My 11000L koi pond w.sleepers build - pics etc..

[ginger_biscuit69]

mission success, once again without a spirit level, but just measuring the distance from algae line on liner to top, ive successfully leveled it, adding 2" of depth - 320litres.

You can see in the above picture how the algae line is about 3.5" down in the back right corner, then right to the top of the front right .

Compare the waterfall, now falling 1" (cant fill any more until i sort the pump feed out - going gravity fed 4" BD some point when i get all the parts together to do it all in a day - hiring a VAT for a weekend or something).

 

[ginger_biscuit69]

UPDATE: had a busy lil weekend

the UV died over the winter, so changed to a purewater UV25(w)... hopefully the green will die off over the next weeks....

next a 1/3 waterchange with dechlor after a long winter, cut away 2wheelbarrow loads of pondweed ready for another summers growth, cant believe it grew that much over the one summer

then to sort out the waterfall, it kept blocking and overflowing too easily so had to go out and be replaced by something naturally bigger and preferably with plants within to pretend to be a veggy filter. Stonework needs a lot of work still, ran out of time and had to go home (parents garden). Shall finish over easter, get the backend covered and finish laying out the stone:

underlay n sidings

double tile lip

all done over around 12hours haha

 

[CountryEscape]

Wow, great work, and thanks so much for sharing all the pictures of work in progress.

 

[ginger_biscuit69]

no problem

i have much more fun not planning, the waterfall was made up as i went, was going to be smaller but thought it would be a waste of liner if i didnt use as much as possible, ended up with a gap so in went the plants etc etc.........

its nice to plan the major bits like size and build materials etc, but short of that dont be afraid to make it up.

My only 'plan' throughout was the railway sleepers, the size came from what i could make with said sleepers, the depth was as deep as the minidigger would go, the filter was donated by the builder boss working on the house, bog because there was a gap behind and leftover wood/earth to shift, lights because they were going cheap on ebay etc etc etc.....

got to be said i think some people take the pond hobby far too seriously, as long as you follow the basic principles of ponding, all will be fine

 

[addy1]

lol ginger, I tend to do the same, start with a basic idea and go for it. So far on pond #5 and all have worked out just fine, well after a little tweaking here and there

 

[CountryEscape]

I also meant to ask, is the netting on top to keep varmits away from the fish? It looked like your parent's property is near the woods, so assume you have raccoons, etc. and they have been a problem in the past with going "fishing"!

 

[ginger_biscuit69]

haha im in England UK, and its to stop herons mainly, and catch leaves etc from falling in. We live near the centre of a town, but on the edge of a large 'block' as you would call it, big square of houses with large gardens in the centre.

theres a fair few ponds and we have a heron you can see flying around most days, as well as plenty of cats etc.

Strangest yet is finding a duck in the waterfall....

 

[sissy]

the problem is duck poop and I know that for a fact now as I bought property and the man made pond smelled horrible from the ducks that were in the pond .Told the ducks to go down to the natural pond down the street and set up netting over it .I have yet to see fish in the pond .but believe me they would have to be using a gas mask .LOL I know I needed one stinky stinky and stinkier it is going to take me at least a couple of months to clean it and pump water out .Got dirty water sump pump from harbor freight and have to wait for electric to be turned on .It is a co-op electric company

 

[ginger_biscuit69]

new airpump 8mm line feed to 9" ceramic disc airstone. Dissolved O2 levels are off the chart of the pond test kit i have:

and a new pair of tiny platinum ogon koi:

 

[addy1]

Great, nice lil fish there too!

 

[ginger_biscuit69]

unfortuantly they are that lil, i havnt seen them in a month since they were introduced, assume they are lurking in the deep where i cant particularily see (unless dark with inwater lights on). Waters crystal clear. Assume they are alright :-O

 

[addy1]

I have caught a few very few glimpses of fish, they are real good at hiding.

 

[sissy]

Is your air pump allowed to be exposed to the weather .I know mine is not supposed to be .

 

[ginger_biscuit69]

says not too, but its pretty damn well sealed, the casing is completely covering it, the power lead comes through a rubber seal etc, its very sheltered in that corner by the hedge/fence etc, long as it doesnt suck in water its all good!

 

[fishin4cars]

says not too, but its pretty damn well sealed, the casing is completely covering it, the power lead comes through a rubber seal etc, its very sheltered in that corner by the hedge/fence etc, long as it doesnt suck in water its all good!

two things that will help, one make sure the pump is sitting on something that is above the water level, this keeps any water from siphoning back thru the air line if the power should happen to go out. You can install a check valve available at most pet shops for about $1 that will also help prevent that from happening. Second, if you put some slack in your electical cord and leave a loop where the water would drip off the cord and not run to the pump will help you not get water in through the cord seal.