Hello all,
I have just moved house and need to build a pond for my koi. The new house has a decent size garden so I have options as to where to put it. What I do know is that it will be a long thin pond, probably 4m x 1.2m x 1m deep. It has to be less than 10,000litres as I am filtering it with an eazy pod. ( My fish are small and if it struggles later on I might be able to add something to it).
And so the questions!
I have been looking at the Superfish 8000 eco pumps. I can get the eco for £75 and the eco plus for £90. There seems to only be 8watts difference in power consumption, so I think I'd go for the cheaper of the two, does anyone know something I don't about the difference between the two?
I am happy to net debris off the surface of the pond when I feed the fish so I'm saving money and not having a skimmer.
I do want a bottom drain but don't really know much about the different types. I have been told to go for a spin drifter and that I can run this off the air pump that came with my eazy pod air, ( the only thing I have bought so far). Is there an inexpensive make of these?
Basically I have never seen a private koi pond, the only koi i have seen are at a couple of garden centres and at Cuttlebrook, ( where all bar one of my koi are from). So I whilst I have seen videos of eazy pods being cleaned online etc and I could draw a diagram of how a bottom drain works I haven't got any actual experience of them, and as none of my friends like koi, ( in fact mostly they think I'm barking for keeping koi), I have no one else to ask a second opinion from, so I apologise if some of my questions are a bit basic, but any advice is most appreciated.
Many thanks
Susie
New pond build... really quite a lot of advice needed!
Moderators: B.Scott, vippymini, Gazza, Manky Sanke
-
MissGoldie
- Sandbar shark
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 5:26 pm
Re: New pond build... really quite a lot of advice needed!
Hi Sue
Initially I'd say you really need to consider digging a bit deeper than 1 metre - I'd suggest at least an extra 300mm deep. The best advice is to join a koi club and try to get to see as many ponds and filter set ups as possible before you make any decisions or start doing any work. Ideas for landscaping with the spoil you dig out are invaluable because they will save you a fortune in skips alone!
Be careful about going to the max 10,000 litres with an eazy as the only filtration. It possibly won't cope with any more than just a few koi and maybe a few goldfish - but don't worry too much because it's quite easy to add extra filtration to the eazy without it costing a fortune.
Where abouts are you? If Dunstable, Luton and MK are fairly close, I probably know of a few people that will happily let you look at their pond and filter set ups.
Good Luck
Bob
Initially I'd say you really need to consider digging a bit deeper than 1 metre - I'd suggest at least an extra 300mm deep. The best advice is to join a koi club and try to get to see as many ponds and filter set ups as possible before you make any decisions or start doing any work. Ideas for landscaping with the spoil you dig out are invaluable because they will save you a fortune in skips alone!
Be careful about going to the max 10,000 litres with an eazy as the only filtration. It possibly won't cope with any more than just a few koi and maybe a few goldfish - but don't worry too much because it's quite easy to add extra filtration to the eazy without it costing a fortune.
Where abouts are you? If Dunstable, Luton and MK are fairly close, I probably know of a few people that will happily let you look at their pond and filter set ups.
Good Luck
Bob
Re: New pond build... really quite a lot of advice needed!
Hi........
Good luck with the build! I'd have to say though that I think the Easy Pod would struggle badly to cope with a 10.000 litre pond, regardless of the claims made by EA. I use one myself, but without the additional bead filter I don't think I'd have any fish left!
I guess depth is down to personal preference too, but can't help thinking that a little more would be helpful, particularly if you won't be heating. It also goes a long way to help stop herons from getting their bills into your fish!
As for the skimmer. It's purpose isn't just to get rid of surface debris. It also provides a secondary means of filtration, adds flow to the pond and will get rid of stuff like oily deposits from food and foam caused by protein as well as bigger thing like leaves. I'm sure I won't be alone in thinking that it would be far better to install one during the build and cap it, so that if you decide you need it later on (and I'm sure you will!) you won't have to mess about with all the hassle of retro fitting one.
As usual, I stand to be corrected!!
Louie
Good luck with the build! I'd have to say though that I think the Easy Pod would struggle badly to cope with a 10.000 litre pond, regardless of the claims made by EA. I use one myself, but without the additional bead filter I don't think I'd have any fish left!
I guess depth is down to personal preference too, but can't help thinking that a little more would be helpful, particularly if you won't be heating. It also goes a long way to help stop herons from getting their bills into your fish!
As for the skimmer. It's purpose isn't just to get rid of surface debris. It also provides a secondary means of filtration, adds flow to the pond and will get rid of stuff like oily deposits from food and foam caused by protein as well as bigger thing like leaves. I'm sure I won't be alone in thinking that it would be far better to install one during the build and cap it, so that if you decide you need it later on (and I'm sure you will!) you won't have to mess about with all the hassle of retro fitting one.
As usual, I stand to be corrected!!
Louie
Re: New pond build... really quite a lot of advice needed!
got to agree, the pod might struggle as you are going to be on its max limit.
it works by mechanical means, with the added bonus of some bio filtration. if as you say you only have a few small koi it may just work.
also i would go for a 10000 litre/hour pump as when you take flow losses into consideration would work a little better.
spindrifter drains are good ( though expensive ) i have one on an eazypod air myself, had to reduce the flow a little as causing "twisters" of air to form. there are other cheaper drains available , try searching
definitely put a skimmer in they are only £30 and has been said you just bring the pipe out and seal it. then in 12 months when you decide you need more filtration you put a nexus on the bottom drain and put the pod on the skimmer. (note that it may be worth modding skimmer to 3inch pipework so you can use it gravity fed
i currently have my skimmer, currently 1.5", just linked in after the pod. so it basically circulates water, no filtration ,but does skim the water surface. 
good luck and keep asking questions
it works by mechanical means, with the added bonus of some bio filtration. if as you say you only have a few small koi it may just work.
also i would go for a 10000 litre/hour pump as when you take flow losses into consideration would work a little better.
spindrifter drains are good ( though expensive ) i have one on an eazypod air myself, had to reduce the flow a little as causing "twisters" of air to form. there are other cheaper drains available , try searching
definitely put a skimmer in they are only £30 and has been said you just bring the pipe out and seal it. then in 12 months when you decide you need more filtration you put a nexus on the bottom drain and put the pod on the skimmer. (note that it may be worth modding skimmer to 3inch pipework so you can use it gravity fed
i currently have my skimmer, currently 1.5", just linked in after the pod. so it basically circulates water, no filtration ,but does skim the water surface. good luck and keep asking questions
Re: New pond build... really quite a lot of advice needed!
With regards to the aerated Bottom Drain, here's a link to the one that I bought when I did my build. Don't let the price put you off....these things go for well over £100 normally and I can vouch for the quality of it. Mine has been in for 20 months now and I use a Hailea 60 litre air pump on it. It has never clogged, blocked or lost any of the power. The only thing I did was cut about half an inch off the centre post because I felt that the gap was a little too big. (I had some small koi at the time.) A couple still found their way into the Pod though! It takes 4" pressure pipe, but I used a converter so that I could use regular 4" waste pipe. Pressure pipe really is the best stuff to use if you can afford it, but it is very expensive. There are loads of different BD's out there, I just happen to think that, for the money, this is probably the best!
Louie.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BOTTOM-DRAIN-AND-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 500wt_1182
It takes 4" pressure pipe, but I used a converter so that I could use regular 4" waste pipe. Pressure pipe really is the best stuff to use if you can afford it, but it is very expensive. There are loads of different BD's out there, I just happen to think that, for the money, this is probably the best! Louie.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BOTTOM-DRAIN-AND-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 500wt_1182
-
MissGoldie
- Sandbar shark
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 5:26 pm
Re: New pond build... really quite a lot of advice needed!
Hi, thank you all for the great response.
Bob, Luton is a little far but I might yet take you up on that kind offer at a later date if I get stuck. It certainly would help to be able to see these things.
I suspect my pond will in reality be about 8,000 litres, and I know even that'd be pushing the pod to it's limit but my koi are all very small, and I don't have many and in a couple of years time I think I'd be able to afford to upgrade with maybe a bead after the pod. Louie it is good to hear you are using a pod in this way.
I will take the advice of fitting a £30 skimmer into the build although I won't plumb it properly yet, I take the point of oil scum etc on the pond surface, this was never a problem on my old pond, probably because it was quite sheltered, so I hadn't thought of that being a problem.
I also take the point about making it deeper, as I certainly won't be heating it I'll do that as well. Plus if it makes it harder for herons then great; whilst I haven't seen one in the area my new garden is like a runway!
Steve thank you for the advice on the pump, I was going on the maximum recommended flow rate for a pod of 10000, but hadn't considered flow losses. (I have been looking at the effect of back pressure today. How on earth do you calculate that, yikes).
I'm pretty good with the 3d modelling so I think I need to decide on my final pond position and then do a 3d model of it and where everything will go you can all 'review', ( correct) it for me!
Louie I'm off yo look at that link now, thanks very much.
Susie
Bob, Luton is a little far but I might yet take you up on that kind offer at a later date if I get stuck. It certainly would help to be able to see these things.
I suspect my pond will in reality be about 8,000 litres, and I know even that'd be pushing the pod to it's limit but my koi are all very small, and I don't have many and in a couple of years time I think I'd be able to afford to upgrade with maybe a bead after the pod. Louie it is good to hear you are using a pod in this way.
I will take the advice of fitting a £30 skimmer into the build although I won't plumb it properly yet, I take the point of oil scum etc on the pond surface, this was never a problem on my old pond, probably because it was quite sheltered, so I hadn't thought of that being a problem.
I also take the point about making it deeper, as I certainly won't be heating it I'll do that as well. Plus if it makes it harder for herons then great; whilst I haven't seen one in the area my new garden is like a runway!
Steve thank you for the advice on the pump, I was going on the maximum recommended flow rate for a pod of 10000, but hadn't considered flow losses. (I have been looking at the effect of back pressure today. How on earth do you calculate that, yikes).
I'm pretty good with the 3d modelling so I think I need to decide on my final pond position and then do a 3d model of it and where everything will go you can all 'review', ( correct) it for me!
Louie I'm off yo look at that link now, thanks very much.
Susie
-
Casper Chapman
- Nurse Shark
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Fri May 05, 2006 10:20 am
- Location: Newbury
Re: New pond build... really quite a lot of advice needed!
So where abouts in the UK are you? I am sure you must be close to somebody on here who has a pond you can view and probably close to an expert dealer as well that we could perhaps recommendMissGoldie wrote:Hi, thank you all for the great response.
Bob, Luton is a little far but I might yet take you up on that kind offer at a later date if I get stuck. It certainly would help to be able to see these things.
I suspect my pond will in reality be about 8,000 litres, and I know even that'd be pushing the pod to it's limit but my koi are all very small, and I don't have many and in a couple of years time I think I'd be able to afford to upgrade with maybe a bead after the pod. Louie it is good to hear you are using a pod in this way.
I will take the advice of fitting a £30 skimmer into the build although I won't plumb it properly yet, I take the point of oil scum etc on the pond surface, this was never a problem on my old pond, probably because it was quite sheltered, so I hadn't thought of that being a problem.
I also take the point about making it deeper, as I certainly won't be heating it I'll do that as well. Plus if it makes it harder for herons then great; whilst I haven't seen one in the area my new garden is like a runway!
Steve thank you for the advice on the pump, I was going on the maximum recommended flow rate for a pod of 10000, but hadn't considered flow losses. (I have been looking at the effect of back pressure today. How on earth do you calculate that, yikes).
I'm pretty good with the 3d modelling so I think I need to decide on my final pond position and then do a 3d model of it and where everything will go you can all 'review', ( correct) it for me!
Louie I'm off yo look at that link now, thanks very much.
Susie
-
Gazza
- architeuthis moderator
- Posts: 5306
- Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 7:24 pm
- Location: Essex,UK
- Contact:
Re: New pond build... really quite a lot of advice needed!
Hi Susie,
Well sounds like you have some exciting times to come and building a new pond please don't forget the pictures
OK the first thing is if you think you can go a bit deeper and wider then do it as doing it now will save you a lot of time and effort and of course ££££££££££££££££££.
A bottom drain is a must IMO and i would also install a skimmer and you could bring the bottom drain and skimmer at the same end and this could all then be covered and out of site.The skimmer can be installed and then just install a ball valve on the pipe as it comes out the skimmer and then later on its just a matter of adding the filtration and opening the valve.
I have just installed a Pod on my tank which is about 500gls and it works a treat but i am running the Pod from a bottom drain and then over a shower so its great at mechanical but i am not sure about both so if you can i would personally add something on the skimmer line sooner than later
There are plenty of people about with ponds and i am sure you can get out to see some ponds in action i am out in North Essex so a bit far but what about local dealer and how about Darren at A4 Koi isn't that your way
Good luck with the build and please keep us posted
Well sounds like you have some exciting times to come and building a new pond please don't forget the pictures
OK the first thing is if you think you can go a bit deeper and wider then do it as doing it now will save you a lot of time and effort and of course ££££££££££££££££££.
A bottom drain is a must IMO and i would also install a skimmer and you could bring the bottom drain and skimmer at the same end and this could all then be covered and out of site.The skimmer can be installed and then just install a ball valve on the pipe as it comes out the skimmer and then later on its just a matter of adding the filtration and opening the valve.
I have just installed a Pod on my tank which is about 500gls and it works a treat but i am running the Pod from a bottom drain and then over a shower so its great at mechanical but i am not sure about both so if you can i would personally add something on the skimmer line sooner than later
There are plenty of people about with ponds and i am sure you can get out to see some ponds in action i am out in North Essex so a bit far but what about local dealer and how about Darren at A4 Koi isn't that your way
Good luck with the build and please keep us posted