I just finished my pond. The build, start to finish can be found here:
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=SV9qdFd4QjFVdHNscWR5NFl6ZnZnWGN6VVBtaUp3
I used advice I got on another forum, and some DIY filter designs posted by one professional (birdman).
It's been in operation since early July. In Sept. I put in 20 small gold fish just to test it out. A friend just gave us a few 6-8" fancy goldies. They all seem very happy. I do not plan to put in Koi until the spring. I'm posting, because I'm guessing ponders like to see ponds, and in all my looking at pond designs, I've never seen one quite like mine. Filtering isn't unique, but I think my filter house/waterfall are. Maybe there are others out there that have built an earth building, but I couldn't find any. We've planted a few water plants, and installed young, low maintenance shrubs on the waterfall house. Once the plants mature, I expect it will look much better.
I do want to say that I have no interest in showing, breeding, or selling koi. I did this to have a tranquil place to hangout and enjoy the fish and water plants. I don't want to, and will not, over think this ponding thing. To do so would not make it enjoyable. I don't know the difference from one koi to the next and mostly want to keep it that way. My wife and I are huge gardeners. Our gardens had grown too many and too big. The pond is meant to replace one of these large gardens with something a little less labor intensive to care for. Yeah, I know. There is still plenty to maintain, but at least not on our hands and knees pulling weeds and deadheading flowers for hours on end. At least that is the hope.
That said, I suspect we'll go overboard with water plants anyway. The trick is protecting them from the koi. And that is an area I'll be looking for help with. Many have told me you can't have koi and plants. I don't accept that because I see many ponds that are successful with both. In the end, if that is the case. There will be no koi. For my tastes, a pond with no natural plant life, is not a pond I want.
My pond is new and I'm new to ponding. So, I look forward to advice I can act on (not should-haves that I cannot practically correct). I understand the ph, kh, nitrite, nitrate, etc. thing. So, we don't need to go there. I know sooner or later I'll have to deal with disease. I'll cross that bridge when the time comes too.
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=SV9qdFd4QjFVdHNscWR5NFl6ZnZnWGN6VVBtaUp3
I used advice I got on another forum, and some DIY filter designs posted by one professional (birdman).
It's been in operation since early July. In Sept. I put in 20 small gold fish just to test it out. A friend just gave us a few 6-8" fancy goldies. They all seem very happy. I do not plan to put in Koi until the spring. I'm posting, because I'm guessing ponders like to see ponds, and in all my looking at pond designs, I've never seen one quite like mine. Filtering isn't unique, but I think my filter house/waterfall are. Maybe there are others out there that have built an earth building, but I couldn't find any. We've planted a few water plants, and installed young, low maintenance shrubs on the waterfall house. Once the plants mature, I expect it will look much better.
I do want to say that I have no interest in showing, breeding, or selling koi. I did this to have a tranquil place to hangout and enjoy the fish and water plants. I don't want to, and will not, over think this ponding thing. To do so would not make it enjoyable. I don't know the difference from one koi to the next and mostly want to keep it that way. My wife and I are huge gardeners. Our gardens had grown too many and too big. The pond is meant to replace one of these large gardens with something a little less labor intensive to care for. Yeah, I know. There is still plenty to maintain, but at least not on our hands and knees pulling weeds and deadheading flowers for hours on end. At least that is the hope.
That said, I suspect we'll go overboard with water plants anyway. The trick is protecting them from the koi. And that is an area I'll be looking for help with. Many have told me you can't have koi and plants. I don't accept that because I see many ponds that are successful with both. In the end, if that is the case. There will be no koi. For my tastes, a pond with no natural plant life, is not a pond I want.
My pond is new and I'm new to ponding. So, I look forward to advice I can act on (not should-haves that I cannot practically correct). I understand the ph, kh, nitrite, nitrate, etc. thing. So, we don't need to go there. I know sooner or later I'll have to deal with disease. I'll cross that bridge when the time comes too.