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Big_al
07-04-2011, 03:22 PM
Hi,

I have never built a pond before so looking for advice. I have kept marines for 20+ years so have some knowledge of the importance of filtration to successfully keeping fish, so hopefully with your help I won't make too many mistakes!

I was thinking of a pond 10ft x 11ft x 5 ft deep (3300gals) with a gravity fed bead or nexus filter via a bottom drain and skimmer.

The only location that I have which is suitable is where we used to have a garage which I have partly demolished creating a large shed which could house any filtration equipment. The downside is that the old garage base will have to partly come up as I was thinking in terms of having 2ft above ground level and 3 ft below ground level. So is it a question of building a retaining wall 2 ft high and digging a 3ft square hole,site the bottom drain pipework and dropping a made to measure Butyl liner?

many thanks,

Al,

lazarus
07-04-2011, 04:02 PM
Welcome Al to the koi forum.

Sounds like a realy good project. I will stay tuned in.
Theres lots of people here to help :)

Laz

trickydicky
07-04-2011, 05:17 PM
Hi,

I have never built a pond before so looking for advice. I have kept marines for 20+ years so have some knowledge of the importance of filtration to successfully keeping fish, so hopefully with your help I won't make too many mistakes!

I was thinking of a pond 10ft x 11ft x 5 ft deep (3300gals) with a gravity fed bead or nexus filter via a bottom drain and skimmer.

The only location that I have which is suitable is where we used to have a garage which I have partly demolished creating a large shed which could house any filtration equipment. The downside is that the old garage base will have to partly come up as I was thinking in terms of having 2ft above ground level and 3 ft below ground level. So is it a question of building a retaining wall 2 ft high and digging a 3ft square hole,site the bottom drain pipework and dropping a made to measure Butyl liner?

many thanks,

Al,

Hi mate wecome to the forum
Firstly youve come to the right forum for your advice etc secondly YES THERES ANOTHER YORKSHIRE MAN ON HERE .. :D
As regards the build if you can get your hands on a DVD called "Project Koi Pond" it will show you the start to finish of a complete koi pond build where a detached garage is demolished and replaced just like your scenario.
I think it can be bought on Ebay.
Hope it helps

Rick

trickydicky
07-04-2011, 05:20 PM
Here ya go Al
just click on the link below ;)
PROJECT KOI POND, DVD.Complete with DVD case and cover. on eBay (end time 09-Apr-11 18:31:40 BST) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PROJECT-KOI-POND-DVD-Complete-DVD-case-and-cover-/250799487817?pt=UK_CDsDVDs_DVDs_DVDs_GL&hash=item3a64d07b49)

markf1fan
07-04-2011, 06:10 PM
Hiya and welcome to a great forum, have a look at my pond build here. it may give you an idea of how to do things or if not then just ask away more questions and we will try to help. mark
http://www.extremekoi.co.uk/pond-construction-pond-build-diaries/6847-my-new-pond-build.html

Craig b
07-04-2011, 06:54 PM
Another tyke good to see, hey tricky just noticed your avatar VERY NICE you change it weekly lol

trickydicky
07-04-2011, 07:05 PM
Another tyke good to see, hey tricky just noticed your avatar VERY NICE you change it weekly lol

Only the best for me craig ;) yeah i change it weekly like my undies mate :D

Big_al
07-04-2011, 07:20 PM
Hiya and welcome to a great forum, have a look at my pond build here. it may give you an idea of how to do things or if not then just ask away more questions and we will try to help. mark
http://www.extremekoi.co.uk/pond-construction-pond-build-diaries/6847-my-new-pond-build.html

Mark, thanks for the welcome I have already looked a your pond build you certainly did a good job and got me thinking about using a bead filter rather than a Nexus.

I also noticed that you concreted the floor - is that necessary with box welded liner if the pond is going to be 3 ft below ground level, I have seen a number of pond builds where the base has a good layer of sand which is then over laid with an underlay which also protects the sides. Your thoughts would be appreciated.


Thanks,
Al.

Big_al
07-04-2011, 07:26 PM
Another tyke good to see, hey tricky just noticed your avatar VERY NICE you change it weekly lol

An adopted one - I had to marry a tykette and live here for 20 years to get the certificate and I still don't talk right! :D


Al,

trickydicky
07-04-2011, 07:26 PM
Al
DO NOT MENTION THE WORD "NEXUS"..... its a no no with mark and myself :D :D there crap

trickydicky
07-04-2011, 07:28 PM
An adopted one - I had to marry a tykette and live here for 20 years to get the certificate and I still don't talk right! :D


Al,

wot and ya yhink i do ?? :D :D married a tykete OUCH
I went for the easy option and got myself an Essex bird :D

markf1fan
07-04-2011, 07:36 PM
Mark, thanks for the welcome I have already looked a your pond build you certainly did a good job and got me thinking about using a bead filter rather than a Nexus.

I also noticed that you concreted the floor - is that necessary with box welded liner if the pond is going to be 3 ft below ground level, I have seen a number of pond builds where the base has a good layer of sand which is then over laid with an underlay which also protects the sides. Your thoughts would be appreciated.


Thanks,
Al.

yes the way you want to do it is all ok but you will have to put the bottom drain and the 4" pipe work in concrete and then as you say use sand. the thing with a box welded liner is they are a good fitting so just make sure you size it up right when you order it. oh and start a new thread on your pond build with lots of pictures. mark

markf1fan
07-04-2011, 07:37 PM
wot and ya yhink i do ?? :D :D married a tykete OUCH
I went for the easy option and got myself an Essex bird :D

i never seen her wear white high heels lol

trickydicky
07-04-2011, 07:39 PM
i never seen her wear white high heels lol

Mark can you honestly see Lizi wearing high heels??? she'll look like a Hippo on stilts :D

markf1fan
07-04-2011, 07:43 PM
Mark can you honestly see Lizi wearing high heels??? she'll look like a Hippo on stilts :D

omg dont let her hear you say that lol.

terrydog
07-04-2011, 07:58 PM
thats funny tricky naughty but funny ill use that

trickydicky
07-04-2011, 08:00 PM
thats funny tricky naughty but funny ill use that

Naughty??? thats how we talk to each other.... ask mark he'll tell ya :D

keithatrax
07-04-2011, 09:11 PM
Al
DO NOT MENTION THE WORD "NEXUS"..... its a no no with mark and myself :D :D there crap

so what is so bad about the word "NEXUS" and why are they so crap???

trickydicky
07-04-2011, 09:13 PM
[QUOTE=keithatrax;36820]so what is so bad about the word "NEXUS" and why are they so crap???[/QUOT ....Fine Particles :mad:

markf1fan
07-04-2011, 09:19 PM
so what is so bad about the word "NEXUS" and why are they so crap???

well its just my own opinion but i have seen now 5 big ponds with nexus filters on and to be honest not one of them had clean clear water. to me they are alot of money for a filter system that never keeps the water clear of particals. i looked into them alot when i was looking to buy a filter system and to be honest so many people said bead filter all the time. having run a bead filter for awhile now i would never not run one now.

trickydicky
07-04-2011, 09:23 PM
Also a bead filter compcats together a lot tighter than the k1 will ever do so this is why the bead filters down to 5 microns.... honest keith having seen 3 of the ponds mark is referring to i have to concure they do not do the same job as a bead filter

keithatrax
07-04-2011, 09:26 PM
well its just my own opinion but i have seen now 5 big ponds with nexus filters on and to be honest not one of them had clean clear water. to me they are alot of money for a filter system that never keeps the water clear of particals. i looked into them alot when i was looking to buy a filter system and to be honest so many people said bead filter all the time. having run a bead filter for awhile now i would never not run one now.

each to there own i guess :)

keithatrax
07-04-2011, 09:29 PM
Also a bead filter compcats together a lot tighter than the k1 will ever do so this is why the bead filters down to 5 microns.... honest keith having seen 3 of the ponds mark is referring to i have to concure they do not do the same job as a bead filter

thats cos the medea is smaller and takes alot more backflushing to clean out:)

markf1fan
07-04-2011, 09:31 PM
each to there own i guess :)

keith when you have your pond up and running, run it for 1 month on the nexus with out the bead filter running and then turn on your bead filter. you will soon say the same as we say mate. trust me i have seen 5 big ponds of about 5000 gallons and all was crap with particles in and all only ran nexus filters. in my view they are a waste of money and take so much room up in a filter bay.

markf1fan
07-04-2011, 09:33 PM
thats cos the medea is smaller and takes alot more backflushing to clean out:)

i bet i could back wash and clean my bead filter in half the time it takes to clean a nexus filter and less water wasted.

Big_al
07-04-2011, 09:40 PM
I notice that trickydicky uses a Ultrabead and Markf1fan you use a econobead both are manufactured by the same company and have a huge difference in price is there a difference in performance or quality of the filter?


Thanks

And I promise I won't mention N****s again

Al,

markf1fan
07-04-2011, 09:45 PM
to be honest they are near the same, both same size. i think one is a plastic unit and the other is fibreglass i think. to be honest they will both do the same job so its upto you which one you buy. there is a econo bead 40 on ebay right now if any good to you but it is abit high priced for second hand.

freddy
08-04-2011, 02:05 PM
Hi Big Al. You say that your pond will be 5ft deep, 3ft in ground and 2 ft out of ground. That's exactly what mine is. If as you say it will be a gravity fed system, there's something you need to bear in mind. The top of your prefilter (be it sieve or whatever) needs to be at the same level as the surface of your pond water. It caused me a few problems as my sieve is around 3ft tall. What I had to do was bury the sieve 1ft down to allow for this. On it's own not a major issue, but it made it awkward to work around, fitting the pipework and suchlike.

Hope this helps, and good luck with the build.

Cheers...Freddy.

Big_al
08-04-2011, 04:22 PM
Hi Big Al. You say that your pond will be 5ft deep, 3ft in ground and 2 ft out of ground. That's exactly what mine is. If as you say it will be a gravity fed system, there's something you need to bear in mind. The top of your prefilter (be it sieve or whatever) needs to be at the same level as the surface of your pond water. It caused me a few problems as my sieve is around 3ft tall. What I had to do was bury the sieve 1ft down to allow for this. On it's own not a major issue, but it made it awkward to work around, fitting the pipework and suchlike.

Hope this helps, and good luck with the build.

Cheers...Freddy.

Yes it is a good point, I guess I will have to dig down. I wanted the 2ft height as it is about the right height to sit on the side of the pond. It will be a bit of a pain though as the filter is going to be housed in the shed which sits on a concrete base so I'll have to get that grinder out again.:rolleyes:

Thanks, Al,

trickydicky
08-04-2011, 04:36 PM
Al the estro sieves are only 27 inches high so your wall could go to this height alot of other sieves are 900 -1000 mm high as freddy found out and caused him more digging and messing around with pipework...its each to there own mate as which sieve you buy although the estro sieves are good for upto 8,000 gallon ponds the larger cetus sieve will cope with upto 20,000 gallon ponds but are much taller

Big_al
08-04-2011, 05:48 PM
Al the estro sieves are only 27 inches high so your wall could go to this height alot of other sieves are 900 -1000 mm high as freddy found out and caused him more digging and messing around with pipework...its each to there own mate as which sieve you buy although the estro sieves are good for upto 8,000 gallon ponds the larger cetus sieve will cope with upto 20,000 gallon ponds but are much taller

Thanks Tricky for the advice the plastic version also looks slightly cheaper than the cetus sieve.

Trying to work out how the skimmer fits into the filtration system is it a separate loop from the bottom drain/sieve/beadfilter or can you put two inputs into the sieve?

thanks again.

Al,

markf1fan
08-04-2011, 08:04 PM
Thanks Tricky for the advice the plastic version also looks slightly cheaper than the cetus sieve.

Trying to work out how the skimmer fits into the filtration system is it a separate loop from the bottom drain/sieve/beadfilter or can you put two inputs into the sieve?

thanks again.

Al,

it will be bottom drain, sieve, pump, filter, and return to pond. the skimmer should be, skimmer, pump, return back to pond, or you could run a bakki like i am doing. which is skimmer, pump, bakki shower, then pond.

Big_al
21-04-2011, 09:21 PM
All, have a query re Liners. Can they be punctured by tree roots. Are they any ways to prevent roots becoming a problem without having to build a block wall.


cheers Al,

markf1fan
21-04-2011, 09:23 PM
All, have a query re Liners. Can they be punctured by tree roots. Are they any ways to prevent roots becoming a problem without having to build a block wall.


cheers Al,

very good question and one i have never came across.

Big_al
21-04-2011, 09:34 PM
very good question and one i have never came across.

I did google it and came up with the following possible solution but not sure how effective ti would be.
Greenseal Pond Liners & Green Roofs (http://www.flexibleliningproducts.co.uk/244949.html?*session*id*key*=*session*id*val*)

Al,