Yes,you're right. We wanted a pond and had no choice where it could go and tbh, didn't give a thought to direct sunlight. The result is that every couple of days in summer I get a small-width plastic rake and scoop the stuff out. I leave it at the shallow end so the 'pond life' can get back in the water. The shallow end runs into nothing and is a get-out for any wildlife that wants to get out. The pond is 19' X 10' and almost 3' in depth in the middle. Having fish,including Orfe..no Koi.., caused a lot of work cleaning it out so a long time ago we gave them all away..to a very good home. Wealthy people who had a real pond in their field..a lake really. I heard our fish took to it like ducks..well, fish..lol..to water. However, one tiddler had remained..a goldfish .It must have been on one of the plant baskets when the other fully-grown ones went to their new home. It's still with us and has the pond to itself..I don't know how long they live but it looks fine to me. It takes cover under a large area of lilies and has frogs for friends.In summer there are always dragonflies hovering and buzzing.
When you're choosing a liner get a quality make and a decent thickness.The chap building the pond asked if we wanted 3mm or 4mm. I said 4mm. We've never had a problem.
Another tip. For years I donned a rubber overall..like those that river fly-fishermen wear and waded into the pond to clean the pump .There's an 8" wide shelf surround..for aquatic plants and it just got too hard going in, lifting out the pump and cleaning it. So, the shelf is about 12" down and I thought that's enough for the pump so for a few years now all I have to do is to kneel on the edge of the pond lift it out and clean it. . The advice is to place the pump on the bottom of the pond but it has a good depth of covering on the shelf. As a result the pump gets a clear out quite regularly. No need to pay silly money for the likes of OASE, as good as they are ,a Swell pump, one that is efficient enough for the amount of water you'll have, will be fine. I paid £300 each for two Oase pumps over the years until a friend suggested the Swell 1000. Cost me £99 and is still going well. I suppose it will give up tomorrow now I've said that..lol. I suppose you'll tell me your pond will be 6' X 6'.Lol.
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Visitors that turn up some years and not others. I have no idea how they decide to come or not.
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It's the lack of having to clean it out now that's good. The 30W Pro-Clear UV filter is still there and six brushes in one large container and what I think are lava stones, small orange/black ones (size of peas) in the other. Two local cats..one a Siamese/Oriental Shorthair come most mornings,quite early, and drink from the cascades. Rock doves arrive as a gang a bit later and have a wash & brush up in the shallow end and have a drink,too and two young crows use it like that, too.
