By MICHAEL POLLOCK

It’s a bad day—the kind of day you wish you could erase from your mind. The air quality is poor, and your allergies are driving you crazy; the news brings no glimmer of hope for world peace; and your boss at work has somehow turned into a mindless managing monster. As you make your way home, you ponder the days’ events and wonder about the meaning of the word ‘humanity,’ and hope to find some reprieve in the shelter you call home.

Entering through the side yard gate you sense a change and find the muscles in your face already relaxing. Plants abound with almost reckless abandon, and the many variations of green life have started to ease you back into your normally easy-going self. Making your way through the yard you are stopped by the aural pleasure of water trickling from a short cascade of rocks into a small watergarden you created some months back. While you stand at the edge of the pond, the fish surface as if to meet you, their scales refracting an orange glow in the clearness of the water. Time passes, and this garden meditation brings a certain peace and tranquillity. You realize that all is not lost; you haven’t misplaced your values, and that there is much work ahead to be done.

Watergardens seem to have a refreshing effect on those who take notice of them. Whether it’s the fish or the plants or the sound of water in motion, or a combination thereof, I can’t say; but ponds are starting to take hold in many a backyard. A recent trip to the hardware store showed this interest from all of the pond supplies and plants that are readily available. However, before you jump out of your chair and dig that hole in the ground, there are a few things you need to take into consideration.

For starters, location of your pond can make the difference between a high maintenance, problematic condition and one that is relatively problem free. Leaf drop from surrounding trees is a most important consideration when you realize that the more decaying organic matter you have in your pond, the more likely you will lose water clarity as the algae and phytoplankton multiply in the nutrient-rich environment. Think about sun exposure as well. All day exposure to the sun can increase pond temperature and thus increase algae growth, yet those water lilies you paid $30 for won’t show their beautiful flowers unless they get a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight.

Plumbing. Unless you have a small, deep pond with only a goldfish or two, you will need water circulation. Fish excrete nitrogenous wastes which, broken down into ammonia in high enough levels, can subsequently kill the fish. Natural ponds and lakes usually contain enough water to prevent ammonia buildup. Circulating water over a waterfall or fountain might be adequate for the small pond with a few goldfish. Water circulation helps create surfaces for ammonia-degrading bacteria to live. The bacteria will thrive on any surface that has oxygenated water flowing across it. There they degrade the ammonia into nitrates which plants will utilize. In bigger ponds, special biofilters can be bought for several hundreds of dollars, or you can build your own for around $20-$40 depending on the size of your pond.

Pond depth and liners. To keep your fish healthy and maintain that ever-important water clarity, you should make your pond at least 3 feet deep with vertical sides. Water temperatures will fluctuate less rapidly with greater depth, which in turn creates a more stable pond. The most common liner for fish ponds is an EPDM 45 mil rubber liner. Your local hardware store may stock these liners, but be prepared to pay top dollar. Searching the internet we found many different prices and opted for a slightly different (PPL24) and less expensive liner purchased from Bend Tarp and Liner, Inc. in Oregon (http://www.empnet.com/bendtarp/ (800) 280-0712).

Plants. Plants are a critical part to creating that special ambiance within and around the watergarden. Remember that when adding plants to your pond, a 60-70 percent coverage of water surface area will help in maintaining water balance and clarity. Water lilies are usually the prize plant in a watergardener’s pond, and there are many different and beautiful flowering varieties. In addition to the flowers, the circular pads help to make up a good portion of the necessary coverage of the water surface.

Fish. Goldfish are by far the hardiest of fish and can withstand greater temperature changes than Koi and others. They are also cheap. Koi on the other hand can cost from $5 to $1000 and up. The going rule for the number of fish to add to a pond states that for every 10 gallons of water, you can have one inch of fish. This means that a 100 gallon pond can have one 10-inch fish or 10 one-inch fish or any variation between.

Watergardens create oases for the mind where gentle sounds of flowing water and displays of lilies and slow-moving fish can bring about a peaceful state of being. With proper planning and knowledge, you too can create a successful watergarden.

I recommend the following internet sites to further your knowledge before getting started: The Internet Pond Society (http://w3.one.net/~rzutt/), Pond Rushes (http://members.home.net/crush11/) and rec.ponds for those familiar with usenet.

(The author is the son of Dan Pollock, the usual co-author of Mud Pies.)