Koi Ponds...

[UnderWorldAquatics]

Just wondering if anyone else has a koi pond? I used to install them a few years ago and had one at my old place, now we are putting in the first half of a 2 stage pond. Gona make it about 13'longx5' wide for half of it, and 7' wide for the other half(kidney shape). average about 4'deep. We have a 2 level front yard and this pond will be on the upper level and will eventually flow into a much larger pond below that might or might not get built this year. If anyone has a pond could they share pics? Ill post pics when Im done, wont be for a few weeks for sure!

[UnderWorldAquatics]

comon.... all these "fish" people and no pond keepers????
wow, im suprised!

[Shy_Koi]

I have one, but I think some of you folks' aquariums are bigger than my pond :lol:

It's only 300 g and houses 2 Koi, 2 Sarasa Comets and 2 Shubunkins (in the summer). They are growing like mad, so I'll have to borrow one of my horses rubbermaid water tanks, next winter, to house the fish in the basement.
The pond has a waterfall at one end and a fountain at the other. I added a submersible light last summer, but think the moonrays lighting worked just as well for illumination at night. It's been really low maintenance - just scoop up the odd leaf & debris, and rinse the filter once a week. It (so far) has stayed crystal clear all summer, but I do float alot of Duckweed on the surface for cover. I plan on enlarging the pond to around 500 g this spring.

Here's a pic the first year I put it in:

http://www.hempspirit.com/Pond_111.jpeg


And here's a pic after DH built a garage on the south side of it, successfully blocking 90% of it's sunlight: :eek:

http://www.hempspirit.com/patio888.jpg

~Tamara

[UnderWorldAquatics]

Nice pond, I think ponds of any size are nice to have. Running water is good for you....
My filter and skimmer box hold 150 gallons, and you dont even see that water, the pond should hold about 2000 gallons total, will be nice when the bottom pond it drains into is done.

[Ryan7]

My second hobby. I had built 3 at my parents old house in which I still maintain for the current owners. I will snap some shots. Last summer I built one at the new house, I will post some photos of that one as well.

[StirCrazy]

I am planning on building one but I am still in the design stage. I want to incorperate it into a deck so part of it is under the deck to allow protection from herrons.

Steve

[UnderWorldAquatics]

Sounds cool Steve, and lets some of those pics Ryan... I would hate to have a house without a pond...

[Jedi68]

I am planning start up a 800gal Koi pond. Anyone out there that can help me out with the following questions:

1. What kind of filter system?
2. Can I keep my koi in the pond (8'x4'x4') over the Vancouver type winter?
3. what wattage should my UV be?

richard

[Aquattro]

I'm just installing the liner on a 15 x 23 ft pond, about 4ft deep. I'm new to this and I'm still doing my homework. What type of filtration, pumps, plumbing for waterfalls, etc. It's going to be fun though. The only bad part is it isn't my pond, but I can go swimming in it anytime I want. :razz:
I'll try to post some pics as I go, if anyone is interested.

[andestang]

I have just over a 300g koi pond. Came with my house when I bought it. Has a rock wall built on the backside with a small water fall and surrounded by a brick deck. Had no fish at the time, but now have 5 koi's in it. On a funny note, we kept them in one of our bathtubs during one winter :smile: But they are fun to have.

[Buccaneer]

I was just talking to a friend of mine today that I had not seen in awhile ... he built a huge pond a couple years ago and got plans for a DIY filter which he said did not have to clean at all last year. I will get the plans off him in the next couple days and post them. If I remember correctly it uses the large stock tanks that you get from UFA.

[Aquattro]

Anyone know of a pond related BB site? I have tons of filter questions :razz:

[StirCrazy]

Anyone know of a pond related BB site? I have tons of filter questions :razz:

I have a pamphlet on a good filter system somewhere .. I'll take a look for it. basicly it is a skimmer box that goes at one end of the pond and another filter box that goes at the top of the waterfall. and a pump for going between them... hmmm i bet we could build something for about 1/5th the cost :mrgreen:

Steve

[Aquattro]

I was actually looking at a pressurized cannister that allows back flushing and internal plunge cleaning of the media. It has a built in UV and sits mostly below ground. About $800. I haven't decided on a surface skimmer or not just yet. I'm already at about 2 grand for parts.

[StirCrazy]

here is a skimmer box condtruction
http://www.pondsonline.com/55906.htm

as for the filter end all you need is a continer, a bunch of bio balls and a filter media and you got your standard pond filter.

Steve

[Ryan7]

Go Biological!

no filters, uv's or skimmers. If you have the proper plants and substrate with a waterfall or stream of some sort (water circulation) you don't need any of that other stuff. Takes awhile to get going thou. This works in Vancouver's climate.

I've been meaning to get some pics up of mine, will do shortly.

[UnderWorldAquatics]

I build Koi ponds, usually build my own bio filters out of 100 gallon rubbermaid horse water troughs... I can take a pic if interested....

also running a UV in a pond is a lifesaver on maintence time and additive costs, check out savio pond skimmers and filters for an amazing product line, I use their bio media in my rubbermaid filter and will be using their skimmer box and filters along with my own on the larger lower pond. my buddy is a savio distributor, let me know if interested he can ship them out anywhere...

[StirCrazy]

Go Biological!

no filters, uv's or skimmers. If you have the proper plants and substrate with a waterfall or stream of some sort (water circulation) you don't need any of that other stuff. Takes awhile to get going thou. This works in Vancouver's climate.

I've been meaning to get some pics up of mine, will do shortly.this would be kinda useless concidering koi, goldfish and such eat plants.

I recomend a good bio filter with UV for a koi pond.

Steve

[Aquattro]

I think I'll be using a skimmer to feed some sort of biofilter box w/builtin UV, from their pumped to an overhanging tree stump water fall. The pond houses many large goldfish and a large turtle. Some plants will be placed in the pond, but the fish do love to dig them up for snacks!

[naesco]

We have had four successful koi ponds over the last 15 years. The original pond has one of the original koi.

You do not need a UV. You do not need a filter.

What you do need is a pond with a part of it deep enough to stop racoons and herons from eating your fish (four feet).

Lots and lots and lots of oxygenating plants bedded down in clay filled planting trays with stones covering the trays. Clay because it sticks together and does not foul the water. Stones to avoid koi using their noses to disturb the roots of the plants.

Keep the pond out of the sunny area of your yard but also not near trees that will drop things into the pond.

Salt the pond to keep the koi healthy and like marine, be very very fussy about the quality of the fish you are buying.

[UnderWorldAquatics]

You do not need a UV. You do not need a filter.
.

while this statement can ring true in some circumstances.... I NEED a filter and NEED a UV, my pond is in full sun for 10+ hours a day.... it will house alot of Koi that will be feed heavily, and Iwant enough open water to actually see my koi......

be careful what you recommend....

some folks have ponds with fish and they dont feed their fish, where as I go through large amounts of food and my koi grow like weeds

[StirCrazy]

You do not need a UV. You do not need a filter.


this is true in the specialized case you presented, but what happens if every part of the yard has full sun for at least 8 hours a day? what happens if the koi eat the plants? I do totally agree with the 4 foot deep part but that alone won't stop herons as my buddy found out. you need to have a shelf they can go under also, but you have to make sure it isn't shallow enough to allow the herons to stand on it :rolleyes:

anyways saying you do not need them should have been tempered by if you have perfect conditions which 90% of us won't.

Steve

[naesco]

I have never had perfect conditions and I have never had a UV, filter or other stuff and I overfeed the koi.

If you have a lot of sun it will cause the growth of green algae.
In order to offset the sun and extra feedings, you need to have lots of plants that take the nutrients that the algae need to live on.
As well as oxygenating plants (the most important), you need plants that cover a large area of the surface of the water; Water Lilies and the tiny plants that multiply like crazy.
In the spring and when you first set up, the green algae give the pond a pea soup appearance. But, when the other plants take over, overnight the green algae disappear.

There may be circumstances when one or more of the equipment discussed might help the situation. All I can say is that I have never needed any of this stuff nor have any of the other people that keep ponds that I know needed it either.