Rigid liners have their points just as flexible liners do. I had a small rigid liner to start with and currently I have an EPDM liner. It all depends on your own needs circumstances. Many ponders enlarge their ponds and relegate the rigid liner to a garage sale.
There are several good books out there. The two authors that seem to be the best are Helen Nash and Peter Robinson. Their names appear on many excellent books and I could recommend any of them. Once again it depends on what info you need as there are others that can address similar subjects. I must have 20 or more books on ponding and all of them have points in their favor. I learned to check out the table of contents and read a sample chapter to avoid getting something that was not helpful. Sandy

I'm not an experienced ponder, but I have dealt with preforms. My personal experience with the preform ponds is negative. I had one for my first pond and within a year, it developed a small hairline crack somewhere near the bottom. I had to top that thing off daily to keep my fish alive. Also, I found that it was difficult hiding the hard edges of the pond to make it look natural. I eventually got rid of it and had a pond professinally built, which they used flexible lining. I haven't had any problems with the flexible liner. Also, the pond is MUCH BIGGER! :) Using the flexible liner allows you to go bigger and get creative with the pond's shape. Also, since you have frigid winters, I would assume the preforms would be apt to crack. I'm in Texas and it still cracked on me! I personally think you will enjoy the flex liner much better.
Loretta

Will, I'm not experienced but I can tell your for sure, whatever you put in will not be big enough! This stuff is addictive. The preforms are mostly pretty shallow so, if you don't want to have to pull everything out in the winter, you might be better off with a liner pond.
As for your splashing water sound, that reminds me of my first little fountain. It made a sound that was somehow unpleasant till I realized it sounded like - how shall I put this delicately? - like someone relieving himself in my pond. That was corrected by having the water pour onto a flat rock. Just something to think about:-)

Vanessa

Here are a couple pictures of my skippy filter/waterfall. Its just a lined 1/2 whiskey barrel, with a notch cut out of the edge and a flat stone siliconed in as a pour spout. Works well and my impatiens grow like crazy when planted bare root in it!
I favor the flexible liners- you don't have to worry about making sure everything is supported, and can be more creative.
~Kevin
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Yes, that a real heron- he got two fish before I chased him away!

Sorry to hear about the heron, K-Ponder- I was about to compliment you on how real the decoy looked!

Mississippi Dreamer- at the risk of being repetitive, you'll do so much better by getting an EPDM liner and staying away from the pre-formed. The main problem that I had with a pre-formed was that the hole that you dig to support it has to perfectly match the shape of the pre-form in reverse, just to be able to support the weight of the pond after you fill it with water.

Another potential issue is getting the whole thing level; if the liner-based pond is not level, you can always put a little dirt, etc under the liner until you achieve the desired level.

Kponder,
I was about to say that's a real looking decoy, too! What a great shot you got there. Sorry to hear he beat you to the fish, though. I am missing 2 of my biggest and most beautiful fish (about 5 inches long). I am thinking the herons got to them. Time to invest in an ugly net. :(

Loretta

Hi
Have never gardened anywhere but in s.florida so probably can't add much advice, though I've kept ponds since the early 70's.
Preforms are way too expensive for what you're getting
and if not supported perfectly will crack. Way too shallow for any kind of temp moderation,or predator protection.
Could one of these make it through a zone 4 winter??
Planning to drain during the winter??
I think if I lived in your climate I'd definitely go with a lined pool at least a foot below frost line.
One trick I've learned with herons if it's too deep to wade they won't fish and even if they do the fish are MUCH harder to catch. Of course if you make it over 3 feet deep preventing wading by even great whites, you will attract diving birds lol I get Anhingas but I don't think they occur in your area?? My worst are night herons they have caught more fish than all others combined lol. Deeper water right up to the edge also slows down raccoons and turtles
but seems to be VERY attractive to swimming dogs lol and kids.lol My approach has been to keep fish that breed so fast there are plenty left for predators lol.
I love my water gardens in spite of all the problems but I think if I had to contend with winter I'd keep a large aquarium lol. Can't imagine the hassle of contending with the seasons .I'm WAAYYY too lazy for that.
Good luck with whatever you decide. gary

3 years ago when I started ponding I found this forum. Everyone said that once I put in a small preform pond that I would want it bigger. but I already had the preform and could not afford to spend to much money on a pond. well this is the third year and my third pond, each one keeps getting bigger. I did really like my small preform but somehow it just was not enough. And somehow I keep finding more money that I can put into my pond, that I could not seem to afford before, LOL. It has become more enjoyable to me than I thought it would. I just needed to learn on my own how much I liked it and what I wanted to add, I have received so much great info on here that I could not have done it without them.

I would suggest looking for pictures of ponds on here and see what you like. There are some really nice ponds on here. Some are bigger than I could ever do but some are very nice small ones. I have seen pictures of some very nice half barrel ponds. You just need to decide how much room and time you can give to a pond.

Hi Mississippi Dreamer, I'm in west central MN! I have used a 1/2 whiskey barrel as a skippy type filter for 3 years, it does a great job and gives me the running water sound. I have a 300ga stock tank sunk in the ground (5'x5'x28"), and a 4'x6'x18" liner pond.

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This picture was after I added the 60ga skippy/veggie filter to the right of the 300ga pond this past spring. (still needs some rocks/plants to hide the tank and plastic streamlets) I wanted more plants!

I actually prefer the stock tank for ease of maintance; but then I did a poor job of digging when I dug my liner pond so the bottom and plant shelves are uneven and without straight sides it's harder to climb in if I need to. That said, I agree with what most say, you'll want bigger, and the only way to get that is with a liner :) I also would not have plant shelves if I dug one again.

I'm not aware of the perfect 'how to' book either, just do lots of reading here - especially the FAQ's. Don't worry, all of us went into this blind at one point. We're all here to ask and answer questions!

Remember, lots of plants and low fish load...need any baby goldies/comets/shubunkins?
Sarah

PS: My fake heron was a gift from a friend. I guess he works, no real ones, but I get tons of other little birds enjoying the pond!

Mantorvillain... www.pondforum.com/index.html is a good website for pond building. Just click on Pond Guide There is some useful information there for someone contemplating building a pond. Glenda

Thanks for all the feedback folks. However it comes out I'll have fun. I really like the half/whole barrel with the rock ledge.....maybe using that as a feeder system into a mid level (maybe preformed w a spillway) pond which would be half sunk if need be with a flowage down into the low pond which I would hand dig. I'm sure it'll change before I get started and, if like most of my progects, change significantly as I move through it. I'd empty the upper ones over winter and try to leave the lower, largest filled over the winter. That said, how deep must I make the lower pond which won't really be all that huge area-wise. I have a stock tank heater I use to keep a 30 gal tub of snow water in my garage from freezing but could get a bigger one for the pond if necessary. - Will

Realistically you need to be below the frost line.
I overwinter all of my hardy plants (trimmed back and sunk to the bottom) and my fish in my 300ga pond (28"). I use a small stock tank heater to keep a hole open in the ice for gas exchange (fish waste and plant decay) and a tiny aquarium airstone cause it makes me feel like I'm doing something good for the fish.
Works for me :)
S