Pond Planning stage, need help

[Tazzmacd]

Need some advise. Been reading and I need some advice on the future plans that I have. Right now, the plan is to put in a well rather big pond in next year. Something like 20x30 with a 40 foot stream and a couple of water falls. One at the top of the stream by the deck that will be the start of the stream and the other around the pond itself. The upper pond will be maybe 18" deep, nothing hugh. The bottom pond will be 3-4' deep. Right now we are planning on putting fish in, just not sure the kind yet.

Now, I have been thinking that 2 4500 gallon pumps should be enough. I guess my main question is, should I go with a kit for a pond this size or shoudl I look at piecing some stuff together myself. Talked to a couple of contractors that use the Aquascape Design kits and seen some of their work. Looks nice, just not sure what other people think of these kits.

Opinions? What are some of my other options for filtration since the above kits use bio balls and other media for filtration?

Sugestions are more then welcomed. I have most of the winter to plan this. Ground breaking will most likely be in April.

Cheers!!

Pat

[Merlin]

Hi Tazzmacd welcome to the pond. :) .

Ok where do we start :confused: . New pond , not sure what fish you want to put in it *:| . If you go with Koi you are looking at a lot of hard work and should be prepared to spend a little bit of cash in order to create the enviroment that they need. Goldies although not as coulorful as koi are a lot easier to look after.

Filter requirments will depend on what fish you decide on, so my sugestion at present is , decide what you wan't before you build your pond, and then let us give you advice on what you need . It is better to get it right the first time , rather than all those expensive changes later.

Merlin ( UK Dave )

[Busy B]

My first advice would be to go to some different forums, this one included and read the pond construction threads.

While Aquascape makes a nice water feature, for koi, it can be limited unless you really stay on top of the maintance issue's. For comets and the sort...not as bad but still work.

Also depth is real important if you live in a cold zone like I do...Ontario right? There's ways it can be done, but you have to plan for it.

Alot of people decide to Do It Yourself or DIY to save cost also...lots of options so the first is to get an idea of what you would really like.

And then we want to see pics! :grin:

[Jackie Ramo]

Merlin has given good advice. I would suggest deciding first what kind of fish. That is key to the design and filtration. If you are not sure then I'd build for koi, goldies will thrive and love those conditions. Sometimes because goldies are more hardy we seem to think the enjoy poorer conditions, they do not, I assure you.

The only thing the jumps to mind from reading the plan so far is 18" is shallow for here in a cold winter. Then again with no fish in that part of the pond it can freeze solid... but I warn you the lilies won't like it. 24" is best depth for lilies and overwintering.

[Gerard]

Hi everyone

How are Gerard from South Africa here how is the winter setting in on that side coz our summer is getting very hot very quick. Enough about us now bout our fish and ponds.

When I began to build my pond I didn’t do nearly sufficient research on all the extra add on I should fit now I have completed the building and had water in for about 6 months when the first glitch has struck,

I have a twin chamber filter system with the inlet on the top of the left side which then flows down under separator a wall which and then up and overflows into the pond the only problem is I did not build in a bottom drain in either side of the filter to flush out the settled debris, dead algae and other matter in the filter, this has now caused a problem as every time there is heavy waste in the filter I have to drain the filters with a submersible pump and hand clean out the filter floors. Does any one have any better plan for me to do this clean out. I was going to break into the filter structure and rebuild from there but I was told it might cause undesirable leaks


Please help
Gerard

[Busy B]

Leaks happen :grin: but they can be dealt with.

For long term, you just may want to tear it apart and put in those drains just to ease your maintanence issues.

Do you have the filters setting in the ground or are they on some kind of a stand? What are they made of? Plastic or wood or concrete?

[Jackie Ramo]

While you are deciding how to rebuild the filters or how to modify them, a shop vac or wet dry vac will suck out the bottoms of the filters nicely. I use one for the pond all the time. If you have a garden or plants the contents of the vac make the plants very happy.