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  1. #1

    The New build has started new to this!!

    Evening guys! Started my first pond build last weekend! Brought some Koi and equipment off a local bloke who’s now closing his pond due to moving house. Fairly new to all this so open to any advice I’ve got my whole dug it’s around 3.5m long it’ll be around 2m wide and about 1.5m deep.

    Thinking 2.5ft will be underground and the rest can be above, will be building with blocks laid flat as this seems the safest way!

    Got my 4” Spindrifter aerated bottom drain through today and my skimmer. Hoping to get the BD in this weekend and maybe the base concreted in. Looking at the hole in the BD it isn’t 4” do I just order 4” pipe? Most of my equipment is 3” Easypod and bits so would it be a better idea to reduce it down at the BD or 4” until it’s out of ground then reduce it near my filter?

    Going for gravity fed system too. This is what everyone’s telling me to do!

    I’ll get some pictures up ASAP to give you guys some ideas of what I’m doing or at least trying to do!



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  3. #2



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  4. #3
    Temp pond all set up The New build has started new to this!!



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  6. #4
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Mature Champion pip895's Avatar
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    Hi and welcome to the forum.
    You should definately stick to 4" or 110mm pipework for your in ground pipework (make sure you get the right one to fit the BD). You will probably end up upgrading the pod to something bigger at a later stage so don't reduce down until after whatever valve you are putting on. Most people go for ball valves on their bottom drain pipework as cheaper gate valves need maintenance after a few years.

    Will you you incorporate a skimmer? I would recomend it, make sure you go for 4" on that too as it keeps your options open you can initially feed both into the same filter.
    6000g in ground koi pond
    +3000g lily/Anoxic pond attached
    29 koi (40 to 65cm)
    Bottom drain, Mid water & Skimmer to Drum
    JBR boichamber->Blue eco 500 pump ->below surface return.
    Blue Eco 240 -> Large MB -> Waterfall -> Planted Anoxic pond (25 baskets)

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  8. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by pip895 View Post
    Hi and welcome to the forum.
    You should definately stick to 4" or 110mm pipework for your in ground pipework (make sure you get the right one to fit the BD). You will probably end up upgrading the pod to something bigger at a later stage so don't reduce down until after whatever valve you are putting on. Most people go for ball valves on their bottom drain pipework as cheaper gate valves need maintenance after a few years.

    Will you you incorporate a skimmer? I would recomend it, make sure you go for 4" on that too as it keeps your options open you can initially feed both into the same filter.
    Hi mate. Yes I’m using 4” pipe work upto my filter I’ll need to purchase a valve to go in the line though. I’ve got a skimmer which yes will be built in the wall but it hasn’t got a very big outlet pipe so I’ll just run that to what ever size it is. I’ve only got a easy pod at the moment so I’ll run bottom drain to that then unsure on what to run the skimmer to?


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  9. #6
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Mature Champion pip895's Avatar
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    The New build has started new to this!!

    As it stands you will have to attach the skimmer to a separate pump and then on to a pump fed filter or Uv. I seem to remember there is a thread around describing how to convert a 1.5" skimmer to 4" - which you would need to do if you wanted to be able to run with a single pump through your existing filter. Or would you be able to swap it out for a gravity 4" type?

    My suspicion is that you will find the easy pod too small for your ponds main filtration pretty soon. If you end up going for a sieve or drum you may end up kicking yourself for not fitting a skimmer that can be attached to it.
    Last edited by pip895; 15-10-2018 at 11:52 PM.
    6000g in ground koi pond
    +3000g lily/Anoxic pond attached
    29 koi (40 to 65cm)
    Bottom drain, Mid water & Skimmer to Drum
    JBR boichamber->Blue eco 500 pump ->below surface return.
    Blue Eco 240 -> Large MB -> Waterfall -> Planted Anoxic pond (25 baskets)

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  11. #7
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Hi danial and welcome. I agree with pip. On your size of pond. You will need larger filteration. I had 2x pods on my old pond. 2500 gallons. And that struggled. Thats the reason why i built a new pond.
    Not enough bio. And they take ages to mature.
    I have an eaey pod on my qt grow on.
    But have 2x bio after it. I use it only as a machanical filter.

    I turned my skimmer from 1 1/2 inch to 3 inch. Then enlarged pipe work to 4 inch. I would have gone 4 inch but filter plate would nt take a 4 inch hole.
    I used one of these at 3 inch. And sealent on the screws. 3 years on still going strong
    All the best with the build mate.
    Fred

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  13. #8
    What would people recommend filtration wise then. I’ll have the 4” feed from the Bd gravity fed. Then how ever I decide to run the skimmer.
    I was thinking usual 1 1/2” flexible hose to a inline pump then into a small filter box and returned via a water fall?


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  15. #9
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DanielRix124 View Post
    What would people recommend filtration wise then. I’ll have the 4” feed from the Bd gravity fed. Then how ever I decide to run the skimmer.
    I was thinking usual 1 1/2” flexible hose to a inline pump then into a small filter box and returned via a water fall?


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    Hi danny its all about budget mate and what your willing to spend mate. and what you want to do with the hobby fish wise. if you can afford a drum and bio tank after the drum. that's the way to go.
    I myself on a 4000 gallon pond one bottom drain skimmer. have a nexus 320 with draco drum inside. and on my skimmer line ultra sieve. that's what I could afford at the time. it also works on my setup.
    every pond is different. and you will get different opinions. but remember fish grow pretty large quickly. so you will always be upgrading the filteration.
    unless you get it right first time.

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  17. #10
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion andikoi's Avatar
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    welcome and to answer a question the spindrifters use 4" pressure pipe and the air pipe is i think 40mm pressure,it should say in instruction what size you need,i had a nexus 200 on my pond at 3750g and returned it over a shower,this worked well for me but as has been said its down to your budget,andi

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  19. #11
    My ponds looking to be about 2800G 13ft by 7ft and 5ft deep.. rough figures.

    Ive currently got my fish Ina swimming pool which is 4m by 2.5m and about 1m deep and purely running an easy pod pumped then it returns into a small standard foam filter box and the water quality is absolutely brilliant.

    I clean the sponges once a week and flush the easypod twice a week?

    Surely this will cope on my new pond if I just enlarge the filter box or maybe a multi bay I’m not worried about cleaning things a few times in the week or anything. I’d rather do that than spend thousands on fancy filtration.

    Obviously yes what ever I put first will be gravity fed from the 4” pipework BD.. then I’ll also have the 1 1.5” feed from the skimmer needing to go somewhere?

    Maybe main feed to easypod and skimmer to filter box?

    Correct me if I’m being completely stupid here guys!!


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  20. #12
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Ok danny. No one thinks. Your thinkinking stupid.
    Its only advice on experience.
    As fish get larger. And more get added to the pond.

    If your bio filter is large enough go for it.
    You know what the setup can do.
    We don t.
    Over twenty years i altered my setup on my old pond 3 times.
    Like i said i ended up with 2x easypods. My fish ended up growing to nearly 2 feet. Six of them. And admittingly i was well over stocked. So i did a new build.
    And in the long run . If i had done it right first time.
    I would have saved thousands.
    Also i worked away on the oil rigs.
    So cleaning filters was every 3 weeks .
    Not saying your setup is wrong mate
    Just trying to help for further down the line. Thats all.
    You do what you think is right for yourself.
    And if that works for you mate go for it.
    Alk the best
    Fred


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  22. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by freddyboy View Post
    Ok danny. No one thinks. Your thinkinking stupid.
    Its only advice on experience.
    As fish get larger. And more get added to the pond.

    If your bio filter is large enough go for it.
    You know what the setup can do.
    We don t.
    Over twenty years i altered my setup on my old pond 3 times.
    Like i said i ended up with 2x easypods. My fish ended up growing to nearly 2 feet. Six of them. And admittingly i was well over stocked. So i did a new build.
    And in the long run . If i had done it right first time.
    I would have saved thousands.
    Also i worked away on the oil rigs.
    So cleaning filters was every 3 weeks .
    Not saying your setup is wrong mate
    Just trying to help for further down the line. Thats all.
    You do what you think is right for yourself.
    And if that works for you mate go for it.
    Alk the best
    Fred


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    Well I’m thinking of keeping my current easypod for the skimmer line as it’s set up to pump and get another for gravity fed on the BD? Then if still not clear I’ll just run a small filter box on one? thanks mate


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  24. #14
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    I run 2 seperate lines. Skimmer to ultra sieve to uv to 2x underwater
    Pond returns to circulate water for bottom drain and keep crap moving.

    And bottom drain to draco drum to
    Gravity. Nexus to uv to upper pond .
    With plants for helping with ph and nitrites.
    Water shoot to lower pond where fish are.
    So 2x lines. If one breaks down.
    Still use other one while one is repaired.
    A lot of people had easy pod for skimmer line.
    Untill drum came out.
    Quote Originally Posted by DanielRix124 View Post
    Well I’m thinking of keeping my current easypod for the skimmer line as it’s set up to pump and get another for gravity fed on the BD? Then if still not clear I’ll just run a small filter box on one? thanks mate


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  26. #15
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion andikoi's Avatar
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    if your thinking of getting another pod for bd then i would look at a nexus 200 instead,you can find the old ones pre 2006 which are perfectly fine ( i run one lol) and you can pick up for same as used pod money,this will give you a pod i.e the easy,with an extra bio chamber,andi

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  28. #16
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Mature Champion pip895's Avatar
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    If you could fit a nexus it might be better but a pod followed by a home made moving bed filter would do the same job. If you don't mind the maintenance multibays can work brilliantly. You could go for a gravity sieve (some will take two 4" connections so one from your BD and one from your skimmer (if you convert it). This is followed by a pump fed multibay which then gravity feeds back to the pond. Adding a sieve makes cleaning the multibay much easier and less unpleasant but is far from maintenance free.
    6000g in ground koi pond
    +3000g lily/Anoxic pond attached
    29 koi (40 to 65cm)
    Bottom drain, Mid water & Skimmer to Drum
    JBR boichamber->Blue eco 500 pump ->below surface return.
    Blue Eco 240 -> Large MB -> Waterfall -> Planted Anoxic pond (25 baskets)

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  30. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by pip895 View Post
    If you could fit a nexus it might be better but a pod followed by a home made moving bed filter would do the same job. If you don't mind the maintenance multibays can work brilliantly. You could go for a gravity sieve (some will take two 4" connections so one from your BD and one from your skimmer (if you convert it). This is followed by a pump fed multibay which then gravity feeds back to the pond. Adding a sieve makes cleaning the multibay much easier and less unpleasant but is far from maintenance free.
    Yeah I’ve looked at sieves tbh. I don’t mind a bit of cleaning in evenings tbh I mean what else do I have to do haha.

    Urm I may as well make use of the easy pod really so maybe run that from my skimmer as it’s set up for pump fed and it’s got a built in U.V. so restricted flow on gravity fed? Then just need to find something to go after my BD


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  32. #18
    Done some more today mate the hole bigger and got the drain in!



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  34. #19
    Going for a nexus 200 on the BD and the easypod on the skimmer?


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  36. #20
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Nice one. Thats better then an easy pod for bottom drain.
    Plus extra bio.
    Quote Originally Posted by DanielRix124 View Post
    Going for a nexus 200 on the BD and the easypod on the skimmer?


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