer debris made larger by a flocculant is filtered out of the water table by the wetland and the decomposing waste consumed by beneficial bacteria. This process produces nitrate as a by-product and this is taken up by the aquatic plants in the pond.

    United Waterscapes installs Secondary Filtration by incorporating Air Lift Floor Filtration systems into our Recreation Ponds. These use compressed air to create a suction in the pond floor which reduces water temperature and floor debris, and massively increases oxygenation and circulation in the Recreation Pond. 

  • United Waterscapes installs dry-installed, variable speed drive pond pumps in all Recreation Pond applications. The pumps and all electrical components are installed in a pump shed at least 6m away from the pond edge.

    United Waterscapes does not install submersible 240V pond pumps in Recreation Ponds.

  • Yes, a dog could swim in a Recreation Pond with supervision.

  • As a Recreation Pond is a natural aquatic environment it is very sensitive to chemicals. Most sunscreens will wipe out beneficial bacteria populations leaving you with a smelly green pond and starting from scratch to build up your beneficial bacteria population. United Waterscapes recommends zinc based sunscreens, and limiting it's application by complimenting the sunscreen with the use of lycra shirts or vests.

Customer Testimonials

  • "Simply talking to the team about waterscapes will show how much drive, passion and knowledge they put in to their profession".

    Amazing service from the team. Quote done to budget with well recommended options and upgrades. The job was booked in and completed quickly, even with the challenging weather during the build. We really appreciated that they were so accommodating working in with our agendas. Perfect job, more than what we’d hoped for. The work was done efficiently and professionally and the site was cleaned up really well afterwards. Simply talking to the team about waterscapes will show how much drive, passion and knowledge they put in to their profession. Highly recommended!

    Shane & Jo Waldock - Gympie, QLD

  • “We can't thank you enough for the extra time and effort you've put in to making this amazing pond for us.”

    Beautiful work guys, what a fantastic team, and you have created something truly beautiful for us! We can't thank you enough for the extra time and effort you've put in to making this amazing pond for us!

    Matt & Katy Waterson - Calliope, QLD

  • “The advice and updates throughout the build to educate us on the process were on point and the team were a great bunch of really nice guys that we had a ball with throughout the build.”

    Being in a bush acreage setting with a lot of space we were weighing up a large concrete pool for quite a while, having previously had mineral pools. Then a friend put us onto a natural style recreation pond which we had never seen before. As soon as we saw the visual look of the pond and idea around them, we had our heart set on one! The fact it's fresh water, with no chlorine or chemicals, and when jumping in it feels like you've dove into a fresh waterhole or stream. We are constantly doing work around the property and just strolling over and flopping in which is extremely refreshing without wanting to get out! We are in May now, and still swimming in it so the fact we can use it all year round is unbelievable.

    Brad and team set out with a plan in place at the start that only got better and better in terms of concept and design throughout the build and what we have ended up with is incredible and we can't help but stare at it everyday. The elevated bank with water feature at the top and wrapping around the pool as well as the large waterfall that you could just sit around all day listening to is beyond expectation. The advice and updates throughout the build to educate us on the process were on point and the team were a great bunch of really nice guys that we had a ball with throughout the build. Brad's also been back on numerous occasions post build checking in and assisting with any questions/sorting any minor issues which has been really impressive as well. We would 100% suggest anyone looking to build a recreation pond to hit this team up with their professionalism and quality being over and above.

    Peter & Amy Smith - Yandaran, QLD

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