It also creates a delightful aquatic wildlife refuge, which will attract birds, frogs and all sorts of other native fauna. And if you love aquatic plants like water lilies, Louisiana iris and papyrus, you'll be creating a brand new 'garden bed' to play with and one with plenty of planting space!

The process
According to the experts, converting a pool into a pond is easy to do. In fact, the first step is to simply stop adding chemicals and turn off the filter. Over the next few months, the water will turn green, as algae develops and a natural nitrogen cycle begins to establish. The process of green water becoming clear can take over 12 months, but it can be accelerated by adding the correct bacteria.

Plants are vital
Aquatic plants work like natural filters, absorbing nutrients which would otherwise feed algae, so they're a vital component of a backyard pond, especially one as large as a pool. It's important to include a combination of plants for different layers of the pond - submerged plants, floating plants and emergent plants.

Just add fish
Fish add loads of charm to a backyard pond, but they're also an essential part of the aquatic ecosystem. You can add them to the pond as soon as you see mosquito wrigglers appear, as this indicates that the water ecology is right. Also, the fish will have an immediate food source. Native fish species are the best choice as they'll round out your new ecosystem. Talk to your local pond and aquarium supplier about the species available.