Newbie pond builder, need help please

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Wench

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Feb 25, 2002
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Cleveland, NY
OK, I've got the go ahead from the Grounds Keeper that I can start my pond this spring on one condition...

1. He is to be involved as little as possible.

I have a friend that has a back-hoe and he will dig the pond.
Because the Grounds Keeper loves me so much, he will involve himself in the electical part.

The rest, I am doing on my own and have never done anything like this before, I need all the help I can get.

This will be a Koi pond with a liner. Basic oval shape. I was thinking maybe 14'Lx10'Wx4'D.
Any idea how many gallons that comes out to be?
Is that big enough for Koi?

What I would like to do is have a small connecting pond with plants that flow back to the main pond to help with filteration.
What size should the small pond be?

I want to have a bottom drain but don't even come close to being a plumber. I need the easiest directions on how I do that.
Pictures on how this works would be a real plus :D
Or is there another option I can think about?

Best filteration?

Lots of questions, huh? :rolleyes:

I've looked at several web sites on how to build a pond and the bottom line, I simply can't afford to have a crew come in and build it for me.

So please help me, yet keep it as simple and um, as inexpensive as possible. :(
I just want a beautiful pond that the fish and I can enjoy.

Thank you :)
 

JH

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Sep 11, 1998
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Hmmm, I wish I could help you out more . Perhaps someone else would be able to.

14'Lx10'Wx4'D.
14' x 10' x 4' x 7.5 = 3000 gallons approx

I hope I am right. IMO I do believe this would be large enough for several Koi.
 

125gJoe

2009 VMAX
Jul 6, 2002
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I can't offer much help, but your rule #1 was followed by me some time ago! :D

The 'pre-formed' plastic type forms are easier to set-up. They aren't as deep, which is something to consider if it gets real cold there. Deep water 3 to 4 feet is better for larger fish like Koi.

Using a 'back-hoe' is great!...A shovel is not.

Small to medium waterfalls are impressive, and you have many options on layout with the 'liner type' ponds.

There is an additive that darkens the water to help shut down algae.
 

Wench

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Feb 25, 2002
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Cleveland, NY
Thanks both of you!

3000g? Cool!

I thought about the preformed ponds Joe, but seeing as I live in a cold climate, I wanted to go deeper than the preforms usually run.
Well I'll keep looking and see what I can come up with :)
 

ChilDawg

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Dec 26, 2002
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Gosh, I'd look at those calculations again...I get just under 4200 gallons. I wonder if that extra just under 40% of pond capacity will make you even happier? :)
 

Wench

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Feb 25, 2002
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Cleveland, NY
Yup! It sure does Childawg! What makes me even happier,,,,,

This morning my husband asked me when I was going to start the digging for the pond. I said probably not until next year
(looking as sad and depressed as possible) He asked why?

"I said I just don't understand the plumbing, all those pipes and elbows and connectors, bottom drains, what kind of filter system, etc. If I was a man, that would all be second nature to me. So I have so much research to do before I even start the digging."

Well, that was all I had to say! He wants to sit down with me tonight and have me explain what I am looking to do and he will take it from there.

Now the only condition is that once the pond is completed, I take care of the fish and water, he will take care of the landscaping :D

I can live with that!! :)
 

ChilDawg

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Dec 26, 2002
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Nicely done! Now, you do understand that, for all that agonizing over our calculators, we expect to see some pics of the finished project in return, right? J/K, but hopefully you will have some beautiful ones by midsummer of which you are proud enough to post them here! :)
 

rjl420

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May 13, 2002
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Originally posted by Wench
OK, I've got the go ahead from the Grounds Keeper that I can start my pond this spring on one condition...

1. He is to be involved as little as possible.
He'll come around, all that fun that you'll be having pulling algae and leaves out of the pond... he'll get jealous and jump in seeing you have all the fun :)

Originally posted by Wench
I have a friend that has a back-hoe and he will dig the pond.
Because the Grounds Keeper loves me so much, he will involve himself in the electical part.
That's not fair, i had to dig my pond out with a shovel! I think it has something to do with appreciation for a job well done or something.... :)

Originally posted by Wench
This will be a Koi pond with a liner. Basic oval shape. I was thinking maybe 14'Lx10'Wx4'D.
Any idea how many gallons that comes out to be?
Is that big enough for Koi?
yup, definatley a good size for Koi, substract a little bit of the total gallonage when you plant it and provide hiding places.

Originally posted by Wench
What I would like to do is have a small connecting pond with plants that flow back to the main pond to help with filteration.
What size should the small pond be?
that will help with filtration, it can be what ever size you want asthetically but if it's the only filtration size would be according to stock. you did say "help" with filtration, so you could use a veggy filter (fill it with hyacynth or other floating/bog plant) or an extension of you bio filter (fill it with lava rock or bio balls).

Originally posted by Wench
I want to have a bottom drain but don't even come close to being a plumber. I need the easiest directions on how I do that.
Pictures on how this works would be a real plus :D
Or is there another option I can think about?
well, the easiest install available are the submersable filters/pumps but they won't be adequate for a pond this size without being more of an inconvenience in the long run. the time you would spend maintaining the filter could be put into the initial set up of a inline pump and filter. here is a pic of my pump and filter.



Originally posted by Wench
Best filteration?
for your setup a 4000-6000 gph pump would turn over the water (with the addition of a few venturi jets for added movement) and depending on your veggy/bio filter pond size (from above) you could do fine with just a mechanical filter. I've had good use with my modified pool/sand filter. it's made by aqua ultraviolet, a local company to me. I use a leaf trap to catch all the big debris, then my aquav UV filter performs the majority of my mechanical as well as a portion of my bio, then I steralize with a ultraviolet steralizer (for disease prevention and algae reduction) and return the water to my waterfall. I have 3 chambers in my waterfall, 2 are planted heavilly and one (the topmost) is filled with lava rocks.



Originally posted by Wench
Lots of questions, huh? :rolleyes:

I've looked at several web sites on how to build a pond and the bottom line, I simply can't afford to have a crew come in and build it for me.

So please help me, yet keep it as simple and um, as inexpensive as possible. :(
I just want a beautiful pond that the fish and I can enjoy.

Thank you :)
best way to find something out is to ask! pick up a copy of "pond and watergarden magazine" it's a quarterly magazine and every issue "builds a pond" from start to finish with pictures and how tos. PLUS you can get some GREAT ideas.

HTH
Good Luck
 
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ChilDawg

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Dec 26, 2002
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I saw something in another thread which may have thrown off my calculations--is your pond going to be a rectangular hole in the ground, or will it be ovular in shape? These affect the overall gallonage, but I calculated for rectangle and could do it for an oval if you are going that route.
 

Wench

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Feb 25, 2002
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Cleveland, NY
Its going to be oval in shape. But thats ok, Childawg, I think I am leaning towards making it a little bigger now anyways. We have the yard space and now that my husband is going to help me...... I know give an inch take a mile!

So as soon as I make up my mind, I'll be asking again "how many gallons is this?"

And yes, when I get going I will be posting pictures!! Lots and lots of them! :D
 
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