Pond construction, from dreams to reality!

Thanks, yeah just FIVE more months. Why does winter have to be the longest season!? Hmm, would moving south just have a longer pond season be classified as obsessed? :) Thankfully I have plenty of other fish tanks and projects to keep me busy. I plan to thin down my tanks A LOT by spring though. Currently have 7 tanks running (siggy doesn't include my 3 mbuna fry tanks) I want to only have 2 by Spring!
 
Alright, you guys win! I will start with goldfish AND a rocked in bottom with steps/shelves, happy now!? :silly: What changed my mind? Lots of things! This is just not fitting to be a "koi pond", the location and size/shape are not to my standards of a koi pond. I want my koi pond to be 5,000g minimum a rounded rectanglar shape to give plenty of open swimming space, in a shadier spot with no plants IN the water but lots around it. Kinda like this...Video

Since I won't be going with koi there is plenty of space to spare for the rocked shelf look & I can have loads of plants! If all goes well with the goldfish I might add 2 center piece butterfly koi down the line.

The only thing that is going to change about the pond is the actual structure, I will be keeping the beefy filtration system that was originally intended for the koi. Except I might not add the bog since the pond will BE a bog & it's placement is awkward.

This is why we waited, so I could keep changing my mind. Spring still isn't here yet so expect more indecisiveness!! :D This should be the last major change though, really.

I will start working on the barrel filters very soon, I have a rough idea of construction and materials.
 
Five more months? That's five months to change your design 55 times! That's 2-3 changes a week! Think of all the cool things you can come up with by then!

I think, for your first pond, at least, that you will be happier with the planted, rocked, feature. You'll be amazed at how waterlilies, cattails and that kind of thing really 'make' your pond. Mine is in the winter stages, with all the plants dormant or mush, and I can't imagine it looking like that all year round. And your basic pond comets and shubunkins have just as much, if not more, personality, than a fancy koi :)
Jen
 
Jennie Beth said:
Five more months? That's five months to change your design 55 times! That's 2-3 changes a week! Think of all the cool things you can come up with by then!
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:lol2: Someone gets me! :D In all reality I will probably start working on the pond again in March...which is only 1 month away OMG when did that happen?
Jennie Beth said:
I think, for your first pond, at least, that you will be happier with the planted, rocked, feature. You'll be amazed at how waterlilies, cattails and that kind of thing really 'make' your pond. Mine is in the winter stages, with all the plants dormant or mush, and I can't imagine it looking like that all year round. And your basic pond comets and shubunkins have just as much, if not more, personality, than a fancy koi :)
Jen
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I really like the open water look with the huge koi being the decor framed with plants but just not for this pond, that'll be the next one! :D I do like an overgrown water garden too though so I know I will be happy with this approach as well plus this gives me something to "upgrade" to. Only problem is I don't have much of a green thumb inside, outside, aquatic or terrestrial so we will see how this works out being a middle ground of sorts. :)
 
That is really cool. One April almost four years ago I suddenly decided to dig a pond, and within a few weeks I had a big hole dug by hand, lined, and filled with water. I surrounded it with large flat rocks I hauled out of our woods. All done with the help of my then two year old. The pond is about 700 gallons. After a few more weeks I added goldfish and plants, and frogs moved in as well. Of course over time I wish I'd done some things differently. You are smart to spend so much time in the planning phase.
 
Thanks for sharing finsNfur. It is nice to hear about a spontaneous pond still running after 4 years, you must have done a good job! I just checked it out (from 9/2008!), it looks wonderful! You got those rocks from your woods? I'm so jealous! :silly: But we definitely need an update on that little pond. :popcorn:
 
Just went through the thread. Very nice project and I hope this late winter weather heading your way gives you time to refine your ideas. The 'no koi' choice is a good one IMO, I had a 5000+ pond in NW Oklahoma for years and 10 adult koi (actually sub adults being only 2 to 2 1/2 feet long) along with goldies made for a full house. Subscribed and will be checking in, good luck.
 
I just went thru this thread as well and it is both instructional and inspirational. I currently have a natural stream pond but have decided to build an enclosed filter pond much like yours at another part of my property since I would like to keep some ranchu, lionchu and oranda goldfish that are simply not hardy enough for the natural pond. I have decided to start in the spring once the rainy season is clearly behind me - I live in SoCal - so perhaps you will be all done by then which will give me the motivation to get started on mine!

Good luck with the pond.
 
I wish you the best of luck! This year has been hard on my step-mom's pond. It's about 2800 gallons. She lost all of her big koi :0 we think it is from the temperatures being so crazy this winter. The fluctuation killed them! Our neighbor's pond did the same, as did her boss's pond. We only have goldies and about 10 babies we pulled form the pond in fall that we are raising. We lost our Shiro Utsui, Matsuba (she was my favorite), a bekko, 2 ogons, one tancho and a asagi! we were devastated! Good Luck with yours in spring :)
 
roscoe70 said:
Just went through the thread. Very nice project and I hope this late winter weather heading your way gives you time to refine your ideas. The 'no koi' choice is a good one IMO, I had a 5000+ pond in NW Oklahoma for years and 10 adult koi (actually sub adults being only 2 to 2 1/2 feet long) along with goldies made for a full house. Subscribed and will be checking in, good luck.
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I am thinking 5,000g is about the minimum I would want for a "koi pond". Your pond sounds like it was nice, have any pictures for inspiration? :) Thanks for staying tuned!
lagunabridge said:
I just went thru this thread as well and it is both instructional and inspirational. I currently have a natural stream pond but have decided to build an enclosed filter pond much like yours at another part of my property since I would like to keep some ranchu, lionchu and oranda goldfish that are simply not hardy enough for the natural pond. I have decided to start in the spring once the rainy season is clearly behind me - I live in SoCal - so perhaps you will be all done by then which will give me the motivation to get started on mine!

Good luck with the pond.
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I have heard bits here and there about natural stream ponds but I'm not very familiar with them. Pictures? :D Good luck with your pond too!

GuppyMan said:
I wish you the best of luck! This year has been hard on my step-mom's pond. It's about 2800 gallons. She lost all of her big koi :0 we think it is from the temperatures being so crazy this winter. The fluctuation killed them! Our neighbor's pond did the same, as did her boss's pond. We only have goldies and about 10 babies we pulled form the pond in fall that we are raising. We lost our Shiro Utsui, Matsuba (she was my favorite), a bekko, 2 ogons, one tancho and a asagi! we were devastated! Good Luck with yours in spring :)
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Owch! Sorry for the lose! Thanks for the luck & good luck on your future endeavors!


I might have some major changes going on with this pond. I'll keep everyone posted. What a winter here in NJ!!!
 
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