Starting up a koi pond

[Murica]

If you are still at the design process I would really think about a bottom drain, it can empty directly into your filter. One main benefit people forget is that waste remains larger as it doesn’t get mulched by an in pond pump, which means it settles easier, is easier to remove and water clarity is improved..

My only concerns are 1. This is diy, how skillful do you need to put one in? And 2. Going to be powering pond with solar, I'm assuming having a drain will mean additional pumps, and it may be too much power drawn.

Unless there's easy and efficient ways of doing it? I'm trying to do what best for the pond, but I also have a few hurdles

 

[Mortie31]

Thinking along the same lines about doing a pond in the next year or so...anybody have any pics of their current setup for motivation?

Here are a few pics of my 2 ponds

 

[dbraun15]

Well done Mortie! I hope mine looks like that someday!

 

[coral diver]

I would suggest instead of blocks do pour concrete with good rebar design your bottom drain surface skimmer and mido water flow to push the dirt towards the skimmer I will post a picture of one project we did later

 

[Murica]

I would suggest instead of blocks do pour concrete with good rebar design your bottom drain surface skimmer and mido water flow to push the dirt towards the skimmer I will post a picture of one project we did later

Any particular reason to pour the walls instead of blocks? I've never done a wall so I'm a little intimidated to do them myself.

 

[coral diver]

Any particular reason to pour the walls instead of blocks? I've never done a wall so I'm a little intimidated to do them myself.

The pressure of the water pushing on to that wall will be great and it could cracked I've seen one and ended putting liner on top of the concrete block wall

 

[Shane07]

If you want a low maintenance pond I’d go down the fluid bed filters like the nexus you can get a drum filter that fits in side them now and take the easy out great peace of kit.
If you can afford it drum filter and bakki showers with a flow freind pump cleans it self go away for weeks and don’t have to worry about filters clogging or cleaning filters.
That’s what I had on my pond before I decided to shut it down a few years ago worked a treat.
As for the pond concrete base with bottom drain and blocks laid on there sides and fibre glassed or a box weld liner.
Cheers
Shane

 

[Murica]

Are there any special requirements you have to do in the winter? Or can you just leave the pond as is? I'm in New Hampshire

I've heard of heaters and de icers, but are they necessary?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Are there any special requirements you have to do in the winter? Or can you just leave the pond as is? I'm in New Hampshire

I've heard of heaters and de icers, but are they necessary?

You need something to make a hole in the ice. I have used both deicers and pumps to accomplish this.

If the entire pond freezes over there is no exchange of gasses and your fish will die from lack of o2.

Besides that.

You dont need filtration running in the winter.
Any uv bulbs take inside(you get 12months of run time per bulb). Do not reinstall till after the last frost. 1 bulb should last 2 seasons.

I like to decrease o2 depletion by also doing a good detritus clean out around late September while the water is still warm.

 

[Murica]

You need something to make a hole in the ice. I have used both deicers and pumps to accomplish this.

If the entire pond freezes over there is no exchange of gasses and your fish will die from lack of o2.

Besides that.

You dont need filtration running in the winter.
Any uv bulbs take inside(you get 12months of run time per bulb). Do not reinstall till after the last frost. 1 bulb should last 2 seasons.

I like to decrease o2 depletion by also doing a good detritus clean out around late September while the water is still warm.

Good to know. Since I'll be running solar, I'll probably have to take my battery in during the winter. Would it be ok to have a deicer and/or bubbler on only during sunny hours of the day or would it need to be constant?

 

[Gareth elliott]

I run the pump 24/7 i never tried on a timer tbh. Use a mag pump, i have no idea what this adds to my electric bill lol

 

[Shane07]

Hi
Depends how big you want your pond to be how many gallons.
You can run a pond on the cheep all you need is low wattage pumps like the sequence pumps the 10,000 litre is only 80 watts and it will pump around 2000 gallons an hour then there is a 12000 15000 and a 18000.
If you run 2 10000 it will only be 160 watts air pump 50watts uv 55watts which will do a pond of 5000 gallons.
So for 300 watts which is around £300 a year running 24/7.
As long as you don’t try and pump up to high they work great, as for bottom drains easy to fit just go on utube and it will show you every thing.
All you need is 4 vortex filters bottom drain into first plus I would put a side drain in it for more flow.
I’d have static k1 in the first moving k1 in the next 2 and jap matting in the 4 to polish the water.
I run my pond 24/7 never turned anything of and never turn the filters of don’t for get the koi are still in there through winter so still need clean water.
Cheers
Shane