Starting a new pond

[whtwter]

I was given a almost complete pond set up just missing a skimmer and wondering if I need to put a floor drain in.
Planning on a 3-4000 gallon modern style about 4' deep
Will my equipment support that size?

Equipment
Fluid technologies turbo vortex and model 24 hydrabead filter
2 3' pure waster uv sanitizers
Pond air dynamo pump and a pinnacle with some sort of a box on the bottom of it I am assuming is some sort of filtee.
I do not know the size of the pumps but I know one went to a 7' wide waterfall and the other a 3'wide
Also came with a vacuum lots of hoses, koi food and several boxes stuff I haven't gone through yet.

 

[Lisak1]

A bottom drain depends on your preferred pond type - you said "modern" but I'm not quite sure what that is. Typically you have a dedicated koi pond (just fish, no rocks or plants in the pond) or a garden or eco-style pond that has rocks, plants and fish. Most would say yes to the bottom drain for the DKP and not necessary for the garden pond.

I'm not an equipment expert, so I'll let someone else chime in on that one! What size and type pond was all of this equipment on previously? That would be a good starting point I think!

And welcome to the GPF!

 

[sissy]

I have a 5000 gallon + pond .I don't have a skimmer and no bottom drain .Bottom drains have to be done right or they can leak .You can also suck in baby fish or tadpoles .Why not build a filter

 

[whtwter]

A bottom drain depends on your preferred pond type - you said "modern" but I'm not quite sure what that is. Typically you have a dedicated koi pond (just fish, no rocks or plants in the pond) or a garden or eco-style pond that has rocks, plants and fish. Most would say yes to the bottom drain for the DKP and not necessary for the garden pond.

I'm not an equipment expert, so I'll let someone else chime in on that one! What size and type pond was all of this equipment on previously? That would be a good starting point I think!

And welcome to the GPF!

Thank you, by modern I am thinking something like this but plan on adding a raised section with a curtain waterfall going to the lower section. Upper portion will have plants and lower fish.

 

[whtwter]

Thank you, by modern I am thinking something like this but plan on adding a raised section with a curtain waterfall going to the lower section. Upper portion will have plants and lower fish.

I believe the pond the set up came off of was 4000 gallons

 

[Mmathis]

Koi or goldfish?

 

[whtwter]

Koi, goal when everything is established is 4 or 5 adult fish.

 

[whtwter]

Don't know if it makes a difference but I am planning on butterfly koi which I have been told aren't really koi.

 

[addy1]

Don't know if it makes a difference but I am planning on butterfly koi which I have been told aren't really koi.

Welcome to our group!

Butterfly koi are koi.

 

[j.w]

@whtwter

 

[Lisak1]

I am planning on butterfly koi which I have been told aren't really koi.

Someone is spreading nasty koi rumors again.

 

[sissy]

a koi is a koi and they can get huge .Better off with fantails .Koi and goldfish have lots and lots of babies .Never ending babies

 

[Tara]

Hello and welcome. I'm no pond expert, but good look on building your pond. I finished mine last month, and it's the best thing I've ever done for my garden. If you read through old threads here you will find a ton of great advice. I watched the pond digger, and read through old threads here, and so far so good. Again best of luck staring your pond, and post some pictures along the way, I never seem to get sick of looking at other peoples ponds.

 

[whtwter]

Running into design problems already. Doing a pond this size wasn't in the budget until I was given all the equipment. Had a layout in mind but I just had gas lines ran for the outdoor kitchen and fireplace. They go right along the edge of where I would like to put it and I don't want to bury them plus they are only 20" down.
A few pics of the filter set up.

 

[GBBUDD]

With the equipment you have there both a skimmer and a main drain is advisable for an outdoors pond. In particular the main drains or suction drains as they call them today. the koi pond keepers look at nothing in the pond to hurt the koi ie no rocks stumps or anything to injure or retain dirt and or denitruss. That was a bit cold for my liking. by the way most codes today will call for two suction drains so no one gets stuck in the drain .

 

[GBBUDD]

I have seen weathered pvc but yours has me questioning why the elbows in particular are aged as they are. I know your not going to like this suggestion but I wouldn't use any of the pvc I would replace it before you dump a gran or so into your fish the last thing i'd want to be worrying about is a fitting failing rare though probable. painting pvc help protect it from uv rays

 

[Lisak1]

That PVC almost looks like it was burned or heated for some reason - it looks like a toasted marshmallow!

 

[Mmathis]

A lot of “koi purest” don’t like longfins/butterfly koi, so I guess they don’t like to acknowledge them as koi — but they are all koi! It’s sorta like some people think that Shubunkin aren’t goldfish, but they are. Personally, I only have goldfish in my pond, but if I had koi, they would be butterflies.

 

[whtwter]

@GBBUDD What is a suction drain? I did a search and am pretty sure the results I am seeing are not what you are referring to. And how big with the skimmer?
If I do any plants separated from the fish. Changed the design up a bit and hadn't planned on having water by the fireplace but thought it would be cool to do a curtain waterfall out of the left side of it into a opening in the concrete. Rough sketch and the fireplace pick is just the style I am doing. Hopefully this gives a better idea what I am trying to accomplish.

 

[whtwter]

@Lisak1 I am in Phoenix, that is the way pvc looks after one season. I am going to put a shed over everything. It is fine now but a couple years more exposure it would be brittle
@Mmathis I think they are beautiful and my understanding is they tend to be slightly smaller which is why I chose them.