Pond Brain Storming

So, as my passion for my pond grows, so do my pond ambitions, so it is time to start planning for my new pond. I have decided that I want another raised pond, so I started searching google for images of ponds and styles that I liked.

Brick corner pond

Square with built in water feature

Square pond, with wall mounted water blade.

Brick built, with feature wall

Simple wooden sleeper pond.

After looking at the designs, and working out build costs, and my ability, I decided to go for a wooden framed pond, during my period on design, I called into my local world of water store and as I walked in, the had my perfect pond made up in the walkway as you walked in.

This particular pond came in a kit form, and it wasn't so much the kit, more the size and style that I was interested in.

It measured 2.5m x 1.5m x 0.7, which would hold 1357 litres. Which would allow me to keep my current pond and filter system which would handle upto 1500 litres per hour.

This size pond would fit perfectly on my patio, with out taking up to much space. Whilst giving me the extra size that I was after, 

It was great being able to see the size pond, in the flesh, rather than just looking at it on the Internet.

Rather than buying the kit at £749, I wanted to build the same size and style on pond out of sleeper style timber.

My Filter setup

After I decided to up grade my filter system, I then needed to decide how to configure my filter system.  I had to choose if wanted to buy a separate filter box, UV and pump. Or if I wanted to buy one of the complete kits that are paired to together. After looking at the different set up, and waying up the benefits of each and looking at my budget of £200, I decided to go for a filter kit that included the pump.

On the recommendation of the staff at World of Water in Rugby,  I decided to go for the Oase BioPress 4000 Set Pond Filter,

• Guaranteed clear water thanks to mechanical biological filtration and combined effective UVC technology.
• Kits include OASE filter pumps
• Simply and easy cleaning of the filter via the cleaning mechanism.
• Quick-release system for filter opening for easy maintenance.
• A selection of filter media for optimal filtration.
• Can be partly buried for almost invisible installation.
• System capable of delivering water to higher levels
• Includes all hose connections for easy installation.

Included Pond Pump: Oase Filter Pump

Included Pond Filter: Biopress 4000

Included UVC: 7 Watt

System suitable for ponds with:

Max Flow: 2500Lts/ 550Gals

No Fish Stocks: 4000Lts/ 880Gals

With Fish Stocks: 2000Lts/ 440Gals

Koi Fish Stocks: 1000Lts/ 220Gals

The Kit included everything I needed to set up my current pond with its new filtration system,  once the noses had been cut to length, and connected to the pump and the out lets using the supplied jubilee clips, it was set up and ready to go. 

I couldn't believe the difference it made to the water quality, within a few hours it was crystal clear.

Maintenance 

Every week I take the hose out of the pond, and place it in the flower bed, and pump the handle of the filter box, which squeezes the filter material together, and loosens all the waste, which come out of the hose, once it runs clear, i simple pop the hose back in the pond.

Also during the summer month, I turn the pump off, remove it out of the water, open the pump basket and clean out any waste, to ensure that there is nothing blocking or slowing the pump.

First Fish

Once the pond had been constructed, and my home made filter, up and running, next was to stock it with a selection of fish.

We were given a selection of goldfish, and to add some more colour to my little pond, we went to get a couple of Koi, 

Two Israely Koi and one Ghost Koi. Once they settled in they all seemed very happy in the new home.

My current pond.

My current pond, started off life at my parents house, in the corner of their garden, and when my dad decided he wanted to build his own, he sent it up, (well delivered it up). And my first pond had arrived.

Yes I know what your thinking, that's no Koi pond, I've seem bigger water features, but every one has to start some where.

And I started by stealing the pump out of my wife's water feature, to get the water moving,  I decided to have a go at building my own gravel filter,  which I constructed out of a planter, some push fit plumbing parts, and some sound and gravel. 

Forcing the water down to the bottom of the gravel, and then allowing it to filter up through the gravel and stone, before it came out the overflow pipe at the top.

And to be fair it worked really well, and kept the pond nice a clean and clear.

My journey on fish keeping had begun.

Welcome to My Koi Pond Blog.

Welcome to My Koi Pond, I wanted to create this blog, to document the creation an building of my new raised Koi pond,  it's not going to be some magical landscaped architectural master piece, just a simple home made raised koi pond, for my selection of fish to live in, who you will meet later. As they have out grown their current home.

I'm fairly new to koi keeping, so we hopefully learn together as we go along.

I will share my ideas for the new pond, and once decided, we will go through the design and build, and once built,  the growing pains of my koi keeping, highs and lows, and we will see how the blog develops as it goes along.