Outdoor Home Decor: How to Build a DIY Balcony Pond

If you love the busy condo life with the high rise views but you can also appreciate nature, this is for you. Just because you're limited to a balcony does not mean you shouldn't enjoy the outdoors right from home. Here's how you can create your own tranquil oasis by building a balcony pond.

When I was a child, I used to love this indoor pond at my uncle's house. Whenever we visited them, I would sit by it and gaze at the graceful fish swimming about and take in the soothing sound of the waterfall. It was so serene. I never forgot that pond and I always wanted one in my own house. So when my husband and I moved into our first home, I drew inspiration from this childhood memory.

We lived in a condo so having an indoor pond was out of the question, however, we decided to make an outdoor balcony pond. We watched a few YouTube videos on DIY ponds and it didn't seem that difficult. I walked around some garden centers for inspiration and to also get a better idea of what would look nice in the space that we had available. Once we came up with a few ideas, we measured the part of the balcony that it would fit in and drew a little diagram of what we wanted it to look like.

Step 1: Building the Frame

The next step was to build the frame. We decided on a rectangle pond that was roughly 10 inches tall, 4 feet long and 2 feet wide. We bought 2 planks of wood (10" x 2" x 10') from Home Depot ($19.97 x 2) and got them to cut it to size. I inserted an extra piece of wood at the 2 feet mark inside the rectangle, creating a smaller rectangle within the pond and decided to use this as a garden box. We screwed in corner brackets ($1.10 x 12) to hold the wood pieces together to create a stable and sturdy frame.

We left it open at the bottom because we figured that the pond liner would be strong enough and would not require much support. Our balcony floor is smooth and with no debris to potentially poke a hole through the lining, it was a safe decision and we were able to save a little on wood. We got our pond liner ($50) from Home Depot as well. You can get them at any aquarium store or garden center. We stapled the liner to our wooden frame and our pond was complete. We spent roughly around $110.00 on the wood, the liner and the brackets.

Step 2: Filtration System

A filtration system is important for a pond because a stagnant pond would easily become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. We opted to make a fountain because it was aesthetically more appealing than a submerged filter. A fountain also ensures that the surface of the pond is constantly moving, preventing insects from breeding on the surface. I bought some landscape stones from Home Depot for the fountain. They cost me roughly $20. The little ceramic pot ($10) and the water pump were from a local garden center. Home Depot carries them as well for about $53.00 if you are unable to find it at your local garden center. If you want to create your own fountain like this one, it would be easier to get a planter pot that already has a hole at the bottom. This one did not but I loved the way it looked so I ended up getting it and drilling a hole myself with a thick ceramic drill bit. The big grey bowl is plastic and I found it at Canadian Tire for $30. We used plumbers tube and inserted one end into the pot and attached the other end to the pump. We used pond sealant to seal the tube on at the either end. Any sealant would do but if you plan on having fish in your pond, pond sealant is non toxic and safe for fish. It can be found at any aquarium store. Be sure to buy a pump that is strong enough for the size of your pond. The recommended size is on the box. We decided to go one size up which was 320 GPH (gallon per hour).

Step 3: Plants & Aesthetics

I wanted to create a Zen garden ambiance and decided that this could be achieved by adding pebbles and rocks around the pond. Landscape pebbles and rocks can be found at any garden center or even Home Depot for about 8.98/bag. I bought some tropical Croton plants from the local garden center for the planter box. These plants were easy to maintain and I just love the way they look. I was able to bring them in for the winter and they lasted all year. I bought about 6 plants and they cost me around $40. We also bought some aquatic plants because they help prevent algae and they keep the water clean and clear. We got water lettuce, dwarf water hyacinth and duckweed from the local aquarium store. They were very inexpensive, costing me less than $10 for everything and looked great! We bought some LED (4 for $20.00) lights from Amazon and placed them in the pond, on the fountain and around it to make sure we got the most out of our pond even after the sun went down.

Step 4: Koi Fish

Finally, we filled the pond up with water and welcomed two new family members - our Koi fish, Azula and Suki. We bought Koi fish because nothing is more indicative of a zen garden than Koi fish. They were really tiny when we got them but be warned - they can grow to be about 15 inches and they grow moderately fast. When we bought them in the summer, they were about 2 inches long and now after about 5 months, they've grown to be around 6 inches. They're pond fish so they are innately dirtier than other fish. The aquatic plants keep the water clean but if you're not feeding your fish regularly, they will eat the plants. If you do not have any plants, you might want to replace the water every 2 weeks. A pack of Koi Fish food is about $20.00. Other than feeding and replacing the water, Koi Fish are pretty resilient and low maintenance. Winterizing a balcony pond is difficult so we brought the fish inside for the winter and they are currently occupying an old fish tank.

All in all, we loved the way the pond turned out. I loved the way it looked, I loved the way it sounded, and I loved having a piece of nature on our balcony in the middle of the bustling city. It wasn't that difficult to make and wasn't too expensive. Large fountains can cost upward of $1000. This cost us roughly $300.00 to make with all the extra pieces that we added and it was worth every penny.