Digging a shallow depression in the ground and spreading out a small piece of flexible liner is the cheapest way to make a quick pond. Don’t aim for a big pond but just excavate for a foot or so and for a few feet across. This size of pond can be built for a few hundred dollars and won’t need costly maintenance to stay nice. Skipping the liner may lower the cost of the pond, but it will result in a murky or muddy water feature that doesn’t hold water. Spending a little more on liner during installation pays off in saved labor and money as time goes by.
If you can’t afford a lot of liner, keep the pond small to make the most of each square foot of material. You only need 100 gallons or less to create a beautiful backyard water feature that’s full of plants and valuable to wildlife. If you’re looking to make a fish pond on a budget, expect to spend at least $1000 between the three to four foot depth, fish safe liner, and the right pumps and filters. Cheap fish ponds aren’t possible since the fish will simply suffer from a lack of the proper environment. Keep simple and low cost ponds limited to wildlife watering and plant growth and you won’t spend much to keep the pond looking good either.
