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  1. #1

    Post New Member, new pond, long post, will need advice!

    Hi All. New Member here.

    I'm Brendan and I live in Coulsdon, Surrey. Have had a couple of small Koi and some goldfish in a preformed pond of about 1000 litres for a few years.

    A friend was closing his pond and offered us all his fish, pump, filter etc. We said yes, and then discovered that most of his fish were 12"+ of various types. Thankfully our eldest daughter's boyfriend (Sebastian) was Koi mad had a decent sized pond, and he has had these fish in his pond for the last 2 years, where they seem to have thrived and grown.

    In February, quite out of the blue, his mother announced that she was going to sell the house and move in with her fiancée, which suddenly put him, and me, under pressure!

    Having bought what I thought was a large fiberglass pond (1750 litres), and Seb just laughed at me, so I bought a much bigger one (2500 litres), and he laughed again. It was only when I visited his house to look at our fish and his, that I realised why, as the biggest of them was now around 18" long, and there were 36 fish in total including his fish!

    So, me being me, without any detailed planning, and nothing written down, I conceived an idea in my head and then built it!

    Seb's pond was 11,000 litres, so my target was to beat that. He didn't fit a bottom drain, and regretted it, so I've fitted 2, both with 4" pipes. Seb also said that he regretted not fitting a window to his pond, so I have also designed in (but not yet fitted) two, each 1000mm x 450mm (so around 950 x 425 visible). My job for tomorrow!

    I quickly learned about "Koi Tax", so did a lot of shopping about and research when buying materials, so for example, I bought my two sheets of glass from a balustrade company rather than a pond supplier. These are 1000mm x 450mm x 21mm, toughened and laminated (2 x 10mm glass and 1mm plastic). These were £56 each, not £250 with Koi Tax!

    The main construction is around 5m long, 2m wide and 1.8m deep, although it's slightly tapering and has a curved end. Construction is lightweight aerated blocks (100mm thick), except at the corners and around the window apertures that are the dense blocks), every course has Expamet mesh in the mortar course, and I fitted stainless brick ties in the blockwork to tie into the concrete lining. The walls are all built on a steel reinforced ring beam that is 10" wide and 10" deep, which I cast in a trench I dug before I started the main excavation. Inside the blockwork there is 10mm rebar mesh (about 125mm squares) embedded in 60mm of polyester fibre reinforced concrete (mixed in a small cement mixer by me, but very carefully measured for consistency). This was poured in from the top and hand tamped behind the plywood shuttering and barring a few dry spots and voids, this provided a very consistent finish. I then painted over this concrete with a cement and sand wash to fill some undulations and provide a rough but smooth surface for the fibre glass lining.

    The floor was also steel reinforced and the mesh was tied in to the bottom of the wall rebars as I bent them through 90 degrees before fitting them so they protruded through the wall render and allowed me to ensure a good support for the floor and little chance of cracking. I used a relatively dry mix for the floor which allowed me to flaunch it down towards the two bottom drains.

    I fitted a wide mouthed wall skimmer, and two mid level returns and then fibre glassed the whole thing. I started with a resin wash, and then once cured, I added 2 layers of 450gsm Chopped Strand Mat across the whole thing, and then also added a layer of tissue on the top 1m to provide a better finish up to and above the water line.

    I don't like the traditional Black or British Racing Green finish of most ponds, so I opted for a mid-grey flowcoat finish. I have no idea whether this is a good idea or not, but just thought it would help for us to see some of the darker fish, and we are keen to get a sturgeon which we'd struggle to see against a black finish.

    Internal volume is slightly awkward to calculate due to tapered shape and curved end, but I have averaged this at c4.7m long, 1.8m wide, and 1.6m deep, which equates to around 13,500 litres of water.

    some photos to follow.



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  3. #2

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  5. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Brendanfelix View Post
    Hi All. New Member here.

    I'm Brendan and I live in Coulsdon, Surrey. Have had a couple of small Koi and some goldfish in a preformed pond of about 1000 litres for a few years.

    A friend was closing his pond and offered us all his fish, pump, filter etc. We said yes, and then discovered that most of his fish were 12"+ of various types. Thankfully our eldest daughter's boyfriend (Sebastian) was Koi mad had a decent sized pond, and he has had these fish in his pond for the last 2 years, where they seem to have thrived and grown.

    In February, quite out of the blue, his mother announced that she was going to sell the house and move in with her fiancée, which suddenly put him, and me, under pressure!

    Having bought what I thought was a large fiberglass pond (1750 litres), and Seb just laughed at me, so I bought a much bigger one (2500 litres), and he laughed again. It was only when I visited his house to look at our fish and his, that I realised why, as the biggest of them was now around 18" long, and there were 36 fish in total including his fish!

    So, me being me, without any detailed planning, and nothing written down, I conceived an idea in my head and then built it!

    Seb's pond was 11,000 litres, so my target was to beat that. He didn't fit a bottom drain, and regretted it, so I've fitted 2, both with 4" pipes. Seb also said that he regretted not fitting a window to his pond, so I have also designed in (but not yet fitted) two, each 1000mm x 450mm (so around 950 x 425 visible). My job for tomorrow!

    I quickly learned about "Koi Tax", so did a lot of shopping about and research when buying materials, so for example, I bought my two sheets of glass from a balustrade company rather than a pond supplier. These are 1000mm x 450mm x 21mm, toughened and laminated (2 x 10mm glass and 1mm plastic). These were £56 each, not £250 with Koi Tax!

    The main construction is around 5m long, 2m wide and 1.8m deep, although it's slightly tapering and has a curved end. Construction is lightweight aerated blocks (100mm thick), except at the corners and around the window apertures that are the dense blocks), every course has Expamet mesh in the mortar course, and I fitted stainless brick ties in the blockwork to tie into the concrete lining. The walls are all built on a steel reinforced ring beam that is 10" wide and 10" deep, which I cast in a trench I dug before I started the main excavation. Inside the blockwork there is 10mm rebar mesh (about 125mm squares) embedded in 60mm of polyester fibre reinforced concrete (mixed in a small cement mixer by me, but very carefully measured for consistency). This was poured in from the top and hand tamped behind the plywood shuttering and barring a few dry spots and voids, this provided a very consistent finish. I then painted over this concrete with a cement and sand wash to fill some undulations and provide a rough but smooth surface for the fibre glass lining.

    The floor was also steel reinforced and the mesh was tied in to the bottom of the wall rebars as I bent them through 90 degrees before fitting them so they protruded through the wall render and allowed me to ensure a good support for the floor and little chance of cracking. I used a relatively dry mix for the floor which allowed me to flaunch it down towards the two bottom drains.

    I fitted a wide mouthed wall skimmer, and two mid level returns and then fibre glassed the whole thing. I started with a resin wash, and then once cured, I added 2 layers of 450gsm Chopped Strand Mat across the whole thing, and then also added a layer of tissue on the top 1m to provide a better finish up to and above the water line.

    I don't like the traditional Black or British Racing Green finish of most ponds, so I opted for a mid-grey flowcoat finish. I have no idea whether this is a good idea or not, but just thought it would help for us to see some of the darker fish, and we are keen to get a sturgeon which we'd struggle to see against a black finish.

    Internal volume is slightly awkward to calculate due to tapered shape and curved end, but I have averaged this at c4.7m long, 1.8m wide, and 1.6m deep, which equates to around 13,500 litres of water.

    some photos to follow.
    Hi Brendan,
    Thanks for sharing, I love reading about a new pond build project. Also, we'll done for sourcing your windows at such a great price. Do you have a deadline for completion? Had you ever fibreglassed before? What do you plan for filtration?
    Good luck with it,
    Tim

    Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

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  7. #4
    Senior Member Rank = Hassai Wain's Avatar
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    Interested to see how you get on.

    Cant wait to see the fish, sounds like there are some monsters in there.

    Good Luck with your build.
    1000 gal
    2 x Hozelock 6000ltr 9W UV
    Allpond Spin Filter 8000 11W UV
    Blagdon pond oxy 640 ltr/hr

  8. #5
    Member Rank = Sansai pfrosty's Avatar
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    Well done with the build so far. I found my first build quite a challenging experience from dig to finishing touches but very rewarding when done.
    My only concern is the thickness of the glass at 21mm and the size of them related to that. The minimum recommend thickness in my experience is 25.5mm and for glass the size you mention would typically 31mm. Wouldn't want you to learn the hard way

  9. #6
    I think as the glass is 450mm in height, with 50mm behind the wall making a viewing area of 400mm from top to bottom, the thickness will be fine, but I'd double check as I'm no expert! And filling my pond for the first time after purchasing it from a known company, I was still worried it would break New Member, new pond, long post, will need advice!

    Keep us updated New Member, new pond, long post, will need advice!New Member, new pond, long post, will need advice!

    Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

  10. #7
    Hi All.

    My wife shares your anxiety about the windows, but I did consult with the glass supplier before pressing the "buy" button and they are very confident in the strength. As jayjt29 says above, with about 420mm x 920mm showing, it's not a massive expanse of glass.

    The supplier sells these panes in various sizes as Balustrades for balconies and patios, and therefore these have to be able to survive being fallen against by a full grown man, when mounted in Portrait format so 450mm wide and 1m tall!

    Assuming that your fears are realised, the glass will crack and look horrible, but shouldn't actually leak. If there was a catastrophic failure, it'll be when first filled (before fish) and I would then only lose the top 400mm of water, but not the remaining 1.2m, so again, not a catastrophe. I did also ensure that the recesses I cast into my concrete lining are wide enough to accommodate thicker glass, if this 21mm proves to not be adequate.

    Been struck down with Covid, so no progress over the last week, but will get back to it soon.

    As to the answers to some other questions posed above: I currently have several filters and pumps from various sources, but am looking to try and consolidate all this into a large single set-up for this pond, with a vortex, mechanical filtration, large moving bed and an anoxic basket lagoon. Not quite sure how I'm going to do that just yet, so plan to add all the current filtration and some extra I have onto the new pond in the short term, as this is currently serving the fish OK in a 12 ft diameter swimming pool at the end of the garden (about 6500l) so should be ok for the bigger pond (13500l) with the same stock, I guess?

    Planning to complete the build and get the windows in over the next 2 weeks - Covid permitting, and then commence the filter fun!

    Will keep you all posted!

  11. #8
    PS: Has anybody used IBC tanks for Koi filtration? keep seeing these palleted polypropylene containers built into caged pallets and they look ripe for using as filter containers. 1000l capacity and 1m cubed. - one of these would make a large moving bed, and a second would make a pretty good size Anoxic lagoon. Just add a vortex and some conventional mechanical filtration up front and I'm done. Famous last words.

    Or I could get 3 or 4 x 220l plastic barrels and do the same?

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  13. #9
    And no, I haven't done any pond fibre glassing, but did once build a canoe from a mould when I was in the scouts about 40 years ago!

    Didn't find it at all hard to do the fibre glassing, but then I am a bit of have-a-go-hero, and don't find much that I can't do after a bit of research and a some YouTube studying.

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  15. #10
    Hi Brenden,

    I am also a new member and am struggling to learn how to join any group about koi and pond building. I hope someone reading this can help me.

    It is great and look forward to know all about your new pond build. I have always wanted to have a koi pond but never got the time due to travel for work. However I have too much time under lockdown and so I started my own project of approximately 5,600 UK gallon pond which I aim to complete by March-April 2021. Completed digging but still undecided on filtration equipment.

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  17. #11
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Any questions please just ask away. This is an outstanding forum with unbelievable help and friendship. Welcome both yiu

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    Freddyboy the legend

    "we are water keepers first"

    Johnathan

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  19. #12
    Hi Jonathan,

    Many thanks for replying to my help and I assume there are a lot of lol in these blogs which I enjoy a lot. First the "bad news of my day" Just been out to my garden and found that the temporarily tarpaulin over the pond hole has collapsed with about 75 gallons of snow, ice and water collected in the centre and probably more inside the hole with three sides also collapsed into the hole. More digging and repair work when weather become dryer.

    The most important criteria for my pond is absolutely minimum maintenance. My cost projection of the pond build is seriously getting out of hand so need to save cost if possible and welcome any comments.
    1. Concrete base - 160mm (6 inch) with steel mesh
      • cement blockwork - 670mm below ground
      • cement blockwork and brickwork - 740 mm above ground top with coping stones.

    2. 1.00mm rubber liner
    3. Glass window L2700 x H746 - triple ply 33.04mm - gift from family because they have benefit of seeing the fish from within the house. They forgot to add the fish to see one!
    4. Spindrifter-aerated-bottom-drain-kit or alternative brand - not too keen with all the aeration disturbing the water surface. Thinking of a separate air line to the side or corner with a hoop like device on the surface to contain the air bubbles from spreading to the rest of the pond.
    5. 1 x non aerated bottom drain – side installation
    6. Certikin-skimmer-black - or alternative brand
    7. 4 x return jets with adjustable/directional outlet – Is 4 returns too many and just 2 or 3 will be sufficient?
    8. Draco - drum solum 25
    9. Draco - midi bio unit and K1 media
    10. Plumbing accessories etc.
    11. UV unit – What brand and please advise appropriate rating unit? Is this unit install inside Solum 25?
    12. 1 x Air pump – What brand and rating? – must be quiet type - variable air volume control?
    13. 1 x Water pump – What brand and rating? – variable volume control?
    14. I can salvage existing Allpond 8000 pump as additional pump


    Lastly, I have never put together any such system before but I will have a go.

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  21. #13
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    @Gazkoi might be able to sort out a good deal on plumbing filtration media and fish.. He is a great member on here but his page is https://aurorakoi.co.uk/.. Returns depends of what shape of pond you are going for to make sure there is no dead spots. Planning a nice size pond mate maybe a shower could be a good added bio? I know it's extra money but if you think about one and do prep work now could get one later on rather than wait and have to re jig all plumbing.. Bottom drains there is a few different opinions but imo am going to use a cheap 25 quid kk 110mm bottom drain as I don't like all the water movements.. Also to keep running costs down have a look at running air lifts. Am looking at adding one to mine.

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    Freddyboy the legend

    "we are water keepers first"

    Johnathan

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  23. #14
    Senior Member Rank = Adult Champion Gazkoi's Avatar
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    Many thanks AJM - very much appreciated.

    Cheers

    Gaz
    Hobby and business gone but when you’re hooked you’re hooked.

    Always happy to help!!

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  25. #15
    definitely sounds like you need a nexus 310 & cetus sieve and a couple of aquamax 14000 dry pumps, and all within a couple of miles no doubt.....

    https://www.koiforum.uk/koi-pond-equ...xus-cetus.html


    welcome to the forum.

 

 

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