Newbie koi pond build

[sayersweb]

Looks Great!

One thing you may want to consider is running a larger pump, depending on how much flow you want over the waterfall. The larger pump won't cost that much more and you can always control flow with a ball valve on the outlet side of the pump.

I'm designing a pond makeover... but just can't bring myself to do bottom drains. Don't really have room for the settlement chamber. Will use the pond vac once a month to clean the bottom.

[sayersweb]

How will you keep water out of the in-ground filter pit to keep the pump dry when we have torrential rain?

[specialone0812]

I have changed my design using a Zakki sieve which is a pump fed sieve instead of gravity drain sieve, so i can get away with filter pit and settlement tank due to limited space and maintenance need.
I have seen people using wet sensor to run a sump pump ( or filter pit pump) to drain waste water or rain water out of the filter pit.

[specialone0812]

and you are right, since I change my prefilter to a pump fed sieve, I need to upgrade my pump to a 6400 GPH to run to two sand/gravel filters, then to a MB filter, then back to waterfall.
I am in a state of buying equipment and waiting for my contractor to help me dig the hole.

[hungvanvo]

This pond done will be awesome look. will build one above ground when I done my fish room. Looking and learn from your experience pond build tech.

[specialone0812]

A Hung,
if you build above ground pond, You can build sth similar like my original design in the first post of this thread. At that time, you filter area will be on ground, and thus you can use gravity pre-filter - save money on pump power usage and better efficiency.
This is my 600g Above ground pond (partial shade) i built last year with just two small sand/gravel filters - water was very clear.

[hungvanvo]

Wow that is so nice. thank for the tip.

[Liane]

Best advice I can give? Don't skimp on cheap liner, invest in a bottom drain and skimmer and way overspec your pump. I have a 1300 gallon w/ skimmer, bottom drain and 3000 gph inline pump. Filter is a 70 gallon water trough, with biomedia. Outflow from the filter is a waterfall right back into the pond. Mine is partially above ground (cinder block sides).

My water is always crystal clear, no string algae, no pea-soup water. I keep 2 koi and about 10 goldfish, plus lilies. Filter is cleaned twice a year.

[ptran]

Nice ponds. Keep pictures coming!

[specialone0812]

first stage of my pond : digging the hole.
http://

[sayersweb]

And off you go! Once you get started the rain can really be a problem. I've been digging for weeks now, once it rains it becomes a mud pit and takes several days before I can dig again. :(

Did you have the utilities come out and mark so you don't dig through something important?

[ptran]

first stage of my pond : digging the hole.
http://

Look like you gain some weight bro lol

[ptran]

Forecast says raining all week, but I guess you already finish digging the hole.

[specialone0812]

Lol, those are working crews, I was just staying inside taking pictures.
yeah, I have the ground stalked with utilities, power, everything.
they plan to finosh this hole tomorrow, then I will cover it and wait to be poured with concrete next weekend.
I am lucky that I found a really good but reasonable contractor.

[sayersweb]

Interesting... are you doing liner over the concrete? Where is all of the dirt going? Is the contractor building the waterfall? They are one of the more challenging aspects of a pond build.

I wish I had hired someone to dig and move the big boulders, I'm getting too old for this kind of work. It is taking me forever. The previous homeowner had a small pond poorly installed with large holey rock all around. I had to roll the big ones (several dozen) one-by-one over to the side yard before removing the old liner.

This is the pond (actually 3, 2 raised and 1 lower) I did 10 years ago in my yard in Virginia. It was painful when I got divorced and had to sell the house:



You can see more photos here if interested: http://www.pbase.com/sayer/our_pond