Working on our first REAL pond...need a little advice.

[sissy]

I have cheap mutts mine would not make that list .Less than 5 dollars a piece .I wonder what happened to him since he has not been on since posting pics of the area.Seems like so many post and then poof they are gone .

 

[RobAmy]

I recommend a skimmer also, really helps with leaves etc on the surface. I also do not use bottom drains but I do use a submersible pump and a pond vac when needed. Keep in mind about your pump size also, that hill will have some lift height for your pump to work correctly. I used a Savio large 22" waterfall and a large Savio skimmer 16", the waterfall is also a bio filter which I also have an additional bio filter with a separate pump. The components I used where very easy to install myself. Good luck with the project, your hill will be great fun, my yard is very flat and I wished I had a hill to work with.

Here is my pond, if you have any questions feel free to ask
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/showcase/rob-amys-pond.7/

 

[morewater]

Well I need to have a bottom drain and a skimmer because it is actually going to be a koi pond. I didn't realize that I was posting on a water garden forum

You don't "need" a bottom drain, you just "want" a bottom drain. My ignorant Koi have no idea that they don't have a bottom drain. Despite the fact they don't have a bottom drain, they've never once mentioned that they want one.

A water garden is just that, a water garden. My "water garden" just happens to support a happy, healthy population of Koi that remain oblivious to the fact that I, as their cruel master, have deprived them of their "needed" bottom drain.

The Mallards don't seem to know that there's no bottom drain, either.....and I think Mallards are smarter than Koi.

 

[Big Lou]

Very nice pond morewater.

 

[fishin4cars]

You may not need a Bottom drain, but run a pond side by side with one that doesn't have one and you'll find that once they are operating correctly, the maintenance is more on the pond without. I stayed away from Bottom drains for many years, when I finally decided to take the plunge I still was very slow about getting it hooked up to a filtration system. Once I did, the water quality is greatly improved, the bottom seldom has any collected muck as it's constantly removed. Two years running and I've never had a issue with it clogging, However, consideration needs to be thought about how to block it off or be able to get to and service as needed should be addressed ahead of time. my pond is shallow enough I can walk across the pond without my head going under water, so with waders I can get in the pond and service even in cold water. Also I made a tool that allows me to remove the cover and replace it f it does clog without having to take a plunge.

 

[addy1]

lol this is a 2009 thread that was reopened!

I have no bottom drain, with my bog very little muck accumulates on the bottom of the pond. no koi