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and what did they have to say? when am i over there again? i think we are done digging correct?
I might be a little late but let me know if you need any help. I dont know anything about koi ponds but I am interested and can do physical labor.
Koi are troublesome because they tear up plants and prolific breeders.
When you dig out the hole make sure you slope the floor so that you can take a pump and pull as much water as possible for when you need to clean it out.
If your going to put rocks in there for the walls it's best to use mortar and set your stones in that so you don't end up with a ton of muck behind the rocks leaching algae food.
Also be careful with your sellection of plants as some create fuit like stuff that you either have to manually remove or it will decay and turn into grade A algae food.
That's all the advice I got off the top of my head. HTH
Wow, it sounds like you are putting together a top notch koi pond!!!
I would deffinately go deeper if you can. The deeper the better. Also I'm sure you're planning to but make sure the sides go straight down, not sloping. This will help keep raccoons and harons out.
It looks like you've got a handle on everything. Something I would highly reccomend is to add some type of pergola or shade structure over the pond. it helps with algae and clarity (which you shouldn't have any problems with with the filtration planned) but it also helps limit the visibility of the pond to the great blue harons as they fly overhead. They can spot that bright orange and white of Koi from a mile away, and if they cant see them from overhead, it will greatly help your chances of keeping them away. Also consider running water lines across the front of the pond to be ableto set up "scarecrow"s they are motion sensor sprinklers that scare critters away. If you set them up across the front of the pond, pointing at the pond, you can walk up to the pond without getting sprayed. If you bury the water line while your doing all this work it will be much easier to hide them ahead of time. If set up right they are very affective.
When you build the pond deeper, your fish will grow faster and get bigger overall, it helps with clarity because the algae circulates downward where less light penetrates. Good luck with the project, I'm sure it's going to be great.
It doesn't sound like you need it, but if you need any advice, I'd be happy to help. I don't do construction anymore, but I do some consultation and filter installation/ maintenance. I also have great connections for top quality koi, if you are interested. Thanks, Kevin.
Definitely agree with Kevin (Live Water Aquarium). If you don't mind the formal or raise pond... you can build 18"-24" above ground. Save you some digging... and a place to sit to enjoy. I have a raised pond.
Definitely plan to have some kind of shade cover for the algae. I have sail shades. Pergola is nice... put in one of the corner and have a BBQ island will be great!
Plan everything ahead of time will save you a lot later. I did ad-hoc (build & plan on the fly) on my pond... so I'm not 100% happy with it.
Something to consider... instead of liner, do the polyrea (sp?) spray. Look 1000% better. I don't have it sprayed... but I have concrete + pondshield pond.
Again, filtration is the key... there is no such thing as "That filtration is too big for your pond"... the BIGGER.... the BETTER.... plan to run the drainage pipes to the garden or trees... save water + your garden/trees will love it.
Good luck.
- Kev
Heres some progress of my backyard.
April 2010
April 2011
Now to make this into a koi pond!!!! This area is to the right of the outdoor kitchen.
Last edited by Therapy; 08-24-2011 at 11:55 PM.
Now that its cleared its time to dig.
Of course in the process of digging we run into a source of underground water. That sucked !!!
After we divert the water its time to lay out a plan
The pond ended up being 18x12 feet with a uniform depth of 5 feet
Cinder Block walls with a poured concrete floor
Pergola roof over the structure and a CRAP load of money on retaining wall, staircases and other hardscape
Last edited by Therapy; 08-25-2011 at 12:03 AM.
Heres the floor
and block for the walls
walls started going up
staircase formed
Pillars go up for a pergola
super nice... good job!
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