Simply Koi and More Koi

Any advice would be appreciated

At the moment we are running a 6KW electric heater on the pond, When building I very foolishly dismissed gas as an option for the pond and didn’t do any research into the logistics of installing a supply and boiler to the pond shed.

Think it is worth revisiting, I have a dual motive here, if I can heat by gas then a second pond is a real possibility.

Pond is 40m from the house.

To run a gas supply pipe from the house to the pond shed would involve a pipe run of approx 60m.

What are the regulations regarding pipework runs, how deep do they need to be? Can the pipe be routed via a brick built garage? if so I can save digging up the patio and at least 10m of groundworks!

Last of all, for now! any recommendations for someone who is Corgi registered / interested in ponds / South Essex based!

Dave

Hi Dave,

Andy B is your man and hopefully he will see this but he is in Japan so keep an eye out for him

Dave,

for sure andyb is your man as gazza says, just fitted a heating system on my pond for me, top bloke....


Just a warning though, if you need to go to andys house for any reason don't look at his koi.

Thanks for the excellent recommendations!

Boiler fitting in the pond shed started last week. Putting in a 230HX for the main pond and running pipes to the growing on shed for a 100HX there.

Boiler is in. all neat and tidy, excellent job. Spent the weekend breaking up the drive (great fun) but today was the bit I was dreading, small matter of 50 meter trench up the garden.

Hopefully Andy will get it connected up and Heat Exchangers installed later this week, then just got to fill the trench!!

Dave

[img]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa98/davej111/trench.jpg[/img]

Capt Nemo wrote:Just a warning though, if you need to go to andys house for any reason don't look at his koi.

I can vouch for that

Hi Dave


That's a sexy looking trench

I'll make sure Russ has got his wellies

My fish ............. what's wrong with them, then

Regards


Andy

Hi
one thing that concerns me in heating by gas is the amount of water in the system. I aim to use my redundant boiler to heat my pond; the boiler will be situated with 2 meters of the pond and as I see it the only water in the system will be what is in the pipe work and heat exchanger. Is this small amount sufficient or does an expansion vessel need to be added to give sufficient quantity?

Hi Dragonsnapper

Yes you will need an expansion chamber!!

Do think you would be well advised to get a Corgi man to have a look at your proposed system etc before you develop plans too far.

Regards

Dave

DS In a closed system the water expands when heated. Without a pressure vessel it will force the water out the pressure release valve or should you lake one of those as well it will simply burst the seals in the boiler.

Now I have given some thought to this buisness of heating, and it can invoke some healthy debate......type/cost/when?...etc etc. My thought was of building a box, say 5'x 2.5'x2.5', and run pipework back and forth in said box, as much as is feasable. Then fill it with horse manure, this will hopefully give sufficient heat, to keep the winter temps up a tad. Each load should produce heat for about 6-8 weeks, then can be dumped on the garden.................thoughts!!!!!!!!!!!!!, I feel this has been discussed before on here.

I'd build two boxes in parallel so that when you change one you'll still have the other going, but to be honest I don't think it'd be worth the effort. Surely you'd be better to fit a really good cover to retain the heat that's there already?

Better than a box would be to take some PVC pipe and then feed your insulted pipes through that. If you use that flexable pipe on a roll it is even simpler. And if you choose to use that lightweight multi-skin composite pipe it will be cheaper as well!

B.Scott

the trouble with the rotting compost/manure theory is that as it decomposes it produces heat which keeps the rotting process going
if you take the heat awayfrom the centre you will end up with a pile of unrotted crap.
If you coulld get a big enough pile of manure and just took heat from the edges it may works

Brians