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  1. #1
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Just starting out

    Hi am just starting out in koi worship. And I know am going to get wrong off a lot of angry people but please bear with me . Am building a pond now 8ft wide 11ft long 5 1/2 ft deep . 2 foot block and brick above ground 4 inch polystyrene sheeting bottom and sides. liner . 25mm polycarb cover for winters . In pond pump and box filter (money is tight on this build and have a young family that's why I havnt gone for the heater or drum filter bottom drain) for a starting point will this be substantial to support koi .
    Thanks for any help and sorry to all I have frustrated. Johnathan



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  3. #2
    Hi and welcome to the forum. I am probably the least experienced on here and the knowledgeable folks will be along soon to give great advice. But I would say that the addition of a bottom drain at this stage is far easier than adding one later (which is what I am trying to do) I built my pond very quickly with no experience or knowledge and the bits I missed were lets just say unbelievable, And irresponsible.

    listen to the guys and gals on here they will not put you wrong. and good luck with the build.

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  5. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Thanks for the welcome think I'll give you a run for your money with experience ha . I have toyed with the idea and think you have just put it to bed have to get the spade back out . Thanks

  6. #4
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Hello and welcome Johnathan,Firstly i dont think you will be getting anyone on here angry and no such thing as a silly question.

    Would agree with Craig you should at least fit a bottom drain,ok you are on a budget with small kids to bring up so i would just fit a standard drain cost about £20 on ebay etc,that is what i have and it works well you wont regret it.

    I presume your pond is going to be roughly rectangular shape a box liner would be better as the folds in an ordinary liner hide a lot of crap and cause nasties,your pond is just over 3000 gals same as mine though mine is glassed.

    A skimmer is good though if you cant afford it can be fitted later.Think about the bottom drain though Johnathan it really is essential,apart from that all sounds good and we can help you along the build,good time of the year to start.
    John

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  8. #5
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Thanks for the welcome. Yeah just been on eBay and had a quick for the sake for 20 30 quid not worth not putting one in if experience is there that's exactly what am here for so thanks . I was just going with a liner but the north east koi I go to mentioned glue for the folds when I asked just that question on crap build up . . At that size how many koi/size do you have in yours. I have a temp pond at the minute with 1 12" chagoi 1 16" ginrin ghost . And 2 7" (koi havnt learnt the breeds yet)

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  10. #6
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    hello and welcome agree on the bottom drain. its a must. as john explained there cheap enough. understand your on a budget. agree with box liner. all the best with the build mate
    and people on here are all good. they all mean to help.

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  12. #7
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion andikoi's Avatar
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    welcome,as has been said a few times so far,put a bottom drain in,even just a standard one,lid can be changed later for aerated,i know as i did with mine,also when you say pump and filter box,if it has sponges in filter its not for koi,they poop too much and you will hate cleaning them out,especially in this sort of weather,i speak from very cold finger and wet legs experiance lol,get on ebay,you can get loads second hand,yours is about same size as mine,so holds about 3000g,ideally a bottom drain to a nexus200/300 and then get a dc variable pump(jeboa from fishstreet are good and cheap to buy),will save a fortune in electric compared to an in pond pump as all its doing is pushing water back to pond,and you wont have to drag it out when it blocks up with muck,plus in winter you can turn it down to just keep things ticking over,a skimmer is good if you have trees about,although as said can be fitted later,you want a 55w uv for your size pond and if you havent thought of it a pergola is good to have over pond,i started with one but have since blocked 3 sides off and fitted a solid roof,big tree bottom of garden did my head in lol,just my view on things,good luck with it all,andi

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  14. #8
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Andy1671's Avatar
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    Hello and welcome..
    Two words ..... Bottom Drain
    5000 Gallon Fibreglassed Pond With 54" x 27" Infinity Window
    BD300 Drum Filter
    Artesian 0.5hp - Aquadyne 4.4c Beadfilter - PS4 Protein Shower
    Badu Eco Touch - EP20 UV Sterilizer - ASHP - Venturi
    Hi Blo 60 - Medo 45 - Spindrifter Bottom Drain
    Wide Mouthed Skimmer

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  16. #9
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Thanks to all it's really appreciated. bottom drain it is then I'll get one sorted now . Thanks for the pump recommendation and filter andi best get saving .

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  18. #10
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-KOCKNEY...er-flange-Koi-

    Pond/171402318647?hash=item27e85fd337:gNwAAOxyHntSVBCl

    This is what you want Johnathan solvent weld.
    Good advice from Andikoi about the pump from Fishstreet just bought one myself what sort of pump have you got now?
    A box weld liner is better but you can get double sided tape for the folds but i have no experience of it.
    You could make the filters from drums to save a bit there are some threads on here explaining it all.
    Pond liners,i would wait and get some advice on here as there are loads of different ones,butyl was the best but times change.
    Your from the N E and been to a club thats good,get advice before you buy if your not too sure just ask better than making mistakes.
    John

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  20. #11
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    The first drain is fine on ebay.
    John

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  22. #12
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Just ordered it John thanks looked at it before but wasn't sure til your link

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  24. #13
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    Just a word of warning- you also need to budget for a valve to go on your bottom drain line. They cost more than the actual drain! The only way to avoid that is to run the 4" pipe into a sunken sump (water container) where a slightly smaller diameter pipe can be used as a 'stand pipe' to seal the BD pipe so you can purge it. Some people put a submersible pump into the sump to pump to the filters if they want to keep filters at a higher level. It means the filters would run in a pump fed configuration, but you still get most of the advantages of having a BD.

    Welcome to the forum

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  26. #14
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Feline is quite right and she beat me to it,4ins valves are very expensive ball valves being the best but DO NOT get the yellow handle one kokney koi as they are crap as Feline said you could make a sump.

    The kokney,koi 1.5or 2ins ones are OK though,will have a think how you can do it.
    John

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  28. #15
    If you’re on a budget then check the for sale items on all the forums/gumtree etc and search for “koi sieve” on eBay. Loads of people getting rid now in favour of drums so you could pick up a real bargain. Pop one before a home made K1 chamber and you’re most of the way there. Better spend your cash on that than some of the shelf unsuitable black box IMHO.
    if you really can’t stretch to a 4” ball valve (circa £100) then a slide valve will do but be prepared for it leaking. Plenty of people use them though. I would have thought most average ponders have a certain degree of financial restraint to adhere to so don’t worry about not having the cash to splash.
    Just run anything past the members on here and someone will let you know if you’re buying a pup or not.
    Good luck chap.

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  30. #16
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Thanks for all the advice on filters and bd and around the box filters . I have been giving a xl box filter in pond pump uv the full set up . I know it's not perfect but is there any way or chance of plumbing a bd in now all pipe works and ready to tap in to but blank it off for a few months for funds to come in (landscaping in the snow is no fun ) and just get by on the box filter for say 5 6 months ?

  31. #17
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Gosai pootkoi's Avatar
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    Welcome Johnathan,

    Many ponds run well with box filters that’s how I started out, it’s all about keepin on top of maintenance and not over stocking the pond to quickly, give the filter plenty of time to settle as like all pond you will go through new pond syndrome. You will have a nice volume of water with the size of pond you are building, don’t rush anything and anything your not sure about just ask.

    I’m sure you have done already but read as much as you can regarding people’s builds, and new ponds once fish have been added you will learn a lot and probably save your self a lot of trouble by understanding the basics.

    Good luck and enjoy the many hours you will find yourself tinkering with the pond.

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  33. #18
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion andikoi's Avatar
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    you could put the bd and pipe work in now and use it with your box filter,what sort of pump is it,can you see make/model,put bottom drain and pipework in and fit a 4" to 1 1/2" rubber reducer to the pipework,then an 1 1/2" valve then pipe to your pump,then pump to your box filter,yes the pump will chew waste up before it gets to filter,but it means your not having pipes and pumps in the pond,most pumps nowadays can be run in or out of pond,just an idea,andi

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  35. #19
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Not sure on make model at the moment but even if it is just submersible. Surly a small storage box reservoir to stop it over heating could do the job then?

  36. #20
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion andikoi's Avatar
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    if you could stretch the budget to a sieve this would solve your problem,you could just feed sieve from bd and it would take large crud out before your pump pumps to black box,i had one of these for years and it worked brilliantly,also with this type you can put your pump inside the sieve,andi https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/estrosiev....c100005.m1851

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