Thread: The complete build start to finish

Hello All,
I have recently joined and have learnt a great deal of information from this site. I spent a couple of months doing my research before taking the plunge and as I know many like to see peoples builds I thought I would wait until everything was complete and do it in one go.
There are quite a few pictures but I have kept it to a minimal to keep your attention. I hope you like what you see, I dug out everything by hand, called upon the same builder who built my extension 2 years ago using the same type of bricks so it all matched in. It was his first time building a pond in his 30 years of being in the trade - together however we ended up with what I had hoped and more importantly it has brought new life to the koi I have kept for 10 years in a pond that was sunk into the ground using a liner or rather 3 different liners due to leak / holes over the years. From this I learnt the way forward was fibreglass, bottom aeriated drain and an overflow.
The Koi a number of which are dark coloured were only seen at feeding time before disappearing into the depths are now appreciated by a 5' x 2' window. They are beautiful to look at and to make things better the wife who umm'ed and arrhed about the project absolutely loves it so everyone is a winner - maybe if she knew the full expenditure that may have been different but she was always working when the most expensive items were purchased and it was sold as 'I am doing it for you my love'
My only concern is that she is Thai, alot of her Thai friends come around and I know they are viewing some of the fish and discussing what they would taste like on a BBQ with lots of chilli.
Anyway enough of me rattling on, I hope you enjoy I will post this then attempt to load.
Thanks
Pete

I have spent the best part of an hour attempting the simple task of browse and upload using Jpg firstly, then Bmp & finally gif and all my attempts have failed. I was then forwarded to the administrator as an invalid post and sent them an email.
I do not understand why I cannot load a single photo so unless anyone can offer a solution I am at a loss.
I tried - fortunately the build was less of a headache than my computer

Hi Miles,
I will give it a go now on one photo to see how I get on. Fingers crossed as I am now 2hrs into this so called quick job
Pete

The first 13 show the original drawn up plan followed by the dig, putting in the 4" bottom drain, concrete base and the breeze blocks

The window, brickwork, filter room and slabbing

The fibreglassing, filter room and water going in where I let it run for 2 weeks before slowly moving the fish over 3-4 a week

That looks amazing Pete. So glad you worked out how to add the photos - well worth waiting for! You must be really pleased so far. It's going to look stunning when we see the finished product for sure.

Shows the value of having a definite plan of what you want to do rather than taking things one step at a time as with the method I normally adhere to.

It was really hot, I went in to move the lights around and finally settled and enjoyed a bottle of Singha.
The fish being moved, laying of the patio and finally enjoying the fruits of our efforts.
The net is only a temporary feature until the fish are all settled as we had a jumper in the first batch then ended up in the gravel - he survived the ordeal and it is hoped he tells all his mates this is the place to be.
Just got to fill in the old pond now with the soil I took out of this one.

The size is 1100gallons, running on a 4" bottom aeriated drain with an 8000 superfish pump to return and a skimmer with overflow on a 8000 superfish passing through 55w UV.
Overflow runs to 80litre plastic bin which also used when cleaning Eazypod. Sump pump with paddle attached to garden hose to water the plants.

I hope anyone out there that is considering to build goes ahead as it is well worth all the effort. I had frustrating days, annoying days but mostly good days. The project took from start to finish 6 weeks doing in and around of work and weekends.

Thanks for looking

Pete

Originally Posted by weatherman

That looks amazing Pete. So glad you worked out how to add the photos - well worth waiting for! You must be really pleased so far. It's going to look stunning when we see the finished product for sure.

Shows the value of having a definite plan of what you want to do rather than taking things one step at a time as with the method I normally adhere to.

Thanks for your comment, I remember looking at your build and was very pleased I did not have any rocks or boulders like you came across - the clay was bad enough and carrying it away in buckets to the back of the shed wasn't much fun either, the huge mound I created I levelled out and grassed it with what i took from the area where I dug the patio - it saved a small fortunes not hiring skips

Originally Posted by miles41

Great looking pond Peter, lovely neat brickwork

Thank you Miles for your assistance with the photos its only taken just over 4 hrs to work out how to upload. The builder initially thought it would only take him 2 days - 2 weeks later he realised he had slightly underquoted. he is a great guy and a good laugh so I gave him an extra fiver for his trouble

Hi Peter. THAT looks beautiful.Thanks for the lovely pictures. Looks like the cat wanted to get in. ( Before you filled it ) x

Hi peter very nice pond and it look very well built your guarding looks very nice you should by happy with that. and your family look very happy with it to and that helps a lot when you go to spend money on fish. all the best from Chris PS thanks for sharing your pics with us all and I have spent
along long time trying to upload pics and still I have to get help good job
I am better with water.

Originally Posted by viv davis

Hi Peter. THAT looks beautiful.Thanks for the lovely pictures. Looks like the cat wanted to get in. ( Before you filled it ) x

Hi Viv, thankfully she didn't find the one that leaped to escape. The cat does seem to sit and watch from the house at night as the fishes are always at the window

Originally Posted by chris 1974

Hi peter very nice pond and it look very well built your guarding looks very nice you should by happy with that. and your family look very happy with it to and that helps a lot when you go to spend money on fish. all the best from Chris PS thanks for sharing your pics with us all and I have spent
along long time trying to upload pics and still I have to get help good job
I am better with water.

Thanks for your message Chris - we are really pleased. I will be glad when the old pond is filled in and grassed over it is just finding the energy to do it as I need to put a land drain into it from the upper garden to use as a drain away as we have a tendancy to get water lying on this area - pencilled myself in for September when I've a few annual leave days

in the first 13 pictures is that you mate if so are you a carp fisherman you look familiar

Nice clean pond. Great design. However I must say that 1 of your koi looks like it needs moving on.
It's the one with the bottle in its mouth.

Lovely neat build and well thought out........always worth doing your homework before you start, well done and have fun
Brian